harris hat trick
Harris scores three big wins in three months
April 13th, 2007
(Honolulu, HI) In the first quarter of 2007, Harris has secured the kind of growth most agencies hope to achieve in a full year, adding Hilo Hattie, Bella Pietra and go! to their already impressive client roster.
Recently ranked by Pacific Business News as Hawai‘i’s fourth largest ad agency with capitalized billings of $20 million for 2006, the additional business increases their billings by 15 percent or $3 million.
“The opportunity to work with great brands and teams like these don’t come along everyday, so we were tickled pink to be chosen to represent them from amongst Hawai‘i’s finest agencies” said Founder and CEO, Doug Harris.
Hilo Hattie, the world's leading retailer of Hawai‘i products engaged Harris to execute all levels of marketing and advertising for the day-to-day operations, as well as the grand opening of the highly-anticipated 30,000-square-foot store in the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center, in early 2008.
According to Hilo Hattie CEO, John Reed, “Harris has a great reputation and brings an experienced and talented team to the table. We also liked the accessibility and hands-on approach of their top executives, which is hard to find in larger agencies.”
Bella Pietra, which started from humble beginnings as a small family business only five years ago, is now Hawai‘i’s natural stone and design category leader with over $7 million in annual sales. They recently opened a state-of-the-art showroom at Gentry Design Center to capitalize on the construction boom, and have tasked Harris to manage their brand identity, e-commerce upgrades and media relations.
“In order for Bella Pietra to evolve to the next level in customer service and portfolio development, we needed the strategic counsel and integrated execution that Harris can deliver”, says CEO Layla Derrick.
In addition, go! the new low-cost interisland carrier, has tapped the Harris' expertise in advertising, cross promotion, public relations and field marketing as it sets out to win the hearts and loyalty of Hawai‘i residents and visitors alike.
“After go!’s very successful launch last year, we were looking for an out-of-the-box marketing partner that could help us to sustain that momentum and take go! to the next level, in a market long dominated by two legacy carriers,” said Mesa Air Group Chairman & CEO, Jonathan Ornstein. “The entrepreneurial team at Harris seemed like the perfect cultural fit for go! and we are very pleased with the early results of our new partnership,” Mr Ornstein added.
Doug Harris founded Harris in May of 2004 with the mantra of making clients famous. After spinning out of a five year partnership with Laird Christianson Harris and McNeil Wilson Communications, Harris set up in a small two-office studio/four person shop in vacated AdWorks space while the former ad agency was downsizing. They relocated in 2005 to occupy 4,500 square feet in the Pacific Business News Building in Waikiki.
“My concept for the agency was to give big business an alternative to big agency structure and bureaucracies. At Harris, our clients have immediate access to the top minds in the agency,” said Harris.
Harris currently employs 20 full time professionals and their client list includes: Bella Pietra, Burger King, Diamond Bakery, FEG, go!, Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park, Hilo Hattie, KFC, KTA Superstores, and Pacific LightNet.
Although Harris offers full-service advertising, public relations and e-commerce, marketing consultancy fees account for nearly one third of its annual revenue. Market research, analysis, branding, and field marketing are also key points of difference for Harris Agency.
Harris is a full-service marketing/communications resource offering brand research and analysis, strategic and market planning, design resources, traditional advertising services, public relations and events, direct marketing and promotion capabilities, e-marketing, digital content development, and fresh perspectives on the creation of positive buzz to establish social currency.
