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Comet is a Milwaukee branding + public relations agency that helps great companies and organizations to drive marketing, social media and public relations initiatives to connect better with their customers.

What Comet Does

  • Social Media Research
  • Competitive Analysis
  • Strategic Plan Development
  • Story Line Development
  • Strategic Personality and Voice Development
  • Setup and Integration of Social Media Platforms
  • Content Creation (written, audio and visual)
  • Blogger Outreach and Influencing
  • Corporate Social Media Guideline and Policy Development
  • Internal Social Media Process Development
  • Management of Content Sharing Sites
  • Ideation and Strategic Counsel
  • Development of Custom Applications
  • Custom Blog Platform Build and Development
  • Development of Social Media Gathering Places
  • Ongoing Participation: Driving Conversation and Engagement
  • Social Media Training
  • Social Media Newsroom Development
  • Listening, Monitoring, Insight Gathering and Responding
  • Social Media Measurement and Reporting
  • Strategic Public Relations Plan Development
  • Media and Story Trends Research
  • Media, Blogger and Analyst Relations
  • Interview Management
  • Planning and Execution
  • Product Launch Programs
  • Strategic Partnership and Sponsorship Development
  • Spokesperson Services
  • Story Writing and Media Material Development
  • Event Concept Development, Event Promotion and Management
  • Event Concept Development, Event Promotion and Management
  • Marketing Collateral Creation and Copywriting
  • Statistics and Return on Investment Tracking/Monitoring
  • Market Research and Insight
  • Product Launch Programs
  • Strategic Partnership and Sponsorship Development
  • Spokesperson Services
  • Strategic Brand Development and Planning
  • Brand Platform Creation
  • Voice and Messaging Development
  • Brand Name and Trademark Concepts
  • Analysis: Strengths,
Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats
  • Rebranding and Evolution
  • Strategy and Plan Creation

Comet Branding is deeply passionate about creating outstanding work and is honored that great companies trust us to develop engaging B2C and B2B campaigns leveraging our experience in the following spaces:

  • Technology & Social Media
  • Outdoor Recreation
  • Consumer Packaged Goods
  • Lifestyle & Experiential
  • Event Promotion
  • Sports Marketing
  • Real Estate Development
  • Green & Sustainable
  • Strategic Services & Consulting
  • Healthcare
  • Travel & Tourism
  • Hospitality & Hotel
  • Restaurant

Comet Branding is committed to bringing together the best team and resources available for your unique needs. To service clients with top-notch creative that compliments Comet’s strategic brand development and communications, Comet has formed strategic relationships with top-notch talent, who share our approach and mindset, in visual design, interactive development, Web 2.0 and creative brainstorming.

This approach allows Comet Branding to serve clients as a full-service marketing agency, providing everything a client needs to win bigger.

Comet Branding can manage and source all of the following elements to deliver the best in service and results at fair prices:

  • Interactive Media, Websites, Web 2.0, Social Media and Web-centric applications
  • Brand Logo and Identity Development, Maintenance and Evolution
  • Print Collateral, Sales Promotion Materials and Direct Mail
  • Packaging Design, Point-of-Purchase Design and Production
  • Newsletter Design (electronic and print)
  • Print and Interactive Advertising Concepts and Design
  • Publication and Newsletter Design and Production
  • Video Production

Who Comet Helps

3D Exhibits
  • B2B client
  • Social Media Strategy Development
  • Video and Content Development
ESI Attorneys
  • B2B client
  • Brand Development 
  • Public / Media Relations
  • Video and Content Development
FIS
  • B2B and B2C client
  • Social Media Planning
  • Social Media Strategy Development
  • Social Media Research
Grand Geneva
  • B2C client
  • Social Media Strategy Development
  • Social Media Execution
  • Video and Content Development
Hal's House of Harley Davidson
  • B2C client
  • Social Media Research
  • Social Media Strategy Development
Intercontinental Hotels - Milwaukee
  • B2C client
  • Public/Media Relations
  • Social Media Strategy Development
  • Social Media Event Development
Lakeside
  • B2B client
  • Public/Media Relations
  • Traditional and Social Media Research
  • Video and Content Development
Lightburn
  • B2B client
  • Public Relations Strategic Planning
  • Speaking Engagements
  • Traditional and Social Media Research
Manitou Cycle Forks
  • B2C client
  • Brand Development and Planning
  • Public/Media Relations
  • Social Media Strategy Development
Nota Bene
  • B2C client
  • Branding Development and Planning
  • Social Media Research
Patient Care
  • B2C & B2C client
  • Public / Media Relations Planning
  • Social Media Strategy Development
  • Traditional and Social Media Research
PR-Social Media Summit
  • Brand Development and Naming
  • Event Planning and Management
  • Social Media Management
  • Social Media Strategy Development
Run up the Runway
  • Non-profit client
  • Public / Media Relations Planning
  • Social Media Planning
  • Social Media Management
TEC
  • B2B client
  • Public Relations Planning
  • Social Media Strategic Planning
  • Social Media Management
Timber Ridge Lodge and Waterpark
  • B2C client
  • Video and Content Development
  • Social Media Strategic Planning
  • Social Media Management
Umami Moto
  • B2C client
  • Brand Launch Activities
  • Event Planning and Support
  • Public Relations Planning
  • Served as Spokesperson
Verlo
  • B2C and B2B client
  • Strategic Social Media Plan Development
  • Social Media Management
  • Content Development
Wisconsin Foodie
  • B2C client
  • Media Relations / Interview Management
  • Public Relations Planning

