Dear Friends,

For 37 years, Risdall Marketing Group (RMG) has been inspiring the marketing industry through client work, a unique approach to business and a commitment to the community. Long before integrated was the buzz word du jour, RMG was embracing the philosophy of "doing what it takes to make an impact for our clients."

Since 1972, RMG – and its team of account managers, Web developers, creatives, public relations pros and social media geniuses – has been integrating specialties to help our clients create, build and benefit from their brands. We grow our knowledge base through participation and leadership in professional associations and paying it forward to the next generation with community and academic involvement.

2008 was a great year for RMG. We hired 22 new people and added or expanded 101 accounts. We also became more involved in local nonprofits, community and professional organizations and ventured into new academic settings. We like to announce news as it happens – which you can read at www.risdall.com, in our "News" section – but as we reflect on 2008, we thought we would showcase some of our best work and proudest moments.

RMG Growth

Our 2008 annual capitalized billings totaled more than $190 million. Bringing in 101 new and expanded accounts and growing our roster to more than 80 staff members, we literally outgrew our first-floor office and moved some of our team to a new space upstairs.

One of the biggest factors behind RMG's growth was integration – we have offered integrated marketing capabilities since we first opened, but now we are making the commitment to lead clients down that path. Our social media and online capabilities led to the creation of a new division, Risdall Online Marketing Group (ROMG). Led by CEO Jennifer Risdall and supported by nine dedicated team members, ROMG has a team of experts that maximize client visibility on the Internet through organic search, paid search and other online strategies.

New team members Cindy Lord and Jared Roy joined the agency in 2008. Cindy joined as president of Risdall Strategic Consultation, which offers an integrated, pragmatic approach to strategy, research, account planning and branding. Jared joined as president of Risdall Integration Group and works to use everything from social marketing and Web site optimization to search engine optimization, PR, online and offline advertising, collateral, special events and more to create cohesive and effective campaigns for clients.

Clients

Despite the economic hardships that many companies have experienced, RMG delivered brilliant marketing ideas to clients that helped them thrive and grow. With a combination of new Web site development, collateral development, public relations, online marketing, advertising, marketing communications and social media projects, RMG is one of the top five marketing agencies in the state of Minnesota.

RMG's diverse client roster includes medical device companies, museums, consumer electronics, school products … and the list goes on.

A few of RMG's new clients in 2008 included:

• Wildlife Research Center
• Minnesota Masonic Charities
• College of St. Catherine
• Fairview Health Services
• Healthways
• Enventis
• McNally Smith College of Music
• Vatican Splendors
• University of St. Thomas
• Winthrop & Weinstine
• Mounds View Public Schools
• Northwestern College
• World Ice Racing Circuit
• TravelMaps

There are too many clients to name them all here, but we are proud of all the work we have done in 2008. We're especially proud that longtime clients Archway, Magnum Research, Premier Mounts and Smith System utilized new tools and cutting-edge Web technology to develop fresh marketing strategies and further position themselves as market leaders in their respective industries.

Professional Association and Academic Involvement

Professional organizations such as the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), the Advertising Federation, the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) and the Business Marketing Association (BMA) have RMG leaders as members and active participants.

In 2008, Eva Keiser, Brant Skogrand and Joel Swanson were appointed to the boards for BMA-Minnesota and PRSA-Minnesota, respectively. Additionally, Rose McKinney completed her term on the PRSA board as immediate past president and John Lutter was appointed to the University of Minnesota's School of Journalism and Mass Communication (SJMC) Alumni Society board of directors. Lutter is the fifth RMG employee to serve on the SJMC Alumni Society board.

If you visit the journalism or communication departments of Minnesota universities, chances are that you will encounter at least one of RMG's employees participating at the school in some way. From teaching as adjunct instructors to serving as mentors, RMG employees give generously of their time.

In December 2008, RMG hosted the eighth annual "Intern for a Day" program for University of Minnesota School of Journalism and Mass Communication students. More than 50 students attended and listened to presentations by each division president, participated in client brainstorming sessions and focus groups, and had the opportunity to have one-on-one discussions with professionals in their fields of interest.

Nonprofit Work

Staying involved in local, national and worldwide charities and nonprofits has been a staple of the Risdall organization since the beginning. In the past year, RMG has been involved with Ronald McDonald House, Northwest Youth and Family Services (NYFS), Minnesota Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (MOFAS), Opportunity Partners and the Children's Home Society.

After creating a fetal alcohol syndrome awareness and education campaign, RMG was honored in 2008 by MOFAS as its partner of the year.

In 2008, we also solidified our partnership with the World Ice Racing Circuit (WIRC) to share the exciting sport of ice racing with the world. We were privileged to be the title sponsor of the 2009 Risdall North American Tour which kicked off in December. We were thrilled to see ice racing become the center of attention at the 2009 St. Paul Winter Carnival. More than 5,000 people watched as competitors from around the world – and two NASCAR drivers – competed on Lake Phalen.

Awards and Recognition

A longtime member and active supporter of local chambers of commerce, RMG was honored with two "Business of the Year" awards. The Twin Cities North Chamber of Commerce and MetroNorth Chamber of Commerce presented Vice Chairman and COO John Risdall with these awards at their annual luncheons.

In September, the Web Marketing Association (WMA) honored the agency's interactive division for outstanding Web development by awarding it 29 WebAwards, the most ever by a single agency in a WebAward competition. Interactive agencies and Web site marketing departments from more than 47 countries around the world entered the annual competition.

RMG also received the Top Agency Award, which recognizes the agency's consistent and outstanding Web development and design capabilities. Among the RMG Web sites honored, it received the "Best B2B Web site" and several "Outstanding Awards" for The Occasions Group. Other top winners included Envelop Gun Cases, the Minneapolis Rotary Club, Vision-Ease Lens and the Minnesota Medical Association.

In June, PRSA recognized the agency's PR division with a Bronze Anvil in the Media Kits (Special Events/Commemorations) category. Working with longtime client Premier Mounts, the agency created a 1977-themed media kit to honor the company's 30th anniversary. In addition to receiving a Bronze Anvil award, the media kit was also honored by Minnesota PRSA and received a Classics Award for Best Media Kit (Events).

Already two months in, 2009 is shaping up to be a wonderfully busy year for RMG. We've already hired a few new folks, started some new accounts and hit the road for some new business. Recession is not a word that is said around the RMG office because to us, it doesn't really feel like one is happening – we're as busy as we have ever been. In fact, January 2009 was our best month yet!

We would love to share our good fortune with you. Here's to a great 2009!

Best,

John Risdall
Risdall Marketing Group
651.286.6702