Cranford Co., the brother-led marketing agency in Little Rock, saw some pro bono work bring a big payday of acclaim recently.
The firm created a series of posters for the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra’s “Star Wars”-themed concerts a year ago, and the illustrations grabbed some stellar recognition.
Communication Arts magazine selected all four posters to feature in its November/December issue. They will appear among the winners of Communication Arts’ 65th annual global advertising competition. Cranford Co. is the first Arkansas-based agency to gain the honor, though it has been a runner-up four times.
It was a good way for the firm to celebrate its 10th anniversary, partner and Chief Creative Officer Jay Cranford told Arkansas Business. He described the Communication Arts contest as “one of the most prestigious advertising competitions” worldwide.
“We do a lot of pro bono work for art institutions, from the symphony to the Rep to Ballet Arkansas, which is our next-door neighbor,” Cranford said. “We’ve even worked with [the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts] on the grand opening of their beautiful new complex.”
He and his brothers, Ross and Chris, saw an opportunity to merge their love for music and the arts with the iconic “Star Wars” franchise. “We internally came up with the fun idea of illustrations we designed ourselves of famous ‘Star Wars’ characters merged with musical notes.”
Jay Cranford and illustrator Byron Buslig led the effort, and the posters helped the ASO shows sell out.
“We create national quality work for Arkansas companies and organizations because we believe that award-winning advertising stands out and gets noticed,” Cranford said.
Creative messaging gives clients an edge in a world that bombards consumers with thousands of images every day.
Decade of Change
The 10th anniversary gave the Cranfords a chance to reflect on a decade of rapid change in advertising. The agency now has eight full-time employees and hires interns each year, giving them hands-on creative experience and even a real wage.
“They tell us what apps are in, and what the latest language and terminology is,” Cranford said. “It helps keep us connected to younger target audiences.”
Over the past few years, the firm developed the Land of Steel brand for Mississippi County, now the largest steel-producing county in the country. It also branded the county’s Work Here, Live Here program, which spurred the sale of 100 homes by offering a $50,000 loan incentive for new homeowners.
Cranford is also proud of the firm’s work with the Arkansas Department of Health’s Stamp Out Smoking campaign, which has helped more than 10,000 Arkansans break the habit. Jay said his brother Chris was instrumental in creating explainer films and animated product introductions for clients like Simmons Bank and Arkansas Children’s Hospital.
Ross Cranford focuses on strategy and is the agency’s top copywriter.
“It’s amazing how fast 10 years have gone by,” Jay Cranford said. “We’re in this beautiful space at 512 Main St., and we understand the importance of revitalizing downtown. We had the opportunity to move into this beautiful building that was designed by Marlon Blackwell, the famous architect from northwest Arkansas. Every morning, we get to come to work in a piece of art. It’s inspiring and it really helps with creative thinking.”
The media landscape has exploded in Cranford Co.’s existence, and the firm’s commitment to keeping pace with changes and innovation has been vital, Jay Cranford said.
‘Can’t Get Stale’
“The Mississippi County work is multichannel, with a ton of videos, and we push those out through digital media, through paid social media with the Peacock Group, and they’re our PR partners. We’ve had a ton of really positive earned media, and we had a fun tour with [Arkansas Democrat-Gazette columnist] Rex Nelson. We went up and visited the steel mills and the great restaurants and communities up there.”
There was a time when reaching people through TV, radio, newspapers and billboards made up the whole advertising job. “It used to be really easy,” Cranford said. “Now you’ve got to be able to communicate across digital channels, through social media, through programmatic buying and so on. It seems that every month there’s a new media channel that we need to learn about. It’s constantly evolving, which I kind of love. It keeps you fresh. You definitely can’t get stale.”
Looking to the next 10 years, Cranford said the firm is exploring integrating artificial intelligence into its work.
“That’s been a real eye-opener. We have to really understand the technology. I think it’s just going to get better and better. So we have to be able to get our hands around it and use it to the best of our benefit.”
Sign up for Daily E-news
