Lara Balai
Executive VP, Group Creative Director
Hired: January 2006
Education:
University of Kansas; B.F.A. Fine Arts
History:
Prior to joining the Risdall team, Lara was the Vice President, Group Creative Director at Martin/Williams where she successfully introduced, integrated and grew the agency's interactive creative capabilities by three-fold.
Notable Achievements at Risdall:
Hospira needed to unify its IV infusion pumps, patient safety software, and implementation services under a single umbrella brand so reps and customers could be made fully aware of the breadth of their infusion management solutions. Lara's team repositioned a broad portfolio of innovative medical devices by creating a collateral system that made use of iconographic elements and visual explanations that simplified a very complex system of software as it related to their broad spectrum of infusion pumps. Today, the infusion management positioning and messaging is being used as an organizing principle and a positioning tool.
And Elsewhere:
Lara presented four interactive campaigns produced in just two weeks to the former Marketing Director of MasterCard (Think "Priceless") in New York for E*Trade.
Lara produced a highly successful integrated campaign for Cargill by taking the theme collaborate > create > succeed and producing case studies as television and print advertisements which were then incorporated in a website and online banner campaign. The banners that were placed on Forbes, WSL.com and MSNBC garnered award-winning, record-breaking metrics for these placements.
Additional Client Experience:
Hospira, OptumHealth, Baxter, Corespine, VTI, Devicix, Zia, Vision-Ease, LifeRx Medivators, AGA Medical, Hospitals Without Borders, HickoryTech, Archway, Schoonover, Enventis, Connexions
Awards and Accolades:
In 2000, Lara won Minneapolis its first One Show Gold for Interactive with a self-promotional CD-Rom for Periscope. This piece won more interactive business for Periscope in that one year than in the previous five years combined.
On a Personal Note:
Lara is able to serve three boys under the age of 10 a complete and nutritious breakfast - in less than 5 minutes! She also enjoys running, and biking.