Brand Revitalization Agency Chosen by Fafard of Syngenta,
Kayser-Roth and Ekornes
Agency Principals Hall and Mitchell Take On New Roles

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (August 7, 2008) – Longtime Winston-Salem, N.C.-based creative agency, Woodbine, has been revitalized around a new mission and client specialty that is focused (ironically) on brand revitalization, resulting in several important new client wins in 2008.

So far this year the agency has been hired by Fafard, a Syngenta Group Company, to revitalize the 87-year-old brand of growing media, by Kayser-Roth, Inc. to re-launch the Burlington Socks brand at Sam's Club, and by Norwegian manufacturer Ekornes, Inc. to fuel momentum behind the Stressless brand of home furnishings.

"Our best thinking and best creative work over the years that has led to tangible results has been for brands in need of revitalization," said Woodbine President and CEO,
Peter Mitchell. "Woodbine has this uncanny ability to re-energize established brands that have, for whatever reason, hit a wall. We make them feel new again, refreshed, rejuvenated, bigger than the products they make or the services they provide. As a result, these brands become reconnected to their current customers and in many cases become relevant to a whole new customer base."

Through research and the agency's client marketing experiences over 23 years, Woodbine has identified eight core principals that drive a successful brand revitalization, regardless of the target audience, category or business situation. Woodbine Founder Maureen Hall pointed to the agency's nationally recognized campaign for 105-year-old Piedmont Federal Savings Bank and its work for Blue Rhino, Center for Creative Leadership, Levolor Home Fashions, Peds, and the re-branding of the Cape Fear Coast as other examples of the agency's brand revitalization prowess.

"We believe we have the expertise and creativity to revitalize brands better than any agency we know of," said Hall. "In this era of specialization, we are going to focus on what we do best."

"We hired Woodbine specifically to revitalize the Fafard brand," said Ann Bryan, Marketing Services Manager for Conrad Fafard, Inc. a Syngenta Group Company. “Their strategic process and creativity are helping us grow our business in both the professional and retail markets."

Woodbine's own internal re-branding efforts have included a new visual identity that is carried through all agency communications and marketing materials. In addition, agency principals Hall and Mitchell have taken on new roles. Founder Hall has come back revitalized after a three-month sabbatical to become Chief Relationships Officer, while Mitchell, President/COO since 2005, becomes President/CEO.

THIS* is award-winning work.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (May 16, 2008) – Woodbine prides itself on thinking big for its clients. And now the agency is being recognized for a big idea for itself. Today Woodbine announced it has won a Silver ADDY® from the American Advertising Federation (AAF) for its self-promotional “THIS* Book.”

Woodbine’s THIS* Book – a printed booklet for new business prospects that provides a window into the agency’s heart and soul – moved on to the national ADDY competition after winning Gold locally in March in the “advertising industry self-promotion – creative services and industry suppliers – collateral” category. Woodbine is the only Triad agency and one of only three North Carolina companies to get the national recognition.

The ADDYs is the advertising industry's largest competition, recognizing creative excellence in numerous categories and the very best advertising worldwide. It’s the only competition that includes three rigorous levels of judging – local, regional and national.

“This award means a lot to us for many reasons,” said Peter Mitchell, Woodbine’s President and COO, who was honored with the distinguished 2008 AAF Triad Silver Medal Award at this year’s local ADDY Awards Show. “Our THIS Book is the culmination of months of self exploration which lead to an articulation of what we’re all about and how we work. It’s not just about Woodbine. It is Woodbine.”

The 2007 National ADDY Award winners will be honored at a June ceremony in Atlanta. Former Saturday Night Live star Joe Piscopo will present the awards.

Woodbine was all smiles after bringing Fafard home.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (April 21, 2008) – Woodbine today announced it was selected by soil producer, Conrad Fafard, Inc. to help increase its U.S. retail and professional-market businesses. Fafard, one of the country’s top producers of “growing media” – peat-based grower mixes, retail potting soils and peat moss – was acquired by Syngenta in 2006 to help the company expand in the fast-growing lawn and garden market.

In its new role, and its first time working with a Syngenta brand, Woodbine will help develop and execute Fafard’s overall marketing strategy and work to increase its business in both the professional and retail markets. The account will be serviced out of Woodbine’s Winston-Salem and Charlotte offices and will include a new Fafard brand articulation; on- and off-line advertising; media planning and buying; sales, POS and merchandising materials; tradeshows, and event marketing.

“Fafard is held in the highest regard by growers in the production ornamental market and we are extremely excited to have the additional opportunity to help grow the retail side of the business,” said Peter Mitchell, Woodbine President and COO. “This is a great opportunity for Woodbine to demonstrate its brand revitalization expertise and to help Fafard as an organization stand for something bigger than just the products and services it offers.”

“Woodbine is going to bring a fresh perspective to Fafard,” said Ann Bryan, Marketing Services Manager for Conrad Fafard, Inc. “They are passionate about their work and have already shown a great understanding of where we’re trying to take the Fafard brand in both the professional and retail markets. We are looking forward to a long and successful partnership with them.”

For the fifth consecutive year, Woodbine was omnipresent at The Ad Club of the Triad’s ADDY^® Awards show. The American Advertising Federation’s annual event was held at the Old Salem Visitor’s Center in Winston-Salem March 1.

After seeing his agency win 12 awards for creative excellence, Peter Mitchell Woodbine’s president and COO since 2001, was honored with the distinguished 2008 AAF Triad Silver Medal Award.

According to event program, “the American Advertising Federation’s Silver Medal Award Program was established in 1959 to recognize men and women who have made outstanding contributions to advertising and who have been active in furthering the industry standards, creative excellence and responsibility in areas of social concern.” Mitchell meets all these criteria and more, according to Woodbine founder and CEO, Maureen Hall.

