BASF Plant Science LLC Names Howard, Merrell & Partners its Agency of Record

(SANEPR.com) February 25, 2009 -- BASF Plant Science LLC has named Howard, Merrell & Partners its agency of record. In this role, Howard, Merrell & Partners provides BASF Plant Science LLC with strategic, integrated brand support and tactical execution in the areas of advertising, media buying, sales literature and fulfilment, interactive, public/media relations and marketing research. BASF Plant Science LLC, located in Research Triangle Park, NC, is responsible for BASF Plant Science activities in the USA.

According to Fran Castle, BASF Plant Science North American group communications manager, Howard, Merrell & Partners has a very strong team and experience in helping companies develop and implement long-term branding as well as company image strategies. “Howard, Merrell & Partners knows that branding is more than just about developing a good ad or some other short-term tactic,” explains Castle. “The agency will help address our current marketing needs while preparing us for the marketing demands of the future.”

This year, Howard, Merrell & Partners will focus on building brand awareness for BASF Plant Science LLC in the U.S. through a number of different communications tactics. The full-service strategic branding and advertising firm will also help increase market penetration for NutriDense®, a nutritionally enhanced corn that increases animal feed performance in its core markets.

“By taking advantage of the full range of services provided here at Howard, Merrell & Partners, BASF Plant Science will benefit from our talents across the board,” says Jim Cobb, president and chief executive officer of Howard, Merrell & Partners. “Our strategic experience in branding coupled with BASF Plant Science’s leadership in plant biotechnology, is a winning combination.”

Howard, Merrell & Partners, which has been recognized for its groundbreaking work in the role of emotion in successful advertising, will apply its deep knowledge to marketing and communications strategies and programs for BASF Plant Science LLC and NutriDense® marketing communications.

“Howard, Merrell & Partners has the branding knowledge and creative expertise to maximize communications with our partners, customers, the industry, and the media in North America,” states Castle. “History shows that this agency can help organizations successfully make an emotional connection with their target markets through a thoughtful, strategic branding effort. We look forward to the progress we will make over the coming years.”

As BASF Plant Science celebrates its ten-year anniversary, it looks to increase awareness for its company and innovations in the U.S. plant biotechnology market and the NutriDense® brand in the key animal feed markets. BASF Plant Science has established numerous complementary partnerships with research institutes, universities and biotechnology companies around the world.

About Howard, Merrell & Partners
Raleigh, NC-based Howard, Merrell & Partners Inc., specializes in linking business and communications strategies to yield higher levels of financial performance for its clients. Founded by Jack Howard in 1945 and later reorganized as Howard, Merrell & Partners under Mac Merrell’s leadership, the agency is a pioneer in understanding and applying the power of emotions to develop more effective business and communications strategies. Agency service offerings include brand development, creative development and production, consumer insight research, public relations, media asset services, event planning and management, interactive services and strategic account management.

Recent clients include Butterball, Canvas on Demand, Central Aquatics, CHD Meridian Healthcare, Cisco, Colonial Bank, Doctors Vision Center, Georgia-Pacific Professional, Hewlett-Packard, Interton, Invista, NC Beautiful, O2 Fitness, Oliver Twist Restaurant, ReSound, THOR•LO, UltraPet, and Zilla. The agency’s work has been recently honored by, the Telly Awards, the Addys, Graphis, The London International Advertising Awards, The Communicator Awards, the North American Precis Syndicate and the International Academy of Visual Arts (W3 Awards). For more information, visit http://www.merrellgroup.com.

About BASF Plant Science
BASF consolidated its plant biotechnology activities in BASF Plant Science in 1998. Today, about 700 employees are working to optimize crops for more efficient agriculture, renewable raw materials and healthier nutrition for humans and animals. Projects include yield increase in staple crops, higher content of Omega-3s in oil crops for preventing cardiovascular diseases, and potatoes with optimized starch composition for industrial use. To find out more about BASF Plant Science, please see our internet web site at: http://www.basf.com/biotechnology.


###