We solve marketing challenges
with smart ideas that
deliver measurable results
After working on the client side–some of us longer than we care to mention–RMK was founded in 2002 by three savvy marketing gurus turned entrepreneurs. Our goal was–and is–to perfect the client/agency relationship through attentive service and results-driven collaboration.
At RMK, we aim to build your brand, spur movement and inspire change through thoughtful and effective action that makes you look good and makes you feel even better about your marketing objectives, results and year-end goals.
As we celebrate our 15th year as an agency, RMK looks forward to enjoying partnerships with clients new and “less new” and proving our passion for marketing.
Ramona has over 30 years of marketing experience with an emphasis in direct response marketing and merchandising. She has developed and executed integrated marketing campaigns for Huntington Hospital, William Lyon Financial, Verizon Wireless, The Automobile Club (AAA), System Pavers, Riverside Dental and Southern California Edison.
Before her move to the agency side of the direct marketing business, Ramona was Director of Direct Marketing at Home Savings of America. Prior to that, she also served as Vice President and Direct Marketing Manager for First Interstate Bank managing integrated marketing campaigns, including pre-approved credit mailings. Ramona’s praises include those of leading marketing consultant James Rosenfield, in Direct Marketing magazine, noting her as a “perfect 10” for her ability to blend psychology, technology, brand identity and database into direct mail.
Hometown: Highland Park, CA
Likes: Her family, movie popcorn, the smell of fresh Gardenias, Pixar films, Bailey’s in her afternoon coffee, getting a good deal, television, chocolate covered almonds, People Magazine and the Los Angeles Lakers.
Words to live by: “Ah, but a man’s reach should exceed his grasp, or what’s a heaven for?” – “Andrea del Sarto” by Robert Browning, 1855
Kari brings over 15 years of strategic marketing experience with a focus on integrated direct response marketing. As a direct marketing agency Creative Director, Kari has developed and implemented strategic plans–based on audience insights and analytics–through traditional, off-line direct marketing, as well as online channels. Major account work includes the Los Angeles Times, Disney Art Classics, Brand Jordan/Nike, and Southern California Edison. Kari’s past experience on the client side includes Vice President, Direct Marketing Manager at Home Savings of America and Great Western Bank.
Hometown: Detroit, Michigan
Likes: Gaining perspective from his three daughters, learning things completely foreign to him, readily-available hand sanitizer, new destinations, non-fiction, well-presented arguments, having a golf handicap, hot sauce (without Habanero peppers), playoff hockey, and most things Canadian.
Words to live by: “If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito.” – Dalai Lama
Carter’s creative design experience began when she graduated from the Institute of Design at IIT in Chicago. Her success includes serving as Graphic Design Director at First Interstate Bank and sole proprietor of Filion Associates Design. With RMK, she has managed the creative designs for numerous clients and is extremely adept at designing direct mail packages that are not only compelling, but print and postal efficient. Her ability to transition brand and design elements to a variety of marketing mediums is unparalleled.
Hometown: Evanston, Il.
Likes: Dogs, walks by the ocean, Ghirardelli’s Chocolate Fudge Sundaes, her iPad, Star Trek, home decorating and design, Masterpiece Theatre, Chicago-style stuffed pizza, reading a good book, and stargazing.
Words to live by: “Never test the depth of the water with both feet.” – Proverb
Kareena brings a fresh eye and a surplus of energy to our marketing ventures. Founded in a collection of boutique agencies, she understands the meaning of teamwork, as well as the importance of time management, meticulous project management, preparation and organization. Coupled with her B.A. Degree in Business Administration (with an emphasis in marketing), from California State University, Fullerton, Kareena has experience building and maintaining client relationships, directing strategy and producing results-driven marketing. In addition to inspiring cooperation, trust, and confidence, Kareena utilizes a full range of project management knowledge from conception to execution with skills in developing and supporting integrated marketing campaigns including printed materials, websites and social media.
Hometown: San Gabriel, CA
Likes: Dogs, volleyball, travel, sushi, action movies, girlie novels, pizza with extra sauce, snowboarding, Stephen Amell, milk poured over ice cream, and the Los Angeles Kings.
Words to live by: “It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't, everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great.” – Jimmy Duggan (Tom Hanks), League of Their Own, 1992
With our fair share of interesting–and often zany–characters running around our Pasadena offices, we have a great time working together and with our beloved clients. Here are some of the key players at RMK that supply equal parts genius and hearty belly laughs.
RMK as an organization, as well as its individual members, are proud to provide in-kind and monetary donations to a variety of worthy causes in our community and those close to our hearts.
Whether its sponsoring a participant in an event, helping to organize a fundraiser, shoveling dirt at the site of a new home or simply providing a bit of financial support, the RMK team is dedicated to fulfilling our social responsibility.
We encourage our friends and partners to get involved in their communities and contribute too! If you are interested in finding and contributing to a cause that speaks to you, here are some of the organizations our team enjoys supporting and/or working with:
We present original ideas that create awareness and connect people to brands. And, our services are designed to give you measurable results. Ultimately our goal isn’t to “wow” your target audience with fancy-schmancies; we want to encourage your customer to pick up your product, utilize your service, alter their behavior, or simply throw their arms around your brand and squeeze.
