YANMAR America Corporation tapped PadillaCRT as its agency of record to increase awareness for its agricultural equipment. YANMAR manufactures industrial and marine engines, energy systems, generators, pumps and construction and agricultural equipment sold throughout the world. PadillaCRT will plan and execute marketing communications to raise YANMAR's profile in the compact utility tractor market. "We did extensive research to find an agency to help us build brand awareness of our compact utility tractors in the U.S.," said Keith Wainwright, agricultural equipment business unit manager. "It was clear that not only did PadillaCRT understand our category, but they also had the kind …

Spring O'Brien was named North American agency of record for Eurail Group to provide PR and marketing services to support Eurail and its rail products throughout North America. Eurail Passes give travelers the opportunity to experience the culture, history and sights of Europe at their own pace. More than 330,000 people of all ages use Eurail Passes each year to explore any of the 28 member countries by train.

PadillaCRT was selected by The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) to create a digital marketing campaign aimed at student recruitment. UAB is a public research university and medical center that serves approximately 20,000 students and is the nation's third largest public hospital. "UAB is an outstanding university and a powerful economic engine for the city of Birmingham and the state of Alabama," said Lynn Casey, CEO of PadillaCRT. "It's a time of great energy and momentum for UAB, and we're thrilled to put our higher-education expertise to work with the campus and community partners to build even stronger connections …

Genuine was named digital agency of record for Spartan Race, tasked with enhancing and maximizing its digital reach. The agency's digital campaign will focus on performance driven media strategies, such as paid search, campaign and conversion optimization and new ad platforms. The goal is to increase race registration and merchandise sales in current and future locations, as the race expands its global footprint. "The Spartan Race is exactly the kind of brand we seek to team up with here at Genuine," said Carl Schwartz, vice president of digital media at Genuine. "It's an ambitious brand that actively embraces the rapid …

Following a review, Alaska Airlines named Mekanism as its agency of record. Wongdoody previously handled the account. The agency plans to open a Seattle office this month to service the airline and additional Seattle-based such as Amazon, Nordstrom Rack and Starbucks. Alaska Airlines unveiled a new brand identity last week, created by Hornall Anderson. The revamp includes a new signature wordmark, logo and color palette. "As we look to grow our Seattle hub and expand into new markets, now is the time to execute on a new creative campaign that complements our newly refreshed brand," said Sangita Woerner, vice president …

Following a review, Yamamoto, a Minneapolis-based agency, was named agency of record for Xcel Energy, a U.S. electricity and natural gas company that operates in eight Western and Midwestern states. Headquartered in Minneapolis, the company provides energy-related products and services to 3.5 million electricity customers and 2.0 million natural gas customers. Denver-based Vladimir Jones previously handled the account. Yamamoto was awarded a three-year contract, tasked with handling strategic planning, brand positioning, creative, digital engagement and media planning and buying. "Xcel Energy is clearly a market innovator and an energy sector leader that is working to address the challenges of the …

Stalwart Communications was named agency of record for Arizona-based hearTV, app that streams live audio to smartphones. The agency will execute a program to escalate lead generation, increase website traffic and raise brand awareness for the company. "First and foremost, we believe in the technology and its advantages to businesses and end-users," said David Oates, president of Stalwart Communications. "Another important facet is that it can be applied to various settings. While restaurants and bars are a no-brainer, other businesses such as gyms, hotel lobbies, casinos and medical facilities are taking advantage of this technology. Our goal is to educate …

VentureFuel partnered with LA-based CitrusMark to enable national advertisers to place messaging directly on locally-sourced fruit. Using a patented, FDA-approved Natural Light Labeling System, CitrusMark adds marketing messages to citrus fruits. With this partnership, advertisers will have the opportunity to reach target markets through selected restaurants, bars, clubs, sporting events, outdoor festivals and cruises. "Getting your message directly into the hands of your customers in a way they have never seen before is one of the hardest challenges for advertisers," said Fred Schonenberg, founder of VentureFuel. "To do so in a fun, memorable way -- with national scale – is …

RAFFI named Kenwerks as the brand's marketing and public relations agency of record. Kenwerks will handle all brand marketing, entertainment marketing, social media and public relations for the New York-based fashion brand. "We're pleased to partner with the Kenwerks team in taking RAFFI to a new generation of customers," says Raffi Shaya, founder and CEO. "We have always stood for innovation meeting luxury in our category, always bringing newness and a flair for expressive color to the market. Now we will let the whole world share our message of luxury and effortless style." Added Ken Loo, Kenwerks founder and CEO: …

Heineken tapped Amsterdam-based creative studio Cloudfactory as lead global creative agency for its Strongbow Apple Ciders brand. Cloudfactory will help develop a new global communications campaign for the brand as it continues to expand into new markets around the world. The campaign is slated to launch in the spring. "Cider is a fast-growing business within Heineken," said Jiri Rakosnik, global marketing manager for Strongbow Apple Ciders. "We have the opportunity to enter new markets, as well as to develop innovations in existing markets. Cloudfactory brings an alternative communications perspective - an approach based on leading by example, and demonstrating that …