Who Is Comet?

al krueger — founder | partner | right brain

Al Krueger Al Krueger founder, partner and right brain, Comet Branding + PR. Prior to founding Comet in 2007, he was the director of public relations for a branding communications agency, national brand manager for a large leisure travel company and a brand coordinator for Wisconsin’s largest health care system, among other roles. Together with business partner Sara Meaney, he is the co-host to Comet Branding Radio, a weekly Internet radio show that shares and discusses the progressive and evolving elements of marketing, public relations and social media, and features thought leaders from around the country. Al is a seasoned public speaker and gives presentations on branding, public relations and the strategic use of social media in that mix. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from University of Wisconsin – Whitewater. He sits on the board of directors of The Eisner - American Museum of Advertising & Design, is the co-founder of the Social Media Club of Milwaukee and co-chair of the Social Media Committee for the PRSA Milwaukee Chapter.

sara meaney — partner | left brain

Sara Meaney Sara Meaney, partner and left brain, Comet Branding + PR, held several marketing and communications leadership positions before partnering with Al Krueger at Comet in early 2009, including as vice president of a communications agency, firm-wide head of marketing for a leading national accounting firm, managing director of marketing and communications for a private equity and turnaround investment company, and marketing director for a startup biotech company, among others. She led national and international teams on both sides of the client/agency fence to launch and grow a myriad of business-to-business and consumer brands across diverse industries. Together with business partner Al Krueger, she is the co-host to Comet Branding Radio, a weekly Internet radio show that shares and discusses the progressive and evolving elements of marketing, public relations and social media, and features thought leaders from around the country.An experienced public speaker, Sara has addressed audiences on various topics related to marketing, public relations, branding and social media. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin – Madison and has completed executive education programs at both Harvard Business School and Kellogg School of Management. Sara is co-founder of Social Media Club Milwaukee and co-chair of the Social Media Committee for the PRSA Milwaukee Chapter.

The story behind the new Comet Branding.

In April 2009, Al Krueger and Sara Meaney decided to partner up to combine creative, big-picture concepts with strategic, process-based execution to deliver comprehensive marketing and communications services to its clients. With the titles of right brain and left brain, respectively, the pair has 25 years of diverse experience in both client-side and agency-side marketing, branding and public relations.

Both Wisconsin natives, the would-be-partners met in early 2008 while volunteering for a local non-profit organization’s marketing committee. The two struck up a friendship and as Al worked to get the company he founded in November of 2007 up and running, Sara and he often met for coffee before work to bounce around new ideas, brainstorm project challenges and share general professional insights.

It quickly became apparent that the two shared many of the same business ideals and philosophies for how great branding and PR is created and managed – and how to treat and work with clients. It was also clear that their different perspectives could be used to develop a strong strategic-creative dialogue.

The Comet partners also share an affinity for the effective use of social media as a fourth media platform – along with print, radio and broadcast - to enhance great marketing and communications strategies. Comet Branding has used its own brand as a test case for many of the social media strategies and tactics the company offers to its clients.

The story behind the Comet Branding name and brand.

This part of the story involves a margarita and a dream. Read on.

In November of 2007 Al Krueger arrived at a career crossroads. After a dinner of Mexican food with his wife, which included a tasty margarita, Krueger went to sleep. He woke up in the middle of the night, and as he lay there awake, he contemplated following his entrepreneurial spirit by starting his own company. He fell back asleep expecting not to remember the episode. Shortly thereafter, he had a dream about starting his own company whose name was – Comet Branding. In the dream he considered how weird it was to name a company based on a dream but figured he wouldn’t remember that part, either.

The next morning he awoke, remembering everything and feeling really good about it. He spent the next two days trying to talk himself out of starting a business in light of the fact that his wife was 20-weeks pregnant, making it a less-than-ideal time to start a business.

He was unable to talk himself out of the idea. Over breakfast one morning, he pitched the idea to his wife and she supported it. He also shared the story about the name and realized that it sounded pretty corny. So he spent the next week trying to come up with a different name but after pitching a bunch of new name ideas to his wife, she suggested he stick with the original one and stop fighting it.

After doing some research about comets, Krueger learned that as they fly through space their paths aren’t affected by the gravitational pulls of the planets that they pass. And comets are always pointing at the sun. Interesting huh?

So, what does this mean for Comet Branding and why is it an appropriate name? Well, we tend to chart our own path to creative and strategic ideas and bring our clients along for the ride without being affected by naysayers or doubters. Plus, we are always striving for excellence and reaching for amazing goals; in other words, we reach for the sun.

Comet Branding

220 East Buffalo Street #402
Milwaukee WI 53202
414-672-8777

Al Krueger

founder | partner | right brain
al@cometbranding.com

Sara Meaney

partner | left brain
sara@cometbranding.com