Through the Quantity Purchase Agreement (QPA), Hirons is pre-approved by the state to provide communications services to state agencies.
As one of Indiana’s top advertising agencies for government organizations, Hirons is proud to be chosen as one of the state’s preferred suppliers of marketing, advertising, communications, media buying and media relations services.
About Hirons
Our ability to reach Hoosier audiences and motivate them to take action is unmatched. We know Indiana, and we have the track record to prove it. Over our 42-year history, we’ve built longstanding relationships with multiple agencies serving Hoosiers throughout Indiana, including the Indiana State Department of Health, the Family and Social Services Administration, the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, the Criminal Justice Institute, the Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs, the Indiana Secretary of State, and the Indiana Commission for Higher Education.
Our QPA Services
Hirons understands that state agencies face significant scrutiny. All of the marketing and communications services we provide through the QPA are designed to deliver comprehensive, cost-effective solutions to state agencies.
Media Buying & Planning Services
- Media planning
- Media buying and negotiation
- Value-added leverage and acquisition
- Cable and broadcast television
- Streaming video and connected TV
- Terrestrial radio and streaming audio
- Outdoor and transit
- Paid search
- Paid social media
- Display advertising
- Native advertising
Communications & Marketing Services
- Internal, external and stakeholder communications
- Strategic communications planning
- Influencer and stakeholder identification and engagement
Research, Measurement & Campaign Optimization
- Primary research
- Secondary research
- Qualitative and quantitative research
- Custom audience personas
- Key Performance Indicator (KPI) development
- Pre- and post-test research
- Awareness and education benchmarks and assessments
- Pilot testing and optimization
- Data analysis
Public Relations, Outreach & Education Services
- Spokesperson training
- Speech writing
- Issue advocacy and cause-related marketing
- News release preparation and pitching
- Media coverage monitoring
- Social listening
- Thought leadership and industry-specific media relations
- Neighborhood and community outreach campaigns
- Voter outreach and education
- Localizing national platforms and programs
- Event planning and execution
- Business-to-business marketing
- Minority audience engagement including Black, Hispanic and Burmese
- Outreach to rural communities
Branding & Creative Services
- Creative strategy
- Creative concepting
- Campaign development
- Key message development
- Brand development and implementation
- Creation of digital and traditional media assets
- Copywriting and content quality control
- Message testing
- Sales material development
- Signage creation
- Website design
- Video concepting and script development
Digital Services
- Search engine optimization (SEO)
- Search engine marketing
- Email marketing
- Customer relationship management software integration
- Website design, development and maintenance
- Social media content development and management
Our Partners
Hirons is committed to supplier diversity and has developed strategic partnerships with firms spanning the state. If additional vendors or partners are needed for your program, Hirons has a longstanding history with more than 100 vendors across the state.
Our QPA partners include C2 Strategic Communications, Dunebuggy, The Gideon Group, Holsapple Communications, Koehler Partners, McCarty Research, Other Side Digital, Sagamore Advocacy and VIA Marketing.
Expertise in Reaching Rural Hoosier Populations
We differentiate ourselves through our proprietary Rural Reach program, which is designed to help government agencies communicate with rural populations through a unique matrix of strategies and tactics. Our approach moves beyond traditional advertising and public relations tactics to break through to rural communities and is built on our firm’s four decades of experience in strategic communications.
Rural Americans are often difficult to reach through conventional marketing strategies using paid and earned media, and rural Hoosiers are no exception. Hirons’ Rural Reach program accounts for these difficulties to help our clients effectively target audiences in sparsely populated areas.
Hirons QPA Online Learning Series
Winter 2022: Best Practices Series
We are pleased to announce that the Indiana Department of Administration has extended our contract as a QPA provider of marketing, advertising, communications, media buying and media relations services through November of this year.
This means that you can continue to call on Hirons to assist with any form of campaign development with any size budget.
We’re also excited to share that we are continuing our best practice learning series webinars into 2022!
SESSION 1
Using Media Consumption Data and Trends to Inform Your Crisis Response
Recorded: Wednesday, February 2
In this session, Hirons’ COO Deana Haworth and our QPA partner Sarah Holsapple, founder of Holsapple Communications, discussed how crucial it is to effectively communicate in crisis situations. Actual case studies were shared along with best practices to ensure your crisis communications plans are shored up and ready for deployment if the need arises.
