AUSTIN, Texas  – June 24, 2009 – Diverge Communications, a digital public relations firm, won four Bronze Quill awards from the Austin chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) at a banquet June 2. Diverge was recognized for its digital media campaigns that incorporated social media technologies.

Diverge brought home awards in three categories, including two awards in IABC’s new social media category. The firm was recognized for is work on blogs – Boundless Network CEO Jason Black’s blog – and for the agency’s use of content sharing sites to promote the Sno Cone Stand Movie for Tocquigny.

In the category of strategic/community relations and public service, Diverge won a Bronze Quill for its Boundless Network Digital Strategy, a long-term project that included a full array of digital PR and Web 2.0 tools to promote Boundless Network. Boundless is an Austin-based technology-enabled promotional marketing distributor.

“As more and more companies realize the impact and reach of digital PR, they will demand a firm with expertise in digital media and social technology,” said Diverge Communications Principal Thomas Terry. “We are honored to be recognized for our efforts in this area and are eager to partner with forward-thinking companies who want to further expand their communication projects into this growing arena.”

Diverge won its fourth Bronze Quill for news writing on a project for Sheshunoff and Co. Investment Banking. This final honor demonstrates the firm’s ability to deliver an effective message in the traditional PR arena.

Earlier this year, Diverge was awarded a Silver Spur from the Texas Public Relations Association (TPRA) for its Boundless Network Digital Campaign, as well as a Best of Texas award for news writing.

For more news about Diverge visit: http://divergedigital.com/news-room

About Diverge
Diverge Communications is transforming the way businesses communicate with their customers by implementing public relations strategies that incorporate digital media capabilities to complement their clients’ communication plans. Unlike other PR firms, Diverge aims to transfer their internet PR knowledge to the client, helping them to create digital competencies within their companies. Diverge keeps clients abreast of the latest advances in digital public relations and offers high level consulting for new projects. The result is a more efficient and cost-effective PR strategy that diverges from the norm. To learn more about Diverge, visit http://www.divergedigital.com.

About IABC Austin
The International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) enables a global network of communicators working in diverse industries and disciplines to identify, share and apply the world’s most effective communication practices. Established in 1970, IABC serves over 16,000 members in 70 countries, 100 chapters and 10,000 organizations. The Bronze Quill is designed to recognize the outstanding work of local business communicators, as well as encourage professional development by those in our shared field.

Silver Spur

TPRA Recognizes Diverge’s Progressive Use of Online PR

AUSTIN, Texas  – March 5, 2009 – Diverge Communications, a digital public relations firm, was awarded a 2009 Silver Spur from the Texas Public Relations Association (TPRA), for work with Boundless Network.

Diverge won first place in the Corporate Identity category — beating agencies and companies of all sizes in Texas’ only statewide public relations awards program. Silver Spur winners in other categories include the US Army,  Shell Oil, American Airlines, Kimberly-Clark and Center Point Energy. The winning campaign used social media to generate real business results.

TPRA, recognized Diverge at an awards banquet February 28 in Dallas for its entry titled “Boundless Digital Identity Campaign.” The long-term project for Boundless Network, an Austin-based technology-enabled promotional marketing distributor, included a full array of digital PR and Web 2.0 tools to promote Boundless, one of the promotional products industry’s few technology-savvy firms.

The corporate identity Silver Spur award, which honors outstanding professional achievement in developing and implementing significant public relations programs or projects for employers or clients, was the second received by the Austin-based firm. Diverge also received a Best of Texas award in news writing for its work with Sheshunoff and Co. Investment Banking.  Best of Texas awards recognized firms for outstanding achievement using individual communications tools to support a specific PR objective.

“We have worked very collaboratively with Boundless Network,” said Diverge principal Thomas Terry. “Boundless has been very willing to experiment with new digital tools and the results have been better than anticipated. We have achieved all of Boundless PR goals for 2008. Winning this prestigious award is just an added bonus to our enjoyable and rewarding work with a great client.”

Diverge worked with Boundless Network, to create a strong online identity for the company. By utilizing a combination of social networking and Web 2.0 tools, as well as traditional public relations methods, Boundless was able to continue its record of 100 percent annual growth, achieving 147 percent growth in 2008. Throughout the year, Diverge strengthened the company’s online presence by rebranding and enhancing Jason Black’s Blog, developing a social media website and newsroom, and creating and distributing video through a number of channels. Boundless won four awards in 2008, including the Austin Business Journal’s “Fast 50” and the Best Places to Work, as awarded by the Promotional Products Industry Association.

