Barnes Receives Movers & Shakers Award
Creative Director, Billy Barnes, has been named one of the 2010 Movers & Shakers by Business Leader magazine. The award recognizes business executives in the Triangle community who are leaders within their company.
During his ten-year career at Howard, Merrell & Partners, Barnes has been instrumental in helping the agency receive a myriad of national and international recognition for its creative work. Under Barnes’ direction, the agency’s Creative team won Telly Awards, Addys, Graphis and The London International Advertising Awards. So, it is only fitting that Barnes now be recognized for his leadership.
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65th Anniversary Employee Celebration
We celebrated our agency’s 65th anniversary with a champagne luncheon. Here are some photos taken at the event.
Agency Receives Two Communicator Awards
Kudos to the PR team who brought home two Communicator Awards of Excellence for its successful client initiatives and campaigns! The team won in the “Print/Design” category for its efforts with Butterball, LLC‘s Worker Safety Publicity Campaign and in the “Integrated Campaign” category for the CORDURA® Baselayer Brand Integrated Communications Business to Consumer campaign.
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Howard, Merrell & Partners Named Agency of Record For Component Hardware Group, Inc.
Howard, Merrell & Partners has been named agency of record for Component Hardware Group®, Inc. (CHG). For 28 years CHG has been the leading designer, manufacturer and distributor of premium plumbing and hardware products for the foodservice, institutional, healthcare and commercial markets. As the agency of record, Howard, Merrell & Partners provides strategic, integrated brand support and tactical execution in the areas of advertising, media buying and planning, market research, interactive, public relations and social media marketing.
CHG’s portfolio is made up of some of the most recognized plumbing and component hardware brands including SANIGUARD®, Flame Gard® Filters & UL-Fire Rated Access Doors, and Encore® Premium Plumbing. The initial focus for Howard, Merrell & Partners is to develop and launch new brand campaigns for the CHG legacy brands. The campaign will include print and interactive advertising, media planning, tradeshow support, an extensive Web site redesign and an aggressive public relations program.
CHG is also known for its versatile production and logistics management capabilities, with access to worldwide resources for various specialized manufacturing processes and short lead times. Additionally, CHG’s product portfolio spans nine product categories, with an inventory of more than 8,000 SKUs.
About Component Hardware Group®, Inc (CHG)
CHG is a leading designer, manufacturer and distributor of premium plumbing and hardware products. The company creates innovative solutions that serve the foodservice, institutional, healthcare and commercial markets in the following brand divisions: Flame Gard® Filters & UL-Fire Rated Access Doors, SANIGUARD®, Keil® Refrigeration Hardware, SaniShower, Encore® Premium Plumbing, Grease Defender, Regal Ride, TOP-LINE, Drain Master and QuikWash. CHG has provided excellence in the plumbing and hardware industry for more than a quarter of a century and, today, remains steadfastly committed to quality, service and innovation. For more information, please visit www.chgusa.com or www.flamegardusa.com.
Halloween at HM&P
We had a great time at our Halloween party on Friday night, 10/30/09. Check out some of our costumes!
Jim, Sarah, Corallie, Laura & Jessica
Melanie & Olivia
Mike "Puppy Dog"
Howard, Merrell & Partners Promotes Curtis to Senior Account Executive
Curtis is the agency’s public relations lead on two major accounts: outdoor efforts for CORDURA® brand fabric and Georgia-Pacific Professional Food Services Solutions, best known for the DIXIE® line of products. Since joining Howard, Merrell & Partners in early 2007, Curtis has also serviced key accounts including: Colonial Bank, O2 Fitness, MVP Baseball, Vaco and CleanWater Scientific.
Curtis has served on the board of directors for the American Advertising Federation – Raleigh-Durham Chapter (AAF-RDU) and the Interfaith Food Shuttle. She also volunteered on the public relations committee for Tammy Lynn Center for Developmental Disabilities toast benefit, and the planning committee for Hospice of Wake County’s Big Bad Ball. Just last year Triangle Catalyst magazine named her one of the Top 10 Young Professionals Under 35 in the Triangle.
Riggin Joins Public Relations Department
Carrie Riggin joins Howard, Merrell & Partners as an account coordinator with the Public Relations Department. Initially, she will primarily service to major accounts, Butterball, LLC and Georgia-Pacific Professional Food Services Solutions, best known for the DIXIE® line of products.
Riggin’s communications experience fits well with Howard, Merrell & Partner’s growing public relations offerings. She will provide her clients with core PR support in the areas of media relations, writing, tradeshows, product launches and crisis communications. Previously with O’Keeffe & Company, in Old Town Alexandria, Va., she handled media relations and writing, facilitated media interviews, and organized events.
Riggin graduated from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Va., with a bachelor’s degree in communication studies and a minor in writing and rhetoric. She currently operates her own blogs, TheCollegeSkinny and TheSkinnyBuzz.
Howard, Merrell & Partners Named Agency of Record for Naughty Bits Software
Howard, Merrell & Partners, a full-service strategic branding firm has been named the public relations agent of record for Naughty Bits Software LLC. As agent of record, Howard, Merrell & Partners will conduct strategic public relations and social media marketing efforts focusing on building brand awareness and visibility across Naughty Bits’ target audiences.
Established in 2009 by Ethan Nicholas, Naughty Bits is a software development company, specializing in iPhone and mobile device gaming. Nicholas created the iShoot application, which has been a consistent top seller for the Apple App Store. iShoot is an artillery combat game in which tanks blast each other with a wide range of high-powered weapons, from basic shells and cluster bombs to the world-destroying Shiva Bomb.
“Naughty Bits Software is quickly growing due to the success of CEO Ethan Nicholas’ iShoot iPhone application,” said Stephanie Styons, senior vice president, public relations at Howard, Merrell & Partners. “We look forward to working with Ethan to keep consumers informed about Naughty Bits’ clever new products and gaming services.”
Over the next year, Howard, Merrell & Partners will continue to educate the gaming community about updates to iShoot and additional applications released from Naughty Bits Software.
About Naughty Bits Software
Naughty Bits Software LLC is a software development company, specializing in iPhone and mobile device gaming. Naughty Bits Software was established in 2009 by Ethan Nicholas after the launch of the iShoot application for the Apple App Store. iShoot quickly became a best selling iPhone application, staying as the number one selling application in the App Store for 26 days in January 2009. Naughty Bits’ products have been downloaded a combined total of over 3,000,000 times. For more information visit www.naughtybits.com.
HM&P Hispanic Marketing Group
HM&P has expanded its services with the formation of a Hispanic Marketing Group. The Group will focus on the development and execution of advertising, direct mail, public relations and social media marketing specifically targeted at the Hispanic market. More »
Jim Stevens-Arce to Lead Newly Formed Hispanic Marketing Group
Jim Stevens-Arce has joined Howard, Merrell & Partners as vice president/director of Hispanic Marketing. In his role, Stevens-Arce will lead the efforts of the newly formed Hispanic Marketing Group at the strategic branding and marketing firm. The bilingual Group will focus on the development and execution of advertising, direct mail, public relations and social media marketing specifically targeted at the Hispanic market. More »
