tara mcneil

Served as brand voice for Verizon B2B. Equipped sales force w/ creative tools (video,radio,print-on- demand,e-marketing,PPT) to sell services effectively. Increased rep usage by 30% YOY and secured additional B2B business/revenue for Erwin-Penland. United Way of Greenville County – Created ‘Walk in their Shoes,’ an industry-first documentary chronicling a family’s experience being homeless. Campaign earned a Silver Addy Award for advertising effectiveness, and surpassed organization’s fundraising goal of $16.6 million.

Lead consumer PR for Denny’s Corporation, including media relations, restaurant grand openings, new menu offerings and field marketing to position the restaurant as America’s Diner. Secured Erwin Penland as the PR Agency of Record for Denny’s, turning a 60-day trial relationship into an annual contract at 275% increase in revenue and staffing for the company. Developed strategy that garnered features/sampling on The TODAY Show, The Tonight Show, Late Nite with Jimmy Fallon and GMA. Metrics included 27 million media impressions, 397 features.

Lead media relations, developed strategies for product launches, company announcements, business acquisitions and crisis-related matters for Verizon Wireless (Carolinas/Tennessee Region). Media trained employees, planned press conferences, sponsored events and store openings. Lead company’s HopeLine efforts for domestic violence prevention. Drafted company newsletter and internal communications on behalf of senior staff. Year-over-year growth for media placements, media impressions and HopeLine phone collections Directed all communications and logistics for Verizon Wireless’ $54 million headquarters grand opening festivities for 300+ attendees including elected officials, business customers, senior staff and media. Created Sponsorship, B2B, Network, Retail and Sales Operations strategies that secured 30% more business with enterprise clients FedEx and Dollar General.

Developed media relations strategies that successfully branded Oldfield as the premier eco-friendly community for outdoor enthusiasts with over $470,000 worth of editorial exposure during 15-month execution. Secured features in The New York Times (3), Associated Press (2), SmartMoney and LINKS. Developed resident outreach program that secured eight spokespeople. Insights gathered served as foundation for 2005 testimonial advertising campaign.

Recruited by former PR client Honeywell CPG to market husband-and-wife race team at 28 NHRA events. Facilitated activities including press conferences, media interviews and sponsor commitments. Developed press materials and B-roll, sponsor proposals and managed client’s online press room. Averaged 6-9 features per race; secured 324,520,304 impressions; ad equivalent of $16.9 million. Secured features in USAToday and The Los Angeles Times and on ESPN/ESPN2 and CNN. Spearheaded partnership with team, sponsor, Capital Records and Mack Truck. Program featured a concert with The Steve Miller Band, customer event, custom car paint scheme, branded merchandise, promotions and giveaways at national race in Chicago.

Successfully launched Ortho Evra (the birth control patch) during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week through the ‘Ortho Evra Every Woman Fashion Show,' an event celebrating 10 everyday women who made heroic contributions to the community Coordinated satellite media tour, developed video that played on Astrovision in Times Square and streamed web-feed of fashion show on client website. Secured 22 television features on The Today Show and Inside Edition, articles in the Boston Herald, SELF Magazine and USWeekly. Generated 65,000,000 impressions.

Managed consumer and trade PR for the Honeywell CPG's FRAM, Prestone and Autolite brands as well as motorsports partnerships with NASCAR, NHRA and sponsored drivers Rhonda Hartman-Smith and John Smith. Developed consumer education program featuring automotive expert Lauren Fix, and secured features on The Today Show, FOX and Friends and Oprah. Earned the (Car Care Councils) Women’s Automotive Communications Award for outstanding communications efforts to educate women about automotive maintenance.

My real estate marketing career began a decade ago serving as the brand voice Palmetto Bluff and Oldfield, two premier Crescent Communities in the coastal town of Bluffton, SC. While my marketing strategy yielded record-breaking lot and home sales, I enjoyed 'telling the story' of the lowcountry lifestyle to buyers worldwide by way of feature articles in The New York Times, Travel + Leisure and Money magazine. Over the past 10 years, my real estate focus was on buying, renovating and selling my own personal properties as a side venture while working full-time in the advertising industry. In 2015, I shifted my focus to real estate full time and am proud to share that I closed over $3 million in properties my first year. More importantly, I enjoy 'the hunt' for my clients dream home incredibly rewarding, knowing that they will make lifelong memories in the home I found for them.