In an interview with Counselor Magazine, Boundless network representative Courtney Powell attributed much of their internet success to Diverge, saying,  “They are a social media/digital firm that handles our blog strategy, YouTube and social networks like Facebook. . .Our [social media] strategy has been incredibly valuable for us.”

About Diverge
Diverge Communications is transforming the way businesses communicate with their customers by implementing public relations strategies that incorporate digital media capabilities to complement their clients’ communication plans. Unlike other PR firms, Diverge aims to transfer their internet PR knowledge to the client, helping them to create digital competencies within their companies. Diverge keeps clients abreast of the latest advances in digital public relations and offers high level consulting for new projects. The result is a more efficient and cost-effective PR strategy that diverges from the norm. To learn more about Diverge, visit http://www.divergedigital.com.

About Texas Public Relations Association
TPRA hosts Texas’ only public relations award ceremony. Silver Spur awards recognize outstanding PR programs, while Best of Texas awards recognize the best of specific public relations activities. TPRA also recognizes individuals whom have made special contributions to the organization and the profession throughout the year. TPRA is one of the only entities of its kind, giving Texas public relations practitioners a place to connect with one another and recognize one another’s accomplishments. For more information about TPRA, visit http://www.tpra.com.

AUSTIN, Texas –  March 5, 2009 – Diverge Communications,  a digital public relations firm, was awarded a 2009 Best of Texas Bronze in News Writing from the Texas Public Relations Association (TPRA,) for work with Sheshunoff and Co. Investment Banking.

TPRA, recognized Diverge at an awards banquet February 28 in Dallas for its entry titled “Texas Banks Outperform Nation.” The release was written, distributed and pitched for the PR firm’s client, Sheshunoff and Co. Investment Banking, a leader in community bank merger and acquisition transactions and valuation services.

The news writing award, marking outstanding achievement using individual communications tools to support a specific public relations objective, was the second received by the Austin-based firm. Diverge also received a Silver Spur, which focuses on programs and large projects, for its digital corporate identity campaign for Boundless Network. Boundless is an Austin-based technology-enabled promotional marketing distributor.

“We are thrilled to received the award for news writing,” said Diverge principal Thomas Terry. “Sheshunoff has a successful track record and long history of providing first-rate services for bankers across the nation. This release demonstrated their deep knowledge of the banking industry at a time when Texans – and Americans – were getting nervous about the state of our banks.”

Sheshunoff & Co. Investment Banking released the Texas Asset Quality Review for the second quarter of 2008 in early October when many Americans were beginning to recognize the severity of the country’s impending financial crisis. The Sheshunoff report showed that Texas banks were performing better than the rest of the nation. Diverge determined that a news release could position Sheshunoff as an industry thought leader, generate press attention to raise Sheshunoff’s profile with the media and the public, and create local awareness and positive association the firm.

The press release performed as intended, receiving attention from large daily newspapers in Texas, all the state business journals, and national publications. Additionally, the Sheshunoff and Co. Investment Banking web pages realized a 1083 percent increase in page views.

About Diverge
Diverge Communications is transforming the way businesses communicate with their customers by implementing PR strategies that incorporate digital media capabilities to complement their clients’ communication plans. Unlike other PR firms, Diverge aims to transfer their knowledge to the client, helping them to create digital competencies within their companies. Diverge keeps clients abreast of the latest advances in digital PR and offers high level consulting for new projects. The result is a more efficient and cost-effective PR strategy that diverges from the norm. To learn more about Diverge, visit http://www.divergedigital.com.

About Texas Public Relations Association
TPRA hosts Texas’ only public relations award ceremony. Silver Spur awards recognize outstanding PR programs, while Best of Texas awards recognize the best of specific public relations activities. TPRA also recognizes individuals whom have made special contributions to the organization and the profession throughout the year. TPRA is one of the only entities of its kind, giving Texas public relations practitioners a place to connect with one another and recognize one another’s accomplishments. For more information about TPRA, visit http://www.tpra.org/.

