EMG & Ektron CMS Partner for Two Websites

IRVINE, CA – As part of a continued effort to provide strategic interactive solutions, Earthbound Media Group (EMG) is pleased to announce the August 2007 launch of two content managed sites featuring Ektron’s CMS application.

The University of Southern California’s Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy (http://pt.usc.edu) program and Michigan Theological Seminary (http://www.mts.edu) both chose to implement robust content management systems for their websites that will aid and support their online marketing and communication presence. Through EMG’s partnership with Ektron – one of today’s most renowned web content management application providers – EMG was able to deliver a fully customized and extremely user-friendly web destination that conforms easily to the needs, workflows, and operations of each respective client.

“Both schools chose to use Ektron’s CMS400.Net as their content management system because of its low cost, ease of use and scalability,” said EMG Principal and Executive Producer Blaine Behringer. “For MTS, a small school without a webmaster, they needed to be able to have various staff members log in to make immediate changes to the website without needed IT or programming experience.”

"USC has a webmaster but still wanted to decentralize changes to their website,” Behringer continued. “By using Ektron’s workflow and approval chain system, various users can make changes to the website, and the changes are routed to the appropriate personal for approval prior to going live.”

In addition to better usability, Ektron CMS400.Net’s forms publishing tool allows both schools to collect web inquiries for their academic programs, events and alumni news. By utilizing this Ektron feature, all the data from the inquiry forms is collected and stored in unique databases allowing CMS editors and administrators to export reports, receive email notifications and unify their information collection.

“Our partnership with Ektron has enabled us to quickly and efficiently respond to the specific needs of each institution,” explained EMG’s Enterprise Solutions Architect Jeremy Anderson. “By virtue of our strong relationship with Ektron, we had necessary access to engineering support that allowed us to dynamically extend the platform to our exact specifications.”

It’s this flexible partnership with Ektron that has given EMG the unique ability to deliver fast, effective and far-reaching solutions for clients in higher education and beyond.
“Both the MTS and USC projects and their use of Ektron’s content management system have been a success,” Behringer continued. “Not only do they have a new website, they can change it often, manage it well and view a history of their website as it changes. Each institution has improved online visibility and improved control of its student recruitment efforts.”

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About Earthbound Media Group
Earthbound Media Group (EMG) is a full-service creative communications agency. Driven by groundbreaking ideas, inspired design and forward thinking solutions, we work toward a common goal - to evolve and optimize the digital and visual landscape of our clients’ business operating, marketing and information technology endeavors. Filling the void in the traditional interactive, marketing and advertising industries, EMG offers a service-, solution- and industry-agnostic approach that rises above the labels of “marketing,” “interactive,” or “advertising.” EMG bridges the gap between marketing, IT and business strategy, making it a collaborative effort to improve return on investment and the bottom line.

About USC PT
The USC Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy was founded in 1943. Ranking as the #1 physical therapy program in the nation (US News and World Report), the USC Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy continues to be a prestigious center of excellence for the clinical practice, education and research of physical therapy.

About MTS
Michigan Theological Seminary (MTS), located in Plymouth, Michigan, is an institution of higher learning, training students to be theologically prepared and spiritually mature leaders who will serve the church community in Michigan and worldwide.