In 2003, The PGA of America unveiled an ongoing, comprehensive national marketing campaign called Play Golf America. Designed to increase golf participation in the U.S. by recruiting new players and increasing frequency of play by occasional golfers, Play Golf America aims to provide opportunities for American adults to play golf through unique programs targeted at families, couples, women, business professionals and seniors. The PGA has retained ACI to develop and coordinate an aggressive public relations campaign at both the national and grassroots levels in support of the campaign. In partnership with The PGA, ACI has assisted in generating over 700 million media impressions valued at $15.5 million during 2004 and 2005 according to independent reports by Joyce Julius & Associates. Almost 300,00 unique visitors have been driven to Play Golf America’s Web site, www.playgolfamerica.com. Over 5 million people have participated in a Play Golf America program and 4,900 golf facilities have joined the effort. Placements secured during the campaign include USA Today, Wall Street Journal, The Today Show, The Early Show, Golf Digest, Southern Living, LA Times and hundreds more.

Ebonite International, Inc. is a leading manufacturer and marketer of consumer bowling products and accessories. All Ebonite consumer products are sold through distributors to bowling pro shops across the United States. Ebonite needed a way to effectively disseminate their product and differentiations to pro shop owners and operators. To provide Ebonite with a communications vehicle to reach this target audience, ACI created the award-winning Pro Shop Insider, which started as a 16-page newsletter but has grown to a 72-page magazine. ACI serves as the publisher and editor of this quarterly publication that has become a trusted industry resource on trends and issues facing bowling pro shops. ACI works with Ebonite management to create strategically informative content for the publication and ensure each issue aligns with the strategic marketing goals for Ebonite. ACI oversees graphic design and layout and coordinates photography and printing. With ACI’s help, Ebonite has created a very advantageous sell-in atmosphere for sales representatives.


In December 2002, Tommy Nelson Publishers published Max Lucado’s first-ever children’s multi-media release in both English and Spanish, Hermie: A Common Caterpillar. With this crucial launch, Tommy Nelson requested the expertise of ACI for a six-month publicity campaign for each of the products (video, DVD, picture book and board book) in both secular and non-secular print media and limited broadcast media. ACI created collateral press materials, distributed an email invitation to a video premier in Los Angeles and distributed “Making Of” videos, book text pre-publications and finished products to more than 100 key media. As a result, ACI generated millions of impression through placements in such notable media outlets as Christian Retailing, Today’s Christian Woman, The Dallas Morning News, Publishers Weekly and Focus on the Family. A story was also sent out and published across the country through the Religion News Service, a result of the video premier. Hermie won over a half-dozen awards, including The National Parenting Center’s Seal of Approval, and sales of Hermie: A Common Caterpillar were significantly above forecast. The successful campaign enabled Tommy Nelson to create a specific brand, Max Lucado’s Hermie & Friends™, under which they continue to produce multiple products.

In 2002, when ACI began to see that western looks were beginning to appear in fashion publications, it recognized the opportunity to position its long-time client, Durango Boot, as a primary resource for fashion editors seeking western product for photo shoots. For the campaign, ACI has conducted New York media tours and used other tactics to become a mainstay in women’s fashion magazines. At the same time, Durango wanted to associate its brand with the country music market. Using its industry contacts, ACI was able to assist Durango in creatively – and cost effectively – becoming involved in country music resulting in a perception among retailers that it was a leading brand in this segment. In order to break into the country music market, ACI offers Durango products to music labels to use as part of CD launch promotions for various artists and identifies “gift room” opportunities at various country music events to provide brand exposure and sampling to star entertainers. As a result, Durango continually provides product to more than 30 trade and consumer media outlets including Cargo, GQ, Cosmopolitan, Maxim, Lucky, New York Times, Glamour, Country Music Weekly, Country Music Television and others. Durango and ACI have made over 85 million consumer impressions through publicity in the past two years alone. As a result, Durango has seen significant increases in sales over that period in the western segment.

In 1999, the late Payne Stewart captured the hearts of millions of golf fans with his victory at the U.S. Open at Pinehurst. Due to his incredible putting during the Open, he also put a small putter manufacturer, SeeMore Golf, in the spotlight. Within days of Stewart’s win, the company had orders for more than 50,000 of its unique, center-shafted putters. Unfortunately, SeeMore Golf couldn’t keep up with these orders due to its lack of manufacturing capacity and working capital. Ultimately, the company’s sales dropped through the years and the brand was essentially forgotten. In May 2004, new company owners called on ACI to create and implement a public relations campaign to reignite SeeMore Golf and regain its lost brand recognition. ACI developed and executed an ongoing, targeted publicity campaign beginning with the 2005 PGA Merchandise Show. ACI generated additional media coverage surrounding the U.S. Open’s return to Pinehurst in 2005 and the anniversary of Payne Stewart’s win there using a SeeMore putter. The campaign generated millions of media impressions through print and broadcast placements in every major golf outlet including The Golf Channel, Golf Digest, Golf Magazine, Golfweek, Golf for Women and more. Placements in non-golf media outlets were also secured including The Detroit News, Tennessean, Chicago Sun-Times, SportsBusiness Journal and Brandweek. Through this effective campaign, ACI assisted SeeMore in greatly exceeding sales goals.

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