"The good advertising agencies are in the big cities."

Lewis Advertising is in Rocky Mount, North Carolina—population 57,000.

Most people find that to be curious or amusing, because most of the good agencies are in the big cities. But then so are most of the bad agencies.

The fact is, in the advertising business, where you are isn't nearly as important as what you can do. Lewis Advertising has been doing exceptional work since 1969, right here in Rocky Mount.

Our clients include about 20 important regional, national and international advertisers. Their billings total over $30 million, making Lewis one of the largest ad agencies in North Carolina.

On one hand, you could say that the agency has succeeded in spite of its location. But on the other hand, being in Rocky Mount has actually been an advantage.

When you don't have to worry about missing the 5:07 train, and when you can work until 6:30 and still make it home for dinner at 6:40, you're simply more likely to stay at the agency a few more minutes and give a project a little more attention. That's a luxury; but it's also necessity in the extra effort we make every day at Lewis.

"Advertising agencies should stick to advertising."

An ad agency that treats ads and commercials as the be-all and end-all of its existence is a creative boutique—not a full-service provider. Nor frankly is it an agency that embraces creative thinking across the board.

Advertising materials are, of course, the most evident products of a good, creative agency. But at Lewis we believe clients should get more. And that Creative shouldn't be just the name of a department; it should be the attitude of the entire agency.

For example, owning a warehouse is hardly a traditional agency function, but it has proved an important one for the clients of Lewis Advertising. Our clients needed to be able to store and distribute point-of-purchase displays, outdoor posters, premium items, printed collateral and other marketing materials. So we built a warehouse/distribution center for them. How's that for a creative idea from a full-service ad agency?

"We are us and they are them."

Or in other words, you do your thing; we'll do ours. This attitude can quickly polarize a client/agency relationship as opposed to creating a partnership. We believe in maintaining an open and continuous dialog with our clients. This accomplishes two very important goals: 

1. We aim to work collaboratively with our clients to create effective marketing projects. We are not merely "yes" people but work with you to determine what works best for your business.
2. There is never an issue as to how much a project will cost as rates are discussed and agreed upon up front.

Our clients hire us for our expertise, and that means that we recommend what we believe will yield the best results for your business. However, we will always listen to what you have to say and welcome your input into the process. After all, no one knows your business better than you. It's through this collaboration that success is born.

Does the Lewis approach to client relationships work? We think so. A large percentage of our clients have been happy enough with our service—and, more importantly, with our results—to stay with us for more than ten years.

"Use a telescope, not a microscope."

Viewing markets and marketing problems from a distance, through the telescope of research reports or someone else's observation, is "far" easier than getting out of the office, rolling up your sleeves, buckling down and scrutinizing matters through the microscope of firsthand experience.

That latter, more difficult alternative is the name of the game in field marketing. Unfortunately, many agencies treat fieldwork as an occasional goodwill gesture, like visiting the troops, rather than everyday practice, like enlisting in the infantry.

We do strongly advocate research studies, standard reports and all the other tools that give an overview of the market and our place in it. But they are just the starting point. At Lewis, we also get out in the field, where all the statistics turn into real, live people.

The more familiar we become with the people on the receiving end of the advertising, the more effective our work can be. Or, in other words, the closer you stand to your target, the more likely you are to hit it.

"Advertising is mass selling."

To be efficient, advertising uses the mass media. And advertisers buy the mass media based on the demographics of the audiences. Because those audiences are so large, it's necessarily a pretty general process. The difference between a good media buy and a bad media buy is that the good buy is less general. That's just the nature of the mass approach.

But buying media is one thing, communicating through the media is another. "Demographics" don't buy your product; people do.

A good media buy puts your ad in the right neighborhood. Then it's up to the creative to find where the real prospects live. When you get your message into the right environment, it's time to stop reaching and start persuading, by touching a motivation deeper than the surface demographics.

Advertising, then, should be personal selling through the mass media.

"Grab the Credit. Pass the Blame."

Our policies, procedures and whole attitude about the service business we are in tie the agency's fortunes to the fortunes of our clients. As the client goes, so goes Lewis Advertising.

Like you, and with you, we are answerable to the marketplace. The knowledge that successes will be shared tempers the natural tendency to accept all the credit. The equally sure promise of no place to hide if things don't go so well – suffice it to say that we are well motivated to make sure things do go well.

The Lewis approach to advertising works, as evidenced by the successful advertisers who are our clients. They are the strongest recommendation any ad agency can have.

In short, then, if you don't mind breaking a few rules, Lewis Advertising can help you break some new ground.