Boundless Network, an Austin Ventures-funded company, has taken advantage of unique proprietary technology and professional sales organization to transform the branded product market. Boundless leads the industry in effectively using technology to connect buyers within organizations to drive down the cost of branded products for customers by as much as 40 percent. Boundless Network also offers is employees and sales professionals strong training and professional development opportunities.

“We’re in the business of providing solutions that help companies control their brand, maximize their marketing dollars and deliver the right message to the right audience,” said Boundless Network CEO, Jason Black. “Diverge has demonstrated the capabilities that will enable us to spread our message and capitalize on digital media opportunities that will further expand our customer base. Additionally, the firm’s online strengths nicely compliment our professional sales training strategy.”

Boundless Network’s innovative use of technology and wide range of professional development offerings provide numerous opportunities for promotion, through both online and offline channels. Diverge will continue to identify key social media tactics that Boundless can take advantage of, including the company’s already-created blog, RSS feeds, social tagging and third-party community functionality such as YouTube videos.

Diverge has already created a video series featuring Black discussing Boundless Network’s fast growth and strategies that sales professionals can use to become high-volume producers in today’s competitive advertising specialty market. To view the series, visit http://www.youtube.com/boundlessnetwork.

“Boundless Network provides its sales professionals with the technology, and the professional development and support to take their business, and the entire promotional products industry, to the next level. We are eager to also provide cutting-edge digital communication technologies to help Boundless Network spread its message in a cost-effective, targeted manner,” said Thomas Terry, Diverge Principle.

About Boundless Network

Venture-backed Boundless Network is transforming the $20 billion promotional marketing industry through a highly trained, professional sales organization and proprietary technology that empower companies to deliver value and measurable ROI for custom branded products. Our patent-pending technology platform connects buyers across organizations to create efficiencies of scale and reduce the cost of branded products by as much as 40 percent. Boundless Network’s award-winning professional development and training opportunities help the company to attract the top one percent of sales professionals, and retain 95 percent if its employees. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Boundless Network is one of the fastest growing companies in the promotional marketing industry with 80 sales professionals and more than 60 employees in 13 sales offices across the U.S. To learn more about Boundless Network, visit www.boundlessnetwork.com

About Diverge

Diverge Communications is a public relations firm that offers its clients digital media capabilities to create visibility, engage customers and manage their reputations in an online forum. Diverge is able to measure and provide campaign results immediately, enabling its customers to refine and enhance their marketing programs. The Diverge goal is help companies interactively converse with customers to learn quickly and efficiently about their demands. For more information, visit divergedigital.com.

Diverge will provide fully integrated traditional and digital public relations services, social media and enhanced analytics and measurement capabilities to prove success and demonstrate ROI.

“Diverge’s ability to provide cutting edge PR and social media strategies is a good match with Tocquigny’s history of innovative digital marketing campaigns,” said Yvonne Tocquigny, CEO of Tocquigny.” Diverge was chosen for the firm’s uniquely ROI-driven approach to digital PR, their ability to provide the latest new media exposure and their scientific approach to creating successful online public relations campaigns. We are very excited to work with Diverge and look forward to launching a number of cutting edge social media and digital PR initiatives in 2008.”

Diverge will manage the firm’s online and traditional outreach, digital media relations and online reputation monitoring. In addition, Diverge’s advanced measurement capabilities will enable Tocquigny to accurately account for PR’s contribution to the firm’s overall marketing success.

For more news about Diverge visit: http://del.icio.us/divergecom

About Tocquigny
Tocquigny provides blue chip companies the confidence to execute innovative marketing campaigns that result in breakthrough winning business solutions and measurably impact a company’s financials. Tocquigny’s philosophy of measurement, foundation of business accountability and insights-based decision increase the predictability of marketing success and minimize the risk of marketing investment in the digital age. Tocquigny, one of the nation’s premier marketing agencies, is a B-to-B Magazine Top Marketing Agency and Adweek Top 25 Interactive Advertising Agency. For more, visit www.tocquigny.com.

About Diverge
As a digital public relations and social media firm, Diverge offers companies the competitive advantage of innovative, effective and measurable online public relations campaigns. In contrast to traditional public relations, digital PR provides lower risk, faster results and higher return on investment. This is achievable because we can track online influence, measure the speed and success of message movement and gauge the effect of these efforts on a company’s reputation — in real time. For more, visit www.divergecom.com.