''Oddly enough, I didn't seem to choose advertising as a career—it was more like it chose me.''

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	June Bisel

She graduated with a degree in business, worked seven years in publishing, and after a six-month break after having her first child, Bisel jumped back into the working world. She signed up with a temp agency and was assigned to assist Grand Union with planning a large event. Her response? "I absolutely loved it!"

"My second assignment was with an ad agency," Bisel continued, "as the administrative assistant to the president...The fast pace, the creativity, the constant contact with people and high demand for excellence in customer service—everything about it enthralled me."

She was hooked.

So hooked, in fact, that she and three others banded together to create BBG&G, which, like a crocheted couch pillow, advises its website viewers to "sit back, relax, [and] sip a cup of coffee."

The company, located in Middletown, NY, and founded in 1997, was the brainchild of Gene Bove, Deborah Garry, and June Bisel. (The other "G" of BBG&G, explains Bisel, backed out before the corporate papers were finalized.)

"Gene Bove was a retired creative director at BBDO. Deb had her own marketing firm, Ideas Design. I had my own graphics/production firm, Rock Bridge Graphic Design. We all started collaborating on projects in 1995 and enjoyed working together very much. We formed BBG&G in order to service larger companies more efficiently."

And today, they are. Their clientele ranges both in industry type and size and includes Creating Wellness Alliance, Horizon Family Medical Group, McDonald's, West Point Military Academy, and Taylor Recycling, which "was responsible for the cleanup and sorting of the World Trade Center debris at Fresh Kills [Landfill]."

"In the spring of 2002, we coordinated and implemented a two-day grand opening event that drew a large amount of media coverage and attendance by dignitaries and the community," said Bisel. "The event was surrounded by a PR campaign and included all of the marketing components necessary for a successful event, including everything from the invitations to a print advertising campaign, a corporate brochure and an assortment of collateral materials, script writing, and event signage."

Q. What do you do for fun? A. Ride my horse, line dance, garden, travel (I especially love camping!), and spend time with family and friends. Q. What CD is in your CD player right now? A. Kenney Chesney's Greatest Hits, as I just went to his concert last week. Q. What is the last magazine you read? A. Trail Rider Magazine. Q. What is your favorite TV show? A. Grey's Anatomy. Q. Who is your role model? A. My dad. He worked his way up from the mail room to being assistant treasurer of Philip Morris International. He took early retirement at the age of 55 and has been enjoying life immensely ever since!

Another campaign created by BBG&G was "The Better Getaway" for New York Thruway McDonald's operators. Its purpose, Bisel explains, was to persuade tourists, commuters, and bus drivers to choose rest areas with McDonald's stores over those with McDonald's competitors. It also helped promote several family-owned resorts in New York.

''Oddly enough, I didn't seem to choose advertising as a career—it was more like it chose me,'' admitted Bisel.

"It has been, and always will be, important to develop an integrated marketing campaign. The medium you use to reach your market will depend on the buying and lifestyle habits of that market," said Bisel, who, when asked about the ever popular TiVo, showed no signs of intimidation.

"Yes, online advertising will increase, and I expect television advertising to significantly decrease. I also expect that long-format 'advertainment' commercials will grow in popularity, as well as product placement and TV sponsorship such as the Hallmark movies."

Product placement is one of the subtle approaches to advertising that Bisel particularly likes. Take Apple, for example. More and more, Bisel notices the use of Apple computers in movies and television shows. "It's even becoming commonplace to find product placement advertising in books and video games."

Bisel says she also admires the successful use of a mascot or personality that is tied to a brand, like the Budweiser Clydesdales that "make their way each year into the hearts and minds of people of all ages and backgrounds. From nationally televised parades to county fairs and motorcycle rallies, the Clydesdales garner attention wherever they go—even on their 'rest days.'"

But the personal campaign Bisel's most proud of is "Arachnophobia—Fear of the Web," created for a web-development firm. "It was brilliant!" she admitted. Others obviously agreed with her, as the campaign won several awards.

BBG&G has also earned countless recognition, receiving the Gold Aster Award, the International Summit Creative Award, the Communicator Award of Distinction, and several SIAA Awards, to name a few. But Bisel takes it all in stride.

"Advertising is exciting, but it's a tough business. And it gets tougher every year. With increasing technology and the emergence of new mediums, don't lose focus on the fundamentals. They never change."

On the net:

BBG&G
www.bbggadv.com/bbgdifference.html

Apple
www.apple.com

Taylor Recycling
www.taylorrecycling.com

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