About Us
About Us
Blue is a Washington, DC based advertising agency specializing in public affairs advertising that positions industry associations, corporations and non-profits among policymakers and policy influencers.
About Us
About Us
Blue is a Washington, DC based advertising agency specializing in public affairs advertising that positions industry associations, corporations and non-profits among policymakers and policy influencers.
Everyone has an opinion.
Sometimes they agree with you. But many times they don’t.
As an Agency focused on reputation and issue advocacy advertising, we deal with others’ opinions every day. And when those opinions differ from our clients’, our job is to figure out what is needed to change them.
Opening minds to a new way of thinking. About a company. An industry. A cause. An issue.
Our Agency is organized to ensure senior-level involvement in every assignment. Blue’s principals work directly with clients to develop a clear, objective-driven strategy – and then create the kind of advertising that cuts through the clutter and gets results.
Innovative campaigns are Blue’s trademark.
Blue is a seasoned team of professionals with experience in consumer, advocacy and political advertising. We combine “Madison Avenue” creative approaches with metric-moving, results-oriented skills honed in the political campaign and public policy areas. We also understand the power of bringing together creative and new technologies to solve problems for our clients.
A mind is a difficult thing to change.
It takes a different set of skills to make it happen.
So we created a different kind of Agency.
Clients
Clients
Blue’s current and past clients constitute a “who’s who” of organizations drawn from the corporate, trade association and non-profit worlds. Whether leaders in energy, healthcare, retail or manufacturing, they came to Blue for assistance in meeting challenges with creative, results oriented strategies.
Clients
Clients
Blue’s current and past clients constitute a “who’s who” of organizations drawn from the corporate, trade association and non-profit worlds. Whether leaders in energy, healthcare, retail or manufacturing, they came to Blue for assistance in meeting challenges with creative, results oriented strategies.
Blue’s current and past clients constitute a “who’s who” of organizations drawn from the corporate, trade association and non-profit worlds. Whether leaders in energy, health care, retail or manufacturing, they came to Blue for assistance in meeting strategic challenges with creative, results-oriented advertising.
• AdvaMed
• Alliance for Energy & Economic Growth
• Alliance for Northwest Jobs and Exports
• American College of Radiology
• American Heart Association
• American Iron & Steel Institute
• American Petroleum Institute
• American Red Cross
• American Wind Energy Association
• Association of American Railroads
• Biotechnology Industry Organization
• Business Roundtable
• Business Software Alliance
• Canadian American Business Council
• Center for Substance Abuse Treatment
• Coalition for Affordable and Reliable Energy
• Comite Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne
• Doe Run Peru
• Fannie Mae
• Gambro
• GE Aviation
• Grocery Manufacturers Association
• International Relief & Development
• Kaiser Permanente
• Massachusetts Insurance Federation
• Monsanto
• Motion Picture Association of America
• National Association of Chain Drug Stores
• National Children’s Study
• National Constitution Center
• National Federation of Independent Business
• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• PhRMA
• The Recording Academy
• Research!America
• Society for Human Resource Management
• Solar Energy Industries Association
• Starbucks
• U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
• Walmart
• Washington Wine Commission
• Zimmer
Awards
Awards
Blue creates award-winning campaigns and advertisements.
Awards
Awards
Blue creates award-winning campaigns and advertisements.
Communicator, Award of Excellence, 2018 – Research!America 'Raise the Caps' Integrated Campaign
MarCom, Gold Award, 2017 – API 'The Power Of' Digital Advertisement
Summit Creative Award, Gold, Television, 2016 – SHRM 'Working for Us' TV Spot
MarCom, Gold Award, 2015 – SHRM 'Working for Us' TV Spot
Communicator, Award of Distinction, 2014 – API, Education Campaign
MarCom, Platinum Award, 2014 – API 'Connect' TV Spot
Telly Bronze Award, 2014 – API, Education Campaign
Communicator, Award of Distinction, 2013 – ANWJE 'Jobs' TV Commercial
Communicator, Award of Distinction, 2013 – Research!America Print Advertisement
Communicator, Award of Excellence, 2012 – API, 'I’m One' Campaign
SABRE, Silver, Excellence in Advertising, 2012 – API, 'I’m One' Campaign
Steelie, Website of the Year, 2012 – American Iron and Steel Institute
Telly, Promotional/Branding, 2012 – API, Energy Literacy Campaign
Communicator Award, Promotional/Branding, 2010 – Monsanto, 'Produce More Conserve More'
Telly, Promotional/Branding, 2010 – API, Education Campaign
Communicator, Award of Distinction, 2009 – API, Energy Literacy Campaign
Hermes, Creative Award, 2009 – CHPA, 'Treat With Care' Campaign
Telly, Corporate Image, 2009 – API, 'Blue Sky' TV
Telly, Corporate Image, 2009 – API, 'Value' TV
Telly, Promotional/Branding, 2009 – API, Energy Literacy Campaign
Communicator, Award of Distinction, 2008 – API, 'Introducing ULSD' Campaign
Communicator, Award of Distinction, 2008 – American Iron and Steel Institute, 'Feel the Strength' Print
Communicator, Award of Distinction, 2008 – American Iron and Steel Institute, 'Backbone' Campaign
Addy – Washington Wine Commission
FREDDIE Award, Bronze MediMedia, PSAs – CSAT, 'Treat Me' and 'Artist'
Hermes, Platinum Award, TV PSAs – CSAT, 'Labyrinth' and 'New Morning'
Hermes, Gold Award, Radio PSAs – CSAT, 'Labyrinth' and 'New Morning'
Mercury Award, Gold, Government Public Service – CSAT, 'Treat Me'
Mercury Award, Bronze, General Government – CSAT, 'Labyrinth' and 'New Morning'
Omni, Gold, General Commercial – CSAT, 'Labyrinth' and 'New Morning'
Omni, Gold, General Government – CSAT, 'Labyrinth' and 'New Morning'
Omni, Silver, Public Service – CSAT, 'Treat Me'
Telly – Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) TV
Leadership
Leadership
Blue creates award-winning campaigns and advertisements.
Leadership
Leadership
Blue creates award-winning campaigns and advertisements.
Bob McKernan, President, Blue Advertising
Bob McKernan joined Blue as President in July of 2003. Blue is a full-service, award-winning advertising agency specializing in corporate and industry reputation, public affairs, and issue advocacy.
During his career, Bob has worked for a wide range of corporate and association clients, such as the American Petroleum Institute, the Society for Human Resource Management, Walmart, Monsanto, Fannie Mae, the Business Roundtable, the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, and the American Iron and Steel Institute. He specializes in developing strategy and creative that positions clients in challenging public opinion environments. His advertising has earned numerous creative awards, including the Sabre, Communicator, Mercury, Telly and MarCom Awards.
Bob also has extensive experience in electoral politics, consulting on several congressional and statewide campaigns. He has developed strategy and created advertising for a number of successful Republican candidates, as well as for national Republican Party organizations.
At three consecutive Republican National Conventions, Bob managed the Speaker Rehearsal Program, which is responsible for assisting convention speakers on technique and delivery. During the 2000 election cycle, in addition to producing advertising for several individual campaigns, he was a senior strategist for House Republicans in their successful effort to retain their congressional majority.
Prior to joining Blue more than a decade ago, Bob was a partner at Smith & Harroff, a public affairs advertising and communications firm.
Bob is a native of Bangor, Maine. He is a graduate of Dartmouth College and earned an MBA from The George Washington University School of Business and Public Management. He and his wife, Kim, and their two sons reside in Alexandria, VA.