“Peter is a brand revitalization expert who has transformed Woodbine into a world-class agency known as much for its strategic thinking as for its creative excellence,” Hall said. “In the past year he guided us through our own rebranding effort while continuing to help our clients work through their own strategic challenges. He is a great businessman, and an even better person. We simply could not imagine life at Woodbine – or life in Winston-Salem – without him.”

Peter Mitchell hails from Lexington, NC, and graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill before getting his MBA from Dartmouth and beginning a career on Madison Avenue. He spent the next 18 years in New York, working primarily at Saatchi & Saatchi with companies like General Mills, Reynolds Metals, Procter & Gamble and Pepperidge Farms. He returned to NC in 2001 and joined Woodbine after a short stint at Long Haymes Carr. As creator of Woodbine’s Brand Fingerprint™ process, Mitchell believes that behind every great idea there needs to be an equally great plan for going to market. And his client successes are proof that his beliefs are sound.

The Addy Awards are the advertising industry's largest competition, recognizing creative excellence in numerous categories and the very best advertising worldwide. It’s the only one that includes three rigorous levels of judging; the first step for Triad agencies hoping for a chance at the big time is to win at the local level.

Honors for Woodbine included the following awards:

Judges Choice in the “advertising industry self-promotion – creative services and industry suppliers – stationary package” category for its new brand identity work for “Asterisk”

Gold in the “television – regional/national single spots – consumer products” category for its Levolor TV spot, “Saturday Morning”

Gold in the “television – regional/national single campaign – consumer products” category for its Levolor TV spots, “Saturday Morning,” “Bath Salts” and “French Roast”

Gold in the “advertising industry self-promotion – creative services and industry suppliers – collateral” category for its new brand identity work for “Asterisk”

Gold in the “advertising industry self-promotion – creative services and industry suppliers – stationary package” category for its “THIS* Book”

Gold in the “advertising industry self-promotion – creative services and industry suppliers – non-traditional” category for its “Toaster” mailer

Gold in the “elements of advertising – illustration campaign” category for its “THIS* book illustrations”

Silver in the “direct marketing – campaign – flat” category for its “Come Back” direct mail for Center for Creative Leadership

Silver in the “newspaper – full page – color” category for its “Masks” ad for Piedmont Federal Savings & Loan Association (now Piedmont Federal Savings Bank)

Silver in the “television – regional/national tv, single spots – consumer/retail products” category for its Levolor TV spot, “French Roast”

Silver in the “mixed media campaign – b-to-b regional/national” category for its “Ink Blot” internal communications creative for Center for Creative Leadership

Silver in the “elements of advertising – logo” category for its new “Woodbine Logo”

When Woodbine saw Community School of the Arts, it was love at first sight.

Drum roll, please. Woodbine is pleased to announce the winner of our Dating For A Cause contest is Community School of the Arts. Established in 1969, Community School of the Arts offers quality music and arts instruction to students of all ages, races and economic situations. Located at 345 N. College Street in Charlotte, the school is under the inspired leadership of President, Andi Stevenson. Woodbine has already started work on revitalizing Community School of the Arts' identity.

Out of the 50 non-profit organizations that registered online and completed the compatibility questionnaire, 25 finalists were invited to speed date with agency leaders on Nov. 14 at Loft 1523, a hip uptown bar. Woodbine employees voted on the winner and on Nov. 30, the agency surprised Stevenson with a magical proposal. (Actually, it was a grape Ring Pop.)

Woodbine CEO, and avid arts supporter, Maureen Hall, was not at all surprised by her employees' final selection of the Community School of the Arts. "For 23 years, Woodbine has believed in offering our talents to help others, especially artists; it's ingrained in our values. So we're excited to spread that passion for the arts and music to our second home in The Queen City," said Hall. Woodbine opened the Charlotte office in July 2006.

Hall wrote about how to pick the perfect pro bono partner on her blog for Advertising Age's 'Small Agency Diary' which sparked Advertising Age's own, Ken Wheaton, to write about Dating For A Cause in his column, ADAGES, on Jan. 7. Check out Maureen's blog here.

Fun fact: In 2006, the agency received an ADDY for the "Tragedy, Torture, Death." campaign produced for the A.J. Fletcher Opera Institute.

Charlotte's Rob Niccolai and Laura Sather chat with Hometown Heroes.

People say that love is free...but award-winning creative sure isn't. But what if for once it was? That's the question Woodbine, the new brand revitalization agency located in Charlotte's South End, asks with its first Dating For A Cause pro bono contest.

Fed up with the traditional request for proposal process, likening it to a bad date, Woodbine decided to network with Charlotte community members differently. Woodbine put 200 hours of advertising and branding services up for grabs for a deserving organization. And because it was searching for the perfect match for its culture and values, not just any ol' non-profit was going to do.

Launched on October 22, and promoted with help from the United Way of Central Carolinas, The Charlotte City Club, Leadership Charlotte and the Charlotte Rotary Club, Woodbine's online compatibility questionnaire asked interested non-profit executives 10 questions about their organization's mission and wildest marketing dreams. By Nov. 8, more than 50 organizations registered on the agency's Cupid-themed site.

Woodbine selected 25 finalists to participate in speed dating on Nov. 14 at Loft 1523, located at 1523 Elizabeth Ave. Managing director of the Charlotte office, Rob Niccolai, welcomed the excited finalists, dubbed "matches" and explained how the process was going to work.

After dating for over two hours, Woodbine had eaten several tins of Altoids and shaken the hands of a lot of great people--making the decision tough. The agency plans to announce the winner after the Thanksgiving holiday.