As one of America’s premier dairy food manufacturers, the Prairie Farms brand is built on a foundation of high-quality products and reliable service. The corporate portfolio includes fluid and cultured dairy, butters, cheeses, ice creams, novelties, and beverages. For over 24 years, William Montgomery managed all aspects of advertising, promotion, and marketing communications to drive consumer awareness and sales for the flagship Prairie Farms brand.

Built on a legacy of consistent quality, the Prairie Farms brand is widely distributed throughout the Midwest and South. To drive sales, grow target audience, and build a competitive market leader, we leveraged mainstream media opportunities:

• Produced multiple TV and Radio advertising campaigns to support Prairie Farms brand products
• Developed engaging and successful consumer promotion events to increase product sales
• Directed dozens of studio and location photography shoots for food, industrial, and agricultural marketing

Working directly with 3 different CEOs, we executed a remarkable number of corporate communications projects:

• 23 annual report publications
• Developed an engaging online presence for the Prairie Farms family of brands, including Prairie Farms Dairy (corporate), Prairie Farms(consumer), Ice Cream Specialties, North Star Frozen Treats, and a the PF Kids website, with fun interactive games and other activities for children
• Directed dozens of studio and location photography shoots for food, industrial, and agricultural marketing

Developed consumer packaging and graphics for hundreds of branded and private label retail products – shelf-stable, refrigerated, and frozen foods – including ethnic labels. To ensure brand consistency and strong category sales, we established advanced corporate standards for competitive analysis, packaging innovation, strategic design, and color management:

• Managed trademark research, legal, and regulatory label compliance
• Supervised on-site press approvals, and managed the entire process from art separations to finished deliverables

Sales and marketing success came with repositioning the Chilli Man^® brand – a line of high quality canned and dry mix chilli (two l’s for Illinois), products with a compelling flavor and unique history.  The Chilli Man^® formula was created by Joe Defrates–The only individual with the distinction of creating the chilli recipe that won first place in two different world cook-off championships from then rival sanctioning organizations in Terlingua, Texas and Tropico, California.

Joe’s famous recipe, his Chilli Man^® brand name, and championship credentials offered the synergy to create a unique brand narrative with the competitive strength to enter new markets.  We developed a comprehensive Chilli Man^® brand identity and launched The Only 2-Time World Champion marketing campaign – and then capitalized on the promise by delivering a quality consumer product made with an exceptional recipe for everyday American families to enjoy.

Senior management recognized the broad sales potential of the Chilli Man brand, and authorized a major repositioning effort, which included planning, budgeting, advertising, promotions, consumer and brand research, creative production, strategic packaging design, media placements, print materials, and consumer merchandising programs. The effort required efficient coordination of a wide variety of simultaneous initiatives . . .

To competitively reposition the full line of Chilli Man products as the premium choice brand leader, we executed the following marketing deliverables:

• Researched the colorful origins of Chili legend and lore, and the storied background of Joe DeFrates, to set the stage for brand storytelling
• Performed research on the impact of regional chili variations and preferences on full-line item viability
• Conducted consumer research via frequent purchaser/user focus groups and lifestyle cluster analysis
• Developed enduring strategic package design to leverage brand positioning and continuity through 15 line items
• Produced marketing support communications, which included TV and radio advertising, point-of-sale promotions, and collateral materials
• Conducted market research on CDI/BOI trade account distribution systems to determine target market potential
• Managed budget and all marketing tactics for the brand

William Montgomery was writer and producer for The Seven-Up company at a time when the business had just been acquired by Phillip Morris, Inc. A major corporate push to realign the national soft drink mainstream offered a right place, right time opportunity to reinvent an iconic national soft drink brand. We utilized market segmentation strategies from sister company, Miller Brewing, and supported field sales and franchise support programs.

• • Wrote and produced sales presentation media to leverage franchise bottler and retailer share-of-mind for 7UP and Diet 7UP brand initiatives.
  • Developed multi-media field sales presentations for national 7UP and Diet 7UP brand, advertising campaigns and consumer promotion events.
  • Sales Training – produced instructional training and development media to support an aggressive marketplace reposition that doubled the 7UP USA field sales force.
  • Served as managing producer for many full-scale national sales meetings.
  • Edited and published 7UP Frontline, a monthly newsletter highlighting field sales achievements.

The Milnot Company was founded as a small dairy in 1916, and was later named after the flagship brand, Milnot canned milk. First marketed in the 1930’s, Milnot canned milk is used for cooking and baking in the same way as evaporated milk. The unique formulation calls for the removal of butterfat, which is then substituted with pure vegetable oil. For use as an evaporated milk, this process gave the product two key performance characteristics – it whips at room temperature for easier recipe assimilation, and it has always been virtually cholesterol-free. To leverage market share, Milnot was repositioned through strategic packaging redesign and comparative advertising support that focused on the cholesterol-free benefit, along with the product’s recognized performance attributes. We managed this strategic effort, and stabilized a 36-year sales volume decline.

• Worked directly with the President/CEO
• Developed annual marketing plans with strategies, budgets, and measurable objectives
• Presented brand marketing business reviews to corporate senior executives
• Managed marketing budgets to sales forecasts
• Coordinated brand marketing programs and support communications with field sales management to leverage maximum trade performance
• Conducted monthly sales analysis and tracking of the competitive terrain (dollars, volume, and share) via syndicated scan-data reporting for each market
• Accompanied field sales managers regularly to reinforce key account calls

• Directed agency partners for consumer advertising, promotion, and merchandising services
• Converted brand sales objectives into focused message strategies and creative executions, working closely with agency account teams
• Authorized program specifications, budget parameters, billing review, and approvals
• Conducted capability reviews of advertising agencies and other relevant marketing service providers

• Functioned as liaison and coordinator for various corporate public relations and special event activities
• Recommended and utilized outside professional public relations council for specific programs

Ice Cream Specialties (ICS) is the frozen treat manufacturing division of Prairie Farms Dairy. The flagship brand, North Star, with well over 100 product sku’s retail category, foodservice, schools, and C-store impulse sales. William Montgomery served as brand manager, coordinating every aspect of the brand’s marketing, packaging, advertising, and promotions. Working with a designer and an illustrator, a fun, engaging brand was crafted to successfully engage a dual target audience: Moms (approval) and Kids (demand).

• Produced multiple TV and Radio advertising campaigns to support North Star brand products
• Developed dozens of engaging and successful consumer promotion events to increase product sales
• Directed dozens of studio and location photography shoots
• Worked with designer and illustrator to create fun, engaging, illustrated brand
• Developed North Star online presence with web and social media implementations

Consumer packaging was developed for nearly 100 branded and private label products for retail sale, as well as foodservice opportunities. To ensure brand consistency and strong category sales, we established advanced corporate standards for competitive analysis, packaging innovation, strategic design, and color management:

• Managed trademark research, legal, and regulatory label compliance
• Supervised on-site press approvals, and managed the entire process from art separations to finished deliverables