PPB August 2021

Fry’s progression into the promotional products industry began when she opened Fryed Egg Productions, a boutique full-service marketing firm, in 2012. “From the very beginning, I had seen the importance of branded items in the execution of any strategy,” says Fry. “Even though we were not initially set up to offer branded items, we were doing it through other folks, leaving money on the table. But what was most distressing to me was that we were at the mercy of other people for quality, execution and timeliness. This ultimately affects the quality of results we can guarantee.” Fryed Egg Productions isn’t Fry’s first or only company. “I say I have the sexy side and the non-sexy side of communications,” she says. “My other company is called Lines of Communication, and it is a 22-year-old IT and telecommunications consulting firm.” But with a degree in marketing and a passion for achievement, Fry decided to devote more time to the creative side of communications by opening Fryed Egg Productions. “I love helping companies build and achieve revenue goals,” she says. “It was so natural from what I had already been doing.” Fry is also an active community member, serving in leadership roles for a variety of civic and social service organizations as well as government boards and commissions. Fry says her favorite part of the promo industry is seeing an idea transform into a client’s branded product. “It just makes it so much more real and significant,” she says. “Everything needs to have an emotional connection. Especially for products, you’ve got to weave the story with it to make the item cherished and appreciated. The other part that I just love is when you see it being placed in the hands of its intended audience. You put a product in someone’s hands, and you can almost see the meaning moving from their head to their heart. If we do the right kind of research, you see that moment of magic. That’s what we are after.” To earn those moments of magic, Fry leaves no marketing tool untouched. By combining promotional products with video and digital marketing, Fryed Egg Productions lives up to its promise of “advancing brands by any legal means necessary.” “I feel like we would be leaving out a piece of critical engagement or reinforcement if we didn’t,” she says. “Everybody receives messages in different ways and from different sources. I think of it as building up to surround sound so that our message feels comfortable and like a part of their world. Branded products are an essential part of that. They have a much longer lifespan than almost anything else. How could you not want to include those in that holistic marketing plan?” But Fryed Egg Productions is also devoted to understanding its clients. “There’s always a vision, and we take a lot of time to immerse ourselves with our clients,” says Fry. “I always say if I can’t feel their heartbeat of the things that worry, excite and inspire them, then we can’t really serve them to our greatest capacity. We also take time to really define our client’s message and audience, and then we come up with strategies.” The doors at Fryed Egg Productions stayed open all last year, even during quarantine. “We had a great “There were many days where fried eggs were what we ate three times a day because it was all we had. No matter what big project I’mworking on or what highfalutin people I get to work with, I always remember that I am just a farm girl.” —Yvonne Fry | AUGUST 2021 | 75 CONNECT