Introducing The Echo, the one-stop recap shop for Kansas City ad community newsworthy nuggets and industry happenings from the past week. If it's KC agency news and it's happened this past week, you can rehear it here.

This week on The Echo:

Bark Productions and 19 Below Welcome Director/Editor Pete Meyer

Starting October 15th, you will see a new face around the offices of Bark and 19 Below. We're excited to announce the addition of Director/Editor Pete Meyer to our creative team.

Pete will work as an editor in our 19 Below office and as a director for Bark Productions.

"I've known Pete since he came to work in the Kansas City market in 2003 and I've always been impressed with his diverse background and collaborative spirit," said Bark Productions co-founder Brad Slaughter. "We're excited about this unique opportunity. Pete will be directing TV for Bark, and then turning around and editing TV at 19 Below. It's an ideal creative scenario."

Pete brings years of experience to Bark and 19 Below. For nine years he has been a creative fixture in the Kansas City market with earlier gigs in Chicago and Minneapolis.

"I'm thrilled to be joining 19 Below and Bark Productions," said Meyer. "I've known Brad, Mark and Joy for a long time and it's clear we share a common point of view on how best to serve our clients while doing stellar creative work. I'm looking forward to helping make Bark and 19 Below the preeminent Production/Post House in the Midwest."

In anticipation of any questions you have about Pete's arrival at Bark and 19 Below, we have prepared a FAQ post on Facebook with the opportunity to have your own personal inquiries answered by Bark and 19 Below.

facebook.com/19below
facebook.com/BarkProductionsKC

Armed Forces Bank/Academy Bank Enlists Meers Advertising

Armed Forces Bank/Academy Bank has selected Meers Advertising as its digital marketing and advertising agency. Meers will provide the banks with marketing communications planning, creative services, digital and social media strategy, business intelligence support and channel (media) planning and buying.

Armed Forces Bank and Academy Bank are owned by Dickinson Financial Corporation (DFC), a multi-bank holding company headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri.  DFC also owns Armed Forces Bank of California, SunBank and Southern Commerce Bank.

Armed Forces Bank specializes in military banking and has been serving active military, retired military, and civilians since 1907. The bank has customers in all 50 states, in many foreign countries and has a presence inside Exchanges on military installations throughout the U.S.  Academy Bank N.A.  Colorado and Academy Bank, a division of Armed Forces Bank N.A. in Kansas and Missouri, serves as DFC’s main retail and commercial bank, and has 105 locations in five states, including 95 in-store locations (primarily at Walmart).

“We are truly excited about our new partnership with Meers,” said Charles Freeman, senior vice president, director of marketing of DFC. “During our agency search, we were impressed by their strategic thinking and innovative approach, as well as the chemistry we felt with the professionals we will be working with at Meers. We are confident they will help us effectively communicate the merits of our broad range of financial products and services to current and prospective banking customers.”

“We look forward to building a long-term partnership with Armed Forces Bank and Academy Bank and are thrilled about the opportunity to leverage our services and experience to support their marketing efforts,” said Sam Meers, Meers’ president and CEO. “The Meers’ team is very excited to serve this unique financial institution and its 100+ branches across the country.”

BicMedia takes home EMMY for original music

BicMedia, audio visual production company, is pleased to announce it has won a regional Emmy Award in the category of musical composition/arrangement in the 36th Annual Mid-America Emmy Awards held at the Midland Theatre in downtown Kansas City.

Julian Bickford, composer, creative director and partner at BicMedia, wrote and produced original symphonic music for the video produced by T2 + Back Alley Films: The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts.

“I thought it was pretty cool just to be part of such a momentous production for KC thanks to Matt Blume & T2…now that it’s Emmy award winning it’s icing on the cake,” said Bickford.

BicMedia is an audio/visual production company in the Crossroads of Kansas City.
Austin and Julian Bickford opened BicMedia in 2002 and combined writing, producing, directing, shooting, editing, animating, and composing music to fill the need for one stop media production.

The Mid-America chapter was chartered in 1962 and began honoring outstanding achievement in this region with local EMMY awards in 1976. The Mid-America chapter includes the television markets primarily in Missouri, Arkansas and Illinois and surrounding DMAs:  St. Louis, Kansas City, Little Rock, Springfield (MO), St. Joseph, Columbia-Jefferson City, Joplin-Pittsburg, Quincy-Hannibal-Keokuk, Ottumwa-Kirksville, Davenport-Rock Island-Moline. Paducah-Cape Girardeau-Harrisburg, Champaign-Springfield-Decatur, Fort Smith-Fayettville-Springdale-Rogers, Jonesboro, Monroe-Eldorado and Shreveport (LA). 

Annual highlights include the Mid-America EMMY Awards, the Silver Circle Awards, the Governor's Award and social events throughout the year.

NATAS Mid-America is one of 19 regional chapters of the National Acacemy of Television Arts and Sciences, headquartered in New York City.

Check out the winning work:

Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts from BicMedia on Vimeo.