“In advertising not to be different is virtual suicide.” – Bill Bernbach, original Mad Man
A message from the “English” Yoder.
I f you’re from a small town in Indiana and you aren’t named Mellencamp, trust me, you want to be a Yoder: instant rock star status without appearing on American Idol.
Strangers recognize your name and can’t help but ask, “Are you Amish?” Never mind the snazzy street threads and oversized smartphone to give it away. Heck, a simple “no” won’t even curb their curiosity.
“Were you Amish? Are your relatives Amish? Were they ever?”
Folks, outside of my last name and where I grew up, there’s nothing Amish about me. Yet this is the reaction I often get. So if you question the power of branding, I’d strongly recommend rethinking that.
And then I got to thinking, maybe I’m more Amish than I’m leading on. My eye for detail and the way I make ads isn’t all that different from an Amish craftsman. You think Amish furniture is good? Wait ’til you see how I craft copy and build brands.
This Yoder hung out his shingle to create an Amish-like fascination for your brand name.
Bio
S teve Yoder is an award-winning advertising copywriter, creative director, and brand strategist, who boasts a career spanning three decades in small, medium and large Midwestern ad agencies.
Steve’s account experience is deep and diverse, creating traditional and new media advertising and marketing materials for both consumer and business-to-business brands, ranging from local to international markets.
Steve’s foray into advertising began in Indianapolis. As a junior copywriter, he quickly made his mark by naming Indy’s still-popular alternative weekly newspaper, NUVO. From there, he went on to hone his craft and broaden his marketing expertise, achieving numerous industry awards and peer recognition along the way.
After stints in the Quad Cities and Milwaukee, Steve landed in the Windy City and began creating ads on Chicago’s famed Michigan Avenue. It was here where Steve had an opportunity of a lifetime: shooting a TV commercial with 6-time major golf champion Nick Faldo for Florsheim Frogs golf shoes.
Nick isn’t the only certifiable super star Steve has worked with. He’s created TV commercials starring other notables, including 5-time gold medalist Bonnie Blair, famed rockers Kurt Neumann and Sammy Llanas of BoDeans, as well as Wisconsin’s beloved brewing brothers: Dick, Jake and John Leinenkugel.
Steve’s most recent marks left in the Southeastern Wisconsin include Landmark Credit Union’s “You’re worth more here,” Wisconsin State Fair’s “Grand Champion of Summer,” North Shore Bank’s “Bank of You,” and Schmidt & Bartelt funeral home’s “When it’s on your terms, it’s easier” TV campaign.
Steve is married, has a son and lives near Erin Hills golf course, site of the 2017 U.S. Open. He holds a communication degree from Purdue University, majoring in advertising and minoring in journalism.
Skills
Project Management
Account Planning
Creative Direction
Copywriting
Brand Development
Creative Strategy
Broadcast Production
Public Relations
Content Marketing
Content Strategy
Social Media
Blogging
Wordpress
Guest Speaking
Acting
Consumer
ACCOUNT EXPERIENCE
AirSouth Airlines
AVEDA Salons
Bach Brass Instruments
Blommer Chocolate
Briggs & Stratton Home Generators
Broan-NuTone
Cat’s Pride Cat Litter
Cedar Crest Ice Cream
Coca-Cola Bottlers of Indiana
Continuum Footsteps
Country Maid Salads
Culligan
Digger’s Hotline
Ebenezer Child Care Centers
Edward’s Transmissions
Emerson Flutes
First Weber Realty
Florsheim
Gardetto’s Snack Mix
GE Home Generators
Gemeinhardt Flutes
Glaesel String Instuments
Golden Guernsey Dairy
GREAT SKOTT Snacks
Jet-Puffed Marshmallows
JobNoggin.com
Keg-A-Cue
Lava Lamp
Little Crow Foods
Ludwig Drums/Percussion
Michael Hupy & Associates
Milorganite Organic Fertilizer
Regency Home Builders
Roto-Rooter
Safe Step Ice Melter
Selmer Wind Instruments
Service Brewing
Schmidt & Bartelt Funeral Homes
Shorewest Realty
The Milwaukee Protestant Home
The Moderne
TDS Metrocom
US Xchange Telecom
VTech Children’s Learning Toys
Vanguard Airlines
Vigoro Lawn Fertilizer
Weiss Berzowski Brady
Werner Ladder
Wm. Lewis Violins
TRAVEL/DESTINATION
Adam’s Mark Hotel
Chula Vista Resort
Eagle River CVB
Elkhart Lake CVB
Hotel Metro & Cafe
Quad Cities Tourism Bureau
Wisconsin Dells
Wisconsin State Fair
Wisconsin Tourism
LEISURE/ENTERTAINMENT
1991 PGA Championship (Crooked Stick GC)
1999 Davis Cup (Milwaukee)
2007 US Senior Open (Whistling Straits GC)
Casino Rock Island
Glynns Creek Golf Club (Davenport)
Hawk’s View Golf Course
Hoosier Lottery
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Mequon Country Club
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Golf Show
Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee Mile
Milwaukee Wave
Muskego Lakes Country Club
Potawatomi Bingo & Casino
The Anchorage Restaurant
The Legend at Bergamont CC
The Legend at Bristlecone CC
The Legend at Brandybrook CC
TransWorld Exhibitions
U.S. Australian Rules Football League
Wilderness Resort
YMCA of Milwaukee
RETAIL
Brick 3 Pizza
Bumpus Harley-Davidson (Murfreesboro, TN)
The Chocolate Factory
KWIK Trip
Laacke & Joys
McQuick’s Oilube
Orlando Harley-Davidson
Pick ‘n Save Supermarkets
Rally’s Hamburgers
Raymour & Flanigan Furniture Stores
ReVive Gallery
Roundy’s Foods
Soerens Ford
Soup Bros.
