Mellon & Co. is pleased to announce completion and launch of Cornell University Cooperative Extension’s new Web site. The site launched in early June, and may be viewed at http://counties.cce.cornell.edu/allegany_cattaraugus.

The team at Mellon worked closely with key individuals from Cornell to build an online platform that offers improved access to diverse information about the organization and how it serves its communities.

Highlights of the site are informational resources including Cattaraugus-Allegany 4-H, agriculture, environmental opportunities, consumer science, and healthy living and wellness in the Southern Tier.

There are also unique resources that residents of Cattaruaugs and Allegany can learn about on the Web site. These include gardening and and environmental destinations, such as Nannen Arboretum, a non-profit, volunteered based organization dedicated to providing home garden and natural resource education, test plots for research, and an opportunity for nature appreciation and leisure.

Another vital resource is the Southern Tier Wellness Partnership, which provides information, education, and services surrounding diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and cancer. The Partnership provides resources and support to change the environment and policies that have become barriers for its citizens to lead a healthy lifestyle.

These items, and many others, make Cornell University Cooperative Extension a unique and valuable resource to residents of Cattaraugus and Allegany counties. Working on the planning, design, and development of the web project was enjoyable and rewarding. For more information, visit the new Web site at counties.cce.cornell.edu/allegany_cattaraugus.

June 4, 2008

Live entertainment, great giveaways and one of the most dazzling fireworks displays around are just three reasons why the Olean Area Fireworks show has been drawing crowds for over 40 years. Mellon & Co. is pleased to be a sponsor of this long-standing tradition in Olean and was happy to donate the new oleanfireworks.org website to keep the show going all year round.

Oleanfireworks.org is a comprehensive source for information about the Olean Fireworks program. The Web site details the history of the program, provides a schedule of events for the 2008 show and showcases photos from previous shows and fundraising events. It also provides information on how to support the Fireworks show. A combined effort of the City of Olean Firefighter’s Local 1796 and the WMXO/WOEN Radio Station, the fireworks are supported completely by community donations.

To raise the approximately $20,000 that is needed to put on the show, the Fire Department accepts donations year round and will soon be accepting donations electronically on oleanfireworks.org. The Web site also provides up-to-date information on local hot dog sales that support the show, a long-standing tradition of the fireworks program.

The Olean Fire Department encourages the community to come out and show its support at the next hot dog sale from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday, June 13, at the Olean Area Federal Credit Union. Visit www.oleanfireworks.org to learn more.

This accurate description of Integrated Marketing Communications, the words often heard when describing the field, are an important part of what we do at Mellon & Co. It may help our clients, and even prospective clients, to have a deeper understanding of our core philosophy:

Marketing: It is a process. We measure the results of the process by number of customers, sales, amount of profit generated, etc.

Marketing Communications (MC): This is an umbrella term for all communication avenues available for conveying marketing messages. These include advertising, public relations, sales promotions, direct response marketing, events, sponsorships, point-of-purchase materials, packaging, trade shows, customer service, and personal sales. MC is measured as the proportion of marketing dollars assigned to each avenue and the marketing return on investment (MROI) for each.

Marketing Mix: The specific MC elements used by an organization, measured in marketing dollars and MROI.

Brand: It is the total collection of perceptions and associations (good, bad, and indifferent) that differentiate an organization from its competitors.

Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC): Another process. IMC is the organization, planning, and monitoring of marketing components and data to control and influence brand information, associations, and experiences. The goal is to incubate profitable relationships and dialog with patients and other groups. This is typically measured by internal and external surveys, focus groups, managerial accounting, trend analyses, referral indices, etc. [Source: audiologyonline.com, describing how they use IMC for their business model.]

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