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About Us

You might be interested in learning what makes us tick...

One word best describes us – Curiosity. Each one of us is of the curious type. We may come in different shapes, and sizes, and ages; having a wide variety of different backgrounds too, but underneath the titles of strategic marketers, creators, designers, doers, writers, rainmakers, artists, programmers, analyzers, and sprinkled with a poet here and there we’re just plain ‘Curious’. And, we put this trait to good use for our clients’ success too.

We weave the knowledge we gain from our curiosity about our clients and their marketplace into building an integrative voice. Then we spread it throughout carefully crafted content which runs in a variety of time-tested channels. And, it’s never a cookie cutter approach. We employ both digital and traditional ways that best reach a specific desired goal.

For a quarter-century now, we’ve been using our Curiosity in compelling and unusual ways to assist a wide variety of clients. Best known for our keen sense of reading between the lines, and our special blend of surveys and workshops that are known to yield that sought-after special something, we help differentiate a brand–which we all know is uber important–instead of contributing to a whole lot of nothing and just cluttering up the airwaves.

“… we’re just plain ‘Curious’. And, we put this trait to good use towards our clients’ success.”

Among Prairie’s most cherished values is working with thought leaders—clients who thrive on new ideas and seek a creative partner to help bring ideas to market. Our clients vary from well-known category leaders to fast-growing entrepreneurs to start-ups and not-for-profits. And artists—talented individuals seeking to broaden their reach.

Clients come to us when they want to attract marketplace attention. Using Prairie’s suite of customized client-centric services, we help clients differentiate themselves by building strong brand strategies that create a visual expression and promote dialog within their respective marketplace.

Our vision is to consistently embrace opportunities to innovate, differentiate and communicate through providing every client with the best solutions at the greatest value for each and every assignment.

Get to Know our Team

Nancie Ploechl, Founder & President

Nancie is the quintessential leader. “Curiosity is a vital and positive trait in getting better understanding of the world around us,” she says. While some may complain that asking too many questions can be annoying, or worse, remind us that curiosity killed the cat, Nancie responds that as far as she’s concerned, “cats always land on their feet!”

Team

It all starts with our four leading values: Curiosity, Integrity, Creativity and Passion. Along with our recipe for one-on-one support and follow-through, we build relationships that get consistent results.

David Newberger, CEO

David joined Prairie Marketing in 2013, having been a long-term Prairie client. Over his lengthy career, he built a reputation as a strategic marketing consultant and innovator, working with many industry leaders in education, consumer products, manufacturing, banks, and...

Our Story

We are passionate about partnering with good people and creating experiences which elevate and empower brands.

It all started in 1993….

The scene was set when a curious and passionate entrepreneur deciding to work with Chicago businesses starting out in a small spare bedroom within her home. The goal was to create better creative, smarter marketing and improve results for clients. And, with each new client came more staff to help with those engagements.

Fast forward to 2020, Prairie marketing now has designers, developers, content specialist, social media gurus, that work in a growing array of industries which we are passionate working with. Today we focus on quality over quantity. And, we are able to have fun doing it too!

What's in a Name?

When I stop to think about it, there’s quite a convergence of intersecting points to the meaning of the word Prairie—for me. The first derives from my family history: Mum would tell us her own personal ‘frontier’ stories about growing up on the prairie in Montana during the Depression. And, when visiting “back home’ over summer vacations, (the tiny hamlet of White Cloud, MT) I’d come to know about similar stories that were told over and over again by aunts and uncles and cousins still living out West. Learning all about the hardships that they endured back then “on the prairie.” They expressed pride in living through and overcoming the challenges effecting their day-to-day survival. That’s where I learned about hard work, riding a wild stallion, milking a cow, and the truth about where the food on the table actually came from; livestock. The very livestock that just earlier in those months of summer I had petted and named, much to my horror and chagrin.

I’ve always thought fondly of Big Sky Country, majestic Rockies far off at a distance, jutting prairie terrain under foot. It held a special and captivating beauty—and still does in my memories: That patchwork of vast billowing clouds floating above in endless blue skies, and below, sun bleached prairie grasses dancing in the breeze to their own magical beat.

Later, as an adult, there was another seminal moment when I came face-to-face with a specialized use of the word, Prairie. And it, too, made quite an impression. I had just moved to Chicago after graduating from college and took an explorative Sunday drive out to the ‘burbs. Driving through Oak Park, I caught a glimpse of what I thought was a Craftsman bungalow—a very fancy one at that. Upon further investigation, I learned that this intriguing home was designed by famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright. And that he had coined the phrase, “Prairie style,” which described his residential masterpieces—and were to be found dotting the metro Chicago area. I instantly became a devotee and have ever since been head over heels in love with the simple, clean organic lines that the Prairie-style represents.

Later, I was lucky enough to tour The Frederick C. Robie house, designed and built around 1910 while on a completely different journey to Hyde Park where I was attending a seminar at the University of Chicago. This is one of my favorite “modern” buildings of all time and it’s a perfect example of Wrights’ Prairie style.

When it came time for me to name my new business, I could think of no better name than to call it Prairie Marketing: To me that’s what marketing is all about: Helping clients thrive in challenging environments by creating brands that have a vision, a voice, and a vitality that is singular to them.

 

Nancie Ploechl, Founder & President