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Shortly after opening the doors of Southard Communications in 1994 we were invited out to a small town in northwest Ohio to meet with a toy company by the name of the Ohio Art Company. Within a week of that meeting we were awarded the account, one of the very first we landed as a new startup back then. Still today, that company, and its most famous product – the Etch-a-Sketch — is a client of our firm. Over the last 18 years, we have had significant success generating millions of consumer impressions each year for Etch a Sketch, including celebrating its 35^th, 40^th and 50^th anniversary.

Nothing, however, compared to the media furor of the last 36+ hours after Mitt Romney’s aide referred to his presidential campaign as something similar to an ‘Etch a Sketch’. Almost immediately our cell phones, blackberries and e-mails were bombarded with inquiries from media wanting to know what our (Ohio Art) reaction was to his statement. We, of course, did everything one should do in this situation – leverage it to drive maximum exposure for an already popular children’s toy.

From immediately issuing a statement to coordinating telephone interviews with top level news organizations to identifying means by which we could keep this news relevant beyond what was likely just a 24-36 hour news cycle. Journalists and producers were coming at us from almost every angle – business reporters wanting to know impact on business and stock; retail reporters asking about sales increase (up by the way almost 2000% on Amazon within first 24 hours); technology reporters inquiring about how Etch-a-Sketch works; marketing reporters on how we were taking advantage of this opportunity. It’s been non-stop as we have had four full time staffers managing calls since mid day on Wednesday.

And it’s been all great as in our business it is rare, but wonderful when handed an opportunity such as this. I have been interviewed by a number of outlets, each asking me what I can equate this too. My best answer, it’s more like handling a crisis situation, only far easier as it’s all positive. And you know what, it couldn’t have happened to a better company with nicer people than the Ohio Art Company.

As a marketer and representative of the Ohio Art Company as well as a Democrat, I am grateful to Mr. Romney and his team for giving us such a nice and wonderful gift.  As is, I am sure, our sitting President, Barack Obama.

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