Strategic Communications firm, ICBM launched

Integrated Communication and Brand Marketing firm, ICBM, opens its doors in Washington, DC.

(PRWEB) July 17, 2003 -- Washington DC – ICBM, Integrated Communication and Brand Marketing, has launched. The strategic branding and creative resource firms three principals – Patrick Ind, John Bowen and Gary James – met while working at a Bethesda marketing firm in 2001. When that company downsized" in the Fall 2002, they started to build their own company, ICBM LLC. We knew we had a great team and werent prepared to just let that go," Communications Director Gary James said.

While at the previous agency, the team was responsible for copywriting and creative for a $1 million print and outdoor media campaign for NACHA, the National Automated Clearing House Association, which began appearing in May, and they created a museum audience-building campaign during the crucial months following 9-11.

All three have won numerous awards for creative copywriting, strategic communications, public relations campaigns, branding and design. The clients theyve done work for include the Smithsonians Freer and Sackler Galleries, Metro Teen AIDS, Butterbuds® and SweetN Low®, FlavorX, Hadleys Park and Betah. The types of accounts are just as diverse: financial, business-to-business, business-to-consumer, high tech, governmental, health, automotive, not-for-profit and entertainment, to name a few.

Johns even won awards for skateboard creative and CD package design," James said. And ICBM? "We feel that good marketing and advertising doesn't have to be rocket science," James said jokingly, "and when we defined what we do - integrated communication and brand marketing - it all fell into place."

By combining their advertising, marketing and public relations skills, ICBM is focusing on brand building. You can have the best marketing in the world," says James, an accredited public relations practitioner (APR) who got his start in a New York theatrical press agency in 1980, but negative customer experiences are recalled more often than great and clever advertising. Being left on-hold, poor customer service, needless delays, are typical complaints that destroy a companys credibility and value. You have to live up to the promise. Fundamental to brand-building is that every aspect of communication must be addressed, supported and respected – whether it is with the customer, between employees or involving stakeholders."

ICBM is also pleased to have Nicholas Ind on their team, one of the worlds foremost brand experts. Nicholas has advanced the discipline of Living the Brand," a powerful process that turns employees into ‘brand champions. Nicholas is author of six books including The Corporate Brand, Making the Most of your Corporate Brand and Living the Brand.

According to Managing Director Patrick Ind, our goal was to create a firm which has broad ranging capabilities by offering research, strategic marketing, creative solutions, evaluation and training. Everything we do is geared to building a clients brand. Whether it is creating tactical materials that integrate with an existing brand or developing a new set of brand values to re-position their organization, ultimately our goal is to get results for our clients by providing a quantifiable return on investment."

As brands become more global, we saw an opportunity to integrate American and British skills to give the company greater international capability as well," says Ind, who is from the UK and whose brother Nicholas is based in Scandinavia.

In addition to offering integrated communication and brand marketing, ICBM has joined forces with Inclusion Incorporated, a research and training firm headed by Carl T. Cameron, Ph.D., whose company has extensive experience in program and policy evaluation, employee training, social marketing, data collection, needs analysis and media production. The firms will retain their individual identities while combining the strengths of both.

The combined firms employees number sixteen. The new offices are at Waterfront Center, 1010 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 340, in Georgetown and can be reached through their website at www.icbm.biz or by phone, 202.338.7000.