Media outreach results in 222 media stories about Horace Mann's commitment to DonorsChoose.org

By Genevieve Valek

Valek & Co. enjoyed great success placing local news stories showcasing the joint commitment of Horace Mann and DonorsChoose.org to teachers and their students. This work contributed to Horace Mann and DonorsChoose.org winning the prestigious Gold Halo Award from the Cause Marketing Forum. The award is the Forum's highest honor, given to one company and one nonprofit for overall excellence in cause marketing.

Horace Mann contributed $1.5 million in donations for classroom enhancements requested by teachers via DonorsChoose.org. Valek & Co.'s role was to increase brand recognition for both Horace Mann and DonorsChoose.org by calling local media attention to classroom enhancements made possible by the donations.

Valek & Co. worked with the public relations staff at Horace Mann to organize 116 media events across the nation. These events resulted in 222 TV, radio, print or online stories about Horace Mann's relationship with DonorsChoose.org. The events and stories occurred over a two-year timeframe.

Horace Mann is the largest national multiline insurance company focusing on educators' financial needs. Horace Mann provides auto and homeowners insurance, retirement annuities, life insurance, and other financial solutions. Forbes Magazine named Horace Mann as one of America's 100 Most Trustworthy Companies in 2013.

By Genevieve Valek

By pitching a business success story to media in Connecticut and Washington, D.C., Valek & Co. gained media coverage for Defibtech that included comments from U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (Conn.).

"Defibtech is leading the way for Connecticut and the United States with its commitment to American manufacturing and international sales," said Murphy. "As we work to bring more manufacturing jobs back to the United States, companies should follow the lead of Defibtech and prioritize American manufacturing in their business models."

Fox Connecticut aired a 2 1/2-minute segment about the designer and manufacturer of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) after the company was recognized as one of the nation's top "Exporters of the Year" at an April awards event on Capitol Hill. Murphy attended the event and was interviewed for the segment. Stories about Defibtech's award also appeared on the senator's Web site and in the New Haven Register.

"International sales have been a key component of Defibtech's business strategy for almost a decade," said Gintaras Vaisnys, Defibtech president. "More than 40 percent of our sales are international, allowing us to diversify from the specific ups and downs of the U.S. economy."

Headquartered in Guilford, Conn., Defibtech has been marketing AEDs since 2003. AEDs revive victims of sudden cardiac arrest, the nation's leading cause of death. The company manufactures its AEDs in state-of-the-art certified facilities. Defibtech AEDs offer outstanding quality, ease of use, and affordability to customers.

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