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2008 Bulldog Award Winner
Best Travel and Hospitality Campaign
In June 2007, Chicago welcomed a new addition to its hotel scene. After a $25+ million
dollar renovation, the city finally said goodbye to the dated House of Blues Hotel and
welcomed its more luxurious replacement, the Hotel Sax Chicago. Though many
associated the space with its former tenant, the Hotel Sax Chicago was a completely new
hotel and, thus, a new product. The complete makeover included renovation of all 353
guestrooms, lobby area, meeting and event space and bar. Located within Chicago’s
legendary Marina City, the Hotel Sax Chicago was introduced as a luxurious yet chic
hotel providing dramatic style and exceptional service in comfortable, uniquely Chicago
surroundings.
The hotel’s management company, Gemstone Hotels & Resorts International, LLC,
aimed to position the new lodging destination as an elegant, yet approachable alternative
to other downtown luxury hotels. They quickly began to establish unbeatable service
standards and an unprecedented level of comfortable luxury. Our goal, as the Hotel Sax’
public relations agency of record, was to introduce the new space and its artistic, eclectic
ambiance as a separate entity from the House of Blues Hotel. We wanted to inform the
public that the Hotel Sax Chicago was a new product on the hospitality market. In order
to convince Chicagoans and business and leisure travelers of the high level of luxury
offered by the new hotel, we introduced totally unique amenities and experiences. These
offerings set the stage for media attention and created an identity for the Hotel Sax
Chicago. More
Chicago native Kristen Amato struck gold in 2002 when she left her corporate career and
began pursuing a passion for jewelry design. She initially expanded upon her interest in
creating accessories by creating one-of-a-kind pieces for her trend-savvy yet budget
conscious friends. Soon enough, local boutiques began to take notice of Kristen’s
feminine creations, named after streets of Chicago. Her collection, K.Amato, is marketed
with the mantra “Every girl should have one”. With pieces ranging from $30 to $100, and
in styles made from gold filigree, delicate sterling silver and colorful glass beads, there
truly is a piece for everyone within the collection.
After achieving so much success with her freshman line, Kristen sought to create a more
sophisticated line that took her signature pieces to the next level, from trend to designer,
without straying from the classic K.Amato style. Couture by K.Amato, Kristen’s
sophomore collection, features an upscale, couture element that is both modern and
classic. The 29 pieces of the collection are made from 14 carat gold and semi-precious
gemstones and range from $100 to $500. Although her collection does not fall under the
traditional definition of couture, Kristen’s Couture by K.Amato is custom made with the
quality and feel of couture enveloping each piece. Similarly, in the tradition of haute
couture, each piece can be customized with different metal or gemstone types, depending
on the taste of the customer. More
2008 Bulldog Award Winner
Best Response to Breaking News
Since March, 2007, Zapwater Communications has served as the public relations agency
of record for the Law Office of Jeffery M. Leving. Jeffery Leving founded the firm
serving as an advocate for fathers’ rights focusing on representing men in divisive
custody and divorce proceedings through Matrimonial and Family Law. Our media
relations efforts have focused on publicizing Mr. Leving’s legal victories, expertise on
issues such as custody, divorce and parental alienation and his life-long advocacy on
behalf of fathers and their rights.
Jeffery Leving has been consistently recognized for his leadership and legal knowledge
on these issues. He was tapped by the Governor of Illinois to serve as Chairman of the
Illinois Council on Responsible Fatherhood, a state commission focused on improving
fathers’ rights. He also serves as President Emeritus of the Fatherhood Educational
Institute, a nationwide charity focused on promoting fathers’ rights. He also received an
award from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children for his legal
expertise in connection with the Elian Gonzalez case. He is the author of two
groundbreaking books, “Father’s Rights” (Basic books) and “Divorce Wars” (Harper
Collins). Leving’s experience includes co-authorship of the Joint Custody Law and
testimony before both branches of the Illinois Legislature on Joint Custody,
Grandparent’s Visitation and Child Support Accountability bills. He has lectured locally
and nationally on family law issues. More
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