We often handle projects far beyond the scope of what is listed below. From design environments to exhibit systems to organic/grassroots campaigns, we’d love to make your marketing dream our next creative challenge!
We can be terribly clever, but even more efficient and effective once we start to dig in.
Sure you have to break some eggs to make an omelet, but how many and what kind are best? What style of omelet are you looking to whip up? Who is it for and what time is breakfast? We may ask some tough questions, but if you don’t have answers, we’ll find them together. To avoid waste, we’ll take into account all the related ingredients before suggesting solutions.
Design is like strapping a rocket to a great idea.
Our creative team of seasoned designers and writers will consider the objectives, strategic approach and audience before delivering meaningful and impactful creative. From concept to final artwork, you are sure to enjoy seeing your ideas come to life in the form of collateral materials, print ads, direct mail, video, online/digital components and more!
Picture perfect and the best value.
We have amassed an impressive group of strategic print partners to ensure your materials are printed with the greatest efficiency and accuracy. We’ll even do you one better and present aggressive pricing, so you can smile twice as big. With our extensive print experience, we can create a design that is as cost efficient as it is effective.
Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night… just not on Sundays!
Coupled with clever design and quality print, we can supply or process your own database to create a mail file that is the most accurate and postal-cost efficient. Based on the carefully selected audience, we can also help pinpoint an optimal delivery date to ensure your efforts are reaching interested hands at the most opportune time. Solid mail preparation can boost future response rates while lowering production costs and increasing revenue.
Mix and mingle with your customer digitally!
Since Match.com isn’t for consumers and their brands… yet, we suggest utilizing more appropriate forms of digital communication, such as social media or mobile messaging. If you are ready to market in the digital space, either with a stand-alone means of communication (i.e., a website) or an integrated digital component of a campaign (i.e., a web banner), RMK is ready assist you.
Is it working? The numbers don’t lie!
One of the key advantages of direct response marketing is the ability to measure the response and effectiveness of any campaign. With the collected data, we can duplicate or improve future efforts, so you can rest assured your marketing dollars are being spent wisely.
At RMK, we emphasize the importance of active collaboration with our partners, because we know how well it works for us internally. It’s exciting to see the ideas that develop when you round up a great group of thinkers and get them going. Without putting a kink in the creative flow, we employ the RMK Method to see us through with efficiency and keep us on track.
Whether you have a brief prepared or you want to talk it through some more, we are happy to meet with you and learn more about your current marketing challenge and objectives.
Now that we know more about your objectives, we can dig a bit deeper. If there are questions that need answering, we will sort out the unknowns, so we can move forward on solid ground.
Once we’ve got a good handle on your situation, we’ll develop solutions to make your challenge cry “Uncle!”
At this juncture, we will be excited to share the what, when, where, why, and how that we’ve developed based on facts, experience, timeliness and budget.
If you are keen on the plan, then give us the go! We are happy to modify as you see fit or discuss alternative options if necessary. No bruised egos here.
Our creative team looks forward to blowing life into the strategy. What we’ve been imagining will start to develop and become more than an idea, a solution. We’ll present creative concepts for selection and flesh out what works best.
After careful preparation to produce a final product, it’s time to set sail. Whether it’s an online launch or prepping mail for the post, it’s time for your audience to hear your message!
When all is said and done, it’s important to collect data on the outcome of the campaign and develop conclusions. Sure it was a success, but did it meet or exceed your expectations? What could be adjusted next time for an even better result?
RMK is delighted to contribute to the hard work of our partners and their brands. Working across a variety of industries and markets, allows our team to stay fresh.
Here are a few of the brands we have had the great pleasure of working with. Please contact us and we will gladly send samples of our work.
Similar to the common struggles companies may face with social media platforms, diving into SMS marketing can have may folks asking, "So... what works and where do we start?"
Whether you are texting customers for a short-term campaign or as an ongoing marketing channel, there are a few best practices to keep in mind when establishing your plan and forming each outgoing message.
Located in Pasadena’s poppin’ South Lake Avenue Business District, RMK’s newly appointed offices sit at the center of it all at the corner of South Lake Avenue and Cordova Street.
We know what you’re thinking… and as you can see from the map, Chipotle Fridays will continue to be an RMK tradition! But, as you might imagine, deciding where to go for lunch Monday thru Thursday can quickly turn into a big discussion around these parts. South Lake Avenue is heavily lined with eateries (and chic shops to boot), ensuring lunch hour is full of tasty treats. If you are in town, we’d love to take you for a bite in one of our favorite spots.
Passionate marketers, strategic thinkers, design enthusiasts and tech savvy whiz kids are welcome to get in touch with us. We would enjoy meeting you and seeing if you’d make a strong addition to our team. Freelance, part-time and full-time positions are considered. Please direct resumes and digital portfolios to info@rmkdirect.com