MI Integrated Media

By Christina Vanderlip

 MI Integrated Media (MI) specializes in direct response advertising, meaning ads with a ‘call to action’. While they are known for creative small space sections in the back of national magazines, they also run full-page advertising campaigns for clients. MI partners advertisers with publications that best fit their target demographic, and educates their clients about various media opportunities.

The company was started 35 years ago by Marie Isabelle Lowe, and is now run by Lowe’s daughter, Alycia Isabelle. When Lowe launched the business, she was a single mother with two young daughters. They pitched in to help when needed—stuffing envelopes, filling media kits and answering phones on weekends and school vacations.

After finishing school, Alycia Isabelle got married, moved out of state and took time off from work to have children. She returned to the company in 2002. Before taking the lead position, she worked her way through every part of the business including sales, sales management, coordinating ad space, creating layouts and billing in order to learn the full business operation.

In 2009, Isabelle was promoted to vice president and finally took the reins as head of the company in 2012. As part of her training, Isabelle accompanied her mother to all sales and publishing meetings, first as an observer and, after time, as an active participant. Isabelle credits her success to mother’s guidance and her study of effective communications, leadership training, human relations and building new business.

Now, a third generation has begun to apprentice at the company. Isabelle’s two daughters, ages 13 and 15, have started to learn the ropes, doing things like looking for leads, filing and answering phones. Isabelle is devoted to growing the company for the next generation.

Located in the former gristmill on Shepard Road, MI Integrated Media currently employs 10 people, six of whom are Norfolk residents (and thus are one of the largest employers in town). The company strives to be a strong local employer with competitive pay and benefits. Jobs run the gambit from sales to creative services to business manager to administrative positions.

The environment in the office is relaxed and friendly with the resident dog, a rescue named Bella, there to greet employees and visitors. One employee mentioned that she has been with the company for 20 years, starting right out of college, and feels the workplace is so nurturing and supportive that she is part of a family.

With the Internet ubiquitous one might guess that print is on a downward spiral. And, while it did take a downward turn for a while, it soon bounced back as advertisers realized that consumers are not clicking on ads that bring them to websites as much as they had expected. It has been proven that print ads drive business to websites.

The company has a client base of 13 national magazines which include Smithsonian, The Atlantic, Real Simple, Time and People, to name a few. They also are involved with digital ad campaigns with organizations such as Smithsonianmag.org.

While 85 percent of their revenue is from repeat business, the business plan calls for growing the company by bringing in new magazine titles, as well as assisting companies bridge the gap to web-based programs.

Many clients are more comfortable with print and feel their message gets lost on the Internet. While going digital is a big jump for some, MI Integrated Media educates their clients and helps smaller companies adapt to the new environment, simultaneously guaranteeing a thriving enterprise for yet another generation of Isabelle women.

Photo by Bruce Frisch.