SportsFreak365.com
Steinhafels Furniture Store
Torque Center
BANKING/FINANCIAL
Baird Financial
Firstar/US Bank
Johnson Bank
Landmark Credit Union
Marine Bank
Modern Woodman of America
North Shore Bank
Port Washington State Bank
The Associates
The Equitable Bank
Trans Union Credit Bureau
UnitedONE Credit Union
Wells Fargo Retirement
HEALTHCARE
Advanced Fertility Center
American Medical Association
Baxter Pharmaceuticals
Cadence Health
Columbia St. Mary’s
Community Memorial Hosptial
Cornerstone Counseling
GE Healthcare
IU Health Goshen Center for Cancer Care
Healthgrades
Mercy Hospital (Davenport)
Methodist Hospital (Indianapolis)
St. Lukes Hospital (Cedar Rapids)
MEDIA
B96 radio (Chicago)
Catholic Herald
Quad-City Times
JSOnline.com
KEY Milwaukee
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
NUVO weekly
NONPROFIT
Archdiocese of Milwaukee
Beta Sigma Psi
Black Hawk College
Cardinal Stritch College
Friends of the Apostle Islands
MS Society of Wisconsin
Taliesin Foundation
WHEDA
Wisconsin Dells School Referendum
B2B
ACCOUNT EXPERIENCE
Boelter Beverage Group
Irgens Commercial Real Estate
Park East MKE
TriCore Systems Integration
Warehouse No. 1 Office Space
MANUFACTURING
Alcoa
Altosid Insecticide
ApronMAXX Fungicide
Bandag
Bayer CropScience
Boise Cascade Office Products
Cell-Tech Liquid Inoculant
Cleaver-Brooks Boilers
Dorner Conveyors
Del City/Accuant Electrical
ER Wagner
Gentrol Pest Control
Harley-Davidson
Hayes Brake
Honeywell
Kinex CPM
LiphaTech International
Mavrik Pest Control
McDonald’s
Miller Brewing
NavistarDiesel Engines
NeoBrake Systems LLC
NeoBrake Matrix Brands
Nitragin Inoculants
Norvartis Animal Health
Omron Consumer Electronics
QuikStrike Fly Strip
Rozol Gopher Bait
Spacesaver HD Mobile Storage
Soil Implant Granular Inoculant
Sun Chemical
TEC Tile & Grout
The Brewer Company Medical Products
The Combination Door Co.
The Cortland Company
UFLEXX Fertilizer
UMAXX Fertilizer
USG Sheetrock/Durock Brands
Visa Lighting
Wellmark International
Zoecon Professional Products
AG/TURF/CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT
Bobcat Commerical Mowers
Case CE
Club Car Golf/Utility Cars
Cushman UTV
Elgin Street Sweepers
Heister Forklifts
Jacobsen Turf Equipment
John Deere
Komatsu
New Holland
Ramjet Sewer Cleaner
Ransomes Turf Equipment
Rite-Hite
Ryan Aerators
Textron Golf, Turf & Specialty Products
Toyota Industrial Equipment
Vactor Sewer Cleaner
Vaxjet Sewer Cleaner
Contact
steve@yyandy.com
414 467 2039