Clockwork Home Services picks FKM "The Pitch" winners

HOUSTON, May 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Houston-based full-service ad agency FKM edged out the competition on AMC's new original series "The Pitch" to win a national marketing contract with Clockwork Home Services, one of the largest home services providers in North America.  The episode ,which chronicled an intense agency battle to create the winning pitch and launch Clockwork's three most prominent home services brands nationally – is the first in the series to produce a full-scale advertising and marketing campaign.

A television ad, one of four produced in the effort, featuring Clockwork's Benjamin Franklin Plumbing, Mister Sparky and One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning brands debuted on AMC following the episode and gave viewers a glimpse of the end result of a successful pitch. 

"Our home services brands have remarkable stories to tell individually, and by going through this process, we've found new ways to tell them cohesively," said Scott Boose, President of Clockwork Home Services.  "Partnering with FKM to bring the initial concepts to life over the past few months has been exciting."

FKM's winning theme, entitled "+Help," expands Clockwork's current focus on its on-time and service money-back guarantees, establishing a complementary platform for the brand's marketing, advertising and promotion. 

"FKM's idea conveyed the essence of these three brands – being genuinely helpful on every service call," said Chris Buitron, vice president of marketing, Clockwork Home Services.  "The resulting tri-branded campaign is an entirely new look-and-feel for us, and is much larger in scope than anything we've done for the brands previously."

The concept was developed in a Utility Forum, FKM's branded process in which three separate idea teams examine brand challenges from distinct perspectives – how to be innovative in the consumer's life, how the brand and consumers can interact in better ways, and how the brand and its customers can have more meaningful transactions.  With the insight that most home service calls are reactionary, made in a time of stress surrounding an issue in the home, teams produced and pitched three campaign ideas that demonstrate how Clockwork brands can help consumers get back to normal quickly.

"Showcasing a point of intersection between the three brands in one ad campaign was a big challenge.  Our Utility Forums produced a number of great ideas to help the brands move beyond the 'grudge purchase,' but ultimately, '+Help' is the best," said Scott Brown, Chief Creative Officer, FKM.  "The platform markets all brands equally and gives consumers a fun and smart reason to call."

The end result has produced an integrated television, digital and print campaign that will officially launch and roll out in markets across the country on May 15.

"This is a meaningful win for FKM, especially given the transformation we've experienced in the past year, restructuring the agency in the months leading up to the taping of our episode," said Jose Lozano, CEO, FKM.  "But in business, the real work begins after the pitch.  We'll celebrate in a big way when the '+Help' campaign starts making the phone ring for Benjamin Franklin, Mister Sparky and One Hour." 

About Clockwork Home Services
Clockwork Home Services is one of the largest home services providers in North America, working across 46 states to look after the air conditioning, plumbing and electrics for over 3 million homes, through its 3 largest customer focus brands of One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning, Benjamin Franklin Plumbing and Mister Sparky. Sarasota, Florida based, Clockwork Home Services is also dedicated to sharing best practice and expertise in the home services industry, working to advise other businesses through a network of affinity partners & members including, Buymax, Plumbers' Success International, Electricians' Success International, Roofers' Success International, Airtime 500, Success Academy, Airtime Canada and Successware. Clockwork Home Services is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Direct Energy and Centrica plc. For more information, visit www.clockworkhomeservices.com.

About FKM
FKM believes in the utility of ideas. The independently owned agency helps brands become innovators, interact with consumers in better ways and have meaningful transactions with their customers. Over the past three decades, the agency has worked with such iconic brands as Mission Foods, Wolf Brand Chili, Duncan Hines, Advanced Auto Parts and Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen. Today, the agency serves a national client base from offices in Houston, Dallas and Austin.  Current clients include Waste Management, Graeter's Ice Cream, ConocoPhillips, Bertolli Olive Oils, Texas Department of Transportation, and Mattress Firm.  FKM is led by President and Chief Creative Officer Scott Brown and Chief Executive Officer Jose Lozano, a team that took the helm from the agency's founding partners in early 2011. More information on FKM and the utility of ideas is available at www.fkmagency.com.

SOURCE Clockwork Home Services