FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 9, 2003 — MDA

Squeaky Wheel Media Launches New Site
For Friendship Dairies

NEW YORK, N.Y. — The Manhattan-based creative solutions firm, Squeaky Wheel Media, recently launched the new online position for Friendship Dairies, the No. 1 brand of cottage cheese in the state and manufacturer of other “all-natural” cultured dairy products.

The site, www.friendshipdairies.com, is the first interactive project between the two companies. Marc Silverstein, Friendship Dairies’ director of marketing, said they wanted to upgrade the look, feel and function of their previous site in order to better represent their consumer base.

“We chose Squeaky to do the new site based on their experience,” Silverstein said. “We liked their work, saw that it was solid and very creative — that’s what we were looking for. We aimed for an experienced team for this project and we’re very comfortable with the creative talents of Squeaky Wheel.”

Anthony Del Monte, Squeaky president and founder, said it was their goal to design a web site that represented the reputable character of Friendship Dairies and promote market growth.

“Being awarded the confidence of one of the Tri-state’s oldest and most trusted brands was yet another exciting win for Squeaky Wheel,” Del Monte said. “It was important for Squeaky to position the new Friendship site with both recognition of Friendship’s core consumer base and a reach toward introducing the brand to a national audience as they continue to expand their market.”

The new interactive face of Friendship Dairies offers their consumers everything from lists of products, ingredients, recipes, a history of the company and answers to frequently asked questions, to promotional offers and a grass-roots effort that introduces the quality of all-natural dairy products to an ever-growing community.

“We wanted the design of the site aligned with both the consumer and advertisers,” Silverstein said. “Using color and images that are aesthetically pleasing allowed for a softer feel commiserate with the trusted brand identity of ‘Friendship’— one that embraces a healthy lifestyle, family and community throughout.”

Mailet Lopez, Squeaky director of client services, was responsible for the usability of the new site. Through market research and matching the needs of Friendship Dairies and its consumers, she mapped a course for the site that is more accessible to its end-users.

“The Friendship site was designed with a target audience of women ages 30 and up,” Lopez said. “Utilizing a strategy of redundant linkage, scaleable text and user-friendly navigation, we were able to create the best position for this audience. The openness of the site allows for a stress-free environment where the focus is placed on content and helpful information.”

Women may be the company’s top consumer of cottage cheese, but Silverstein said their Latino population is continually growing as well. The site’s “Bienvenidos” (Welcome) page acknowledges this expanding and loyal consumer base. Silverstein said he expects Friendship Dairies to communicate more with their Latino consumers in the future as information on the market grows.

“Clients like Friendship choose Squeaky because we are an award-winning creative and technology-based agency,” Del Monte said. “But as a Latino-owned and operated agency, we are also able to leverage the cultural diversity of its staff to assist clients with multicultural communication efforts. It was exciting to participate in the research of Friendship’s Latino community. With South Florida being the second biggest market for them, we anticipate much success with the release of the new site.”

About Friendship Dairies – www.friendshipdairies.com

Friendship Dairies was born 90 years ago in the small town of Friendship in upstate New York. As one of the nation’s leading brands of “all-natural” cultured dairy products, including cottage cheese, sour cream, farmer and hoop cheese, buttermilk and yogurt for both consumer and institutional food service sales, quality and customer service continues to be their cornerstone.

Friendship products are currently available in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Florida, and Atlanta, Georgia.

About Squeaky Wheel Media - www.squeakywheelmedia.com

The digital communication agency is based in New York City and specializes in Web-based creative and development services. An executive team that shares more than 20 years of combined industry experience, their services include: Web design and programming, E-commerce, branding, information architecture, online marketing, database, multimedia, graphic design, consulting, copywriting, usability and QA testing.

Current clientele includes: Chelsea Premium Outlets, Equine Performance Supplements, Friendship dairies, Loral Space & Communications, SoBe healthy refreshments, Tishman Construction, and Financial Times.

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