Spring/Summer 2021: Best Practices Series
Hirons is excited to continue our online learning series into 2021 after successful summer and fall sessions in 2020. As a proud QPA supplier of marketing, advertising, communications, media buying and media relations, Hirons invites you to attend our upcoming best practices series. This series is designed to prepare you with the foundational knowledge to navigate your marketing and communications landscape.
This three-part series will be held throughout the spring and into the summer, featuring a wide array of topics.
SESSION 1
Behind the Scenes of COVID-19
Recorded: Wednesday, March 10
This first session recapped the changes in the media landscape as we navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. The content focused on the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on media audiences across the country, both digital and traditional, how to best connect with those audiences moving forward and forecast when a “return to normal” could be. The session also provided an overview of the “It’s Our Shot, Hoosiers” vaccination campaign from the Indiana Department of Health and Hirons’ involvement in bringing this public education campaign to life.
SESSION 2
Data Privacy Landscape
Recorded: Wednesday, May 26
The digital landscape is changing. Over the next 12 months, new data privacy policies will go into effect which will have a direct impact on digital campaign performance. During this session, Hirons Associate Digital Media Director Tyler Riordan discussed these changes and what steps we can take to prepare ahead of their implementation.
SESSION 3
Targeting Niche Audiences
Wednesday, August 4 at 11 a.m.
This session is designed to help find even the most specific audiences for your campaigns utilizing some of Hirons’ tried and true methods for audience engagement. Throughout the session, you heard from Associate Digital Media Director Tyler Riordan and Associate Media Director Jennifer Blotkamp Stark from Hirons, and Kathy Koehler from Koehler Partners on the best ways to complete audience outreach and engagement from a variety of communications mediums.
Fall 2020: Best Practices Series
As we reframe our marketing plans for the remainder of 2020 and beyond, Hirons is pleased to continue our summer online learning series into the fall season. As a proud QPA supplier of marketing, advertising, communications, media buying and media relations services, Hirons invites you to attend our series of upcoming online educational sessions. This series is designed to equip you with the tools and foundational knowledge to navigate your marketing and implement best practices.
This three-part series was held in the fall of 2020 and featured these broad ranging topics.
SESSION 1
Maximizing Research and Campaign Measurement
Recorded Wednesday, September 30
Our first session will focused on the importance of understanding your target audience based on relevant, vital market research. Research should be the foundation of every strategic marketing plan and can guide the development of tactics that connect with the target audience and drive results. Measurement of the campaign performance at its conclusion is just as important as upfront research. This analysis allows you to gauge which tactics were successful and drives key learning for future initiatives.
This session included brief presentations from Hirons’ Senior V.P. of Media and Digital, Sheila Smiley and Associate Digital Media Director, Tyler Riordan. Also presenting was Karen Gentleman with McCarty Gentleman Research, our QPA market research partner.
SESSION 2
Maximizing Digital Platforms
Recorded Wednesday, October 21
This session highlighted the many social media platforms available to marketers today. An analysis of the each platforms pros and cons and the type of content relevant for sharing are explored. Monitoring guidelines are discussed in addition to the synergy inherent with both paid and organic social media use.
SESSION 3
Reaching Specialty Communities
Wednesday, November 18
This session highlighted best practices for marketing to specialty audiences. Content focused on how to effectively identify specialty target audiences and then how to implement marketing tactics to best connect with these audiences to drive results.
Summer 2020 Series
Thank you for attending our first three summer learning series sessions. Video recordings of those sessions are available through the links below. Because the series has been so well-received, we are extending the webinars into the fall.
SESSION 1
QPA Process/Video Asset Development
Recorded Wednesday, June 24
Mark LeClerc, Executive Creative Director, Hirons highlighted the benefits and wide-ranging use of video production to elevate your marketing programs.
SESSION 2
Media Relations, Outreach, Crisis Communications
Recorded Wednesday, July 15
Connecting with the media whether through pre-planned dialog or through crisis management situations takes skill and tact to encourage desired results. Outreach to your various stakeholders can be just as important in making sure your message is received appropriately. This session focused on media training tips to equip attendees with the skills and background needed to contribute to beneficial contact with the media and constituents. Real-life examples and case studies round out this diverse topic.
SESSION 3
Digital Media
Recorded Wednesday, August 12
The Hirons media team provides a comprehensive overview of the various digital media tactics available in our well-rounded toolbox. This session focused on the power of optimization and how a digital plan can offer pinpoint audience targeting and refinement leading to media buy efficiency. Case studies and reporting examples are shared to demonstrate how Hirons can assist you implementing cost effective media plans that deliver.
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