Spring 2010 POV

W e welcome you back to the pages of The Buntin
Group POV. Of the many points-of-view we publish each day on behalf of
clients, this represents one of the few instances where we offer you a POV on
what’s going on here among the 110+ of us at The Buntin Group and Buntin
Out-of-Home Media. And has it ever been a time of focus, opportunity,
depth and results for our clients and their consumers out in the now radically
changed marketplace.

We have often been asked, over the past two years, about our views on
the economy and the impact it has had on consumers…those with whom
brands seek to drive engagement, trust, purchase behavior and ideally,
loyalty. Our view is this: we celebrate the restoration of frugality, pragmatism
and control to the consumer. Having been preyed upon to the point of
personal and global economic meltdown, the consumer is now a human
being again. Possessions as indicators of worth are out. Self worth is in. And
the implications for corporations and brands are resounding.

“POSSESSIONS AS INDICATORS OF WORTH ARE OUT. SELF WORTH IS IN.
AND THE IMPLICATIONS FOR CORPORATIONS AND BRANDS ARE RESOUNDING.”

“What does this brand say about me to me?” vs. “What does this brand say
about me to others?” This is but one of the many new questions that can
be found at the heart of transformational business shifts in which challengers
are threatening leadership positions…note Audi’s record sales vs. BMW,
Mercedes-Benz and Lexus. And, at the middle of the category, Hyundai’s
momentum, as well.

This cultural reframing is also creating opportunities for our clients – and,
together, we are seizing those with good success. What’s helping this is
Brand Fluency. Never before have the fundamentals of this strategic approach
been so relevant. Deeper insights into human beings, the care to craft strategy
around the language and values of real people – and the sensibility to link
those insights with smart client business ideas. There is both a timelessness
and also a revolutionary newness about it converging in what has been
described as a Moment, rarely seen.

We thank you for taking your own moment to flip through these few, hopefully
enjoyable pages. If we can share anything further, please let us know.

Warmly,

Jeffrey Buntin, Jr.

W hat does it take to clean up in the cleanup and in its 2010 Franchise 500 ranking. The company jumped
restoration business? The answer lies in a 60,000 19 places from no. 28 in 2009 to no. 9 in the 2010
square-foot building in Gallatin, Tennessee. That’s where overall rankings. In addition, allbusiness.com – a Dun &
you’ll find the headquarters for the 1,500 franchises Bradstreet subsidiary – ranked SERVPRO as the no. 9
of SERVPRO Industries. franchising opportunity,
“WE THANK OUR TEAM; WE COULDN’T HAVE
A company whose 40 years a 15-position jump over
ACCOMPLISHED THESE RESULTS WITHOUT
of experience in helping to its 2009 ranking. Both
OUR FRANCHISES. THEY HAVE EARNED THIS HONOR.
make it “like it never even lists cited SERVPRO as
WE ALSO WANT TO THANK OUR CUSTOMERS
happened” has helped them a growing franchise
FOR THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT.”
post 2x revenue growth in despite an economy that
– Rick Isaacson, Executive Vice President of SERVPRO
just four years. over the past 18 months
In addition to the record-setting benchmark, the has taken a serious toll on so many businesses.
company also recently ranked among the “best of the best” And, on a similar note, we’d like to thank our good
from two highly coveted franchise rankings. Entrepreneur friends at SERVPRO for allowing us the privilege to play a
Magazine listed SERVPRO as the no.1 restoration services part in their continued success. We’re looking forward to
franchise system for the sixth consecutive year continuing to help them clean up in the years ahead.

HAVING RAISED

NEARLY $300,000

OVER 20-PLUS YEARS,

THE AGENCY

MAINTAINS

OUR OWN

COMMUNITY

OUTREACH PROGRAM,

APPROPRIATELY

CALLED ADHOPE.

S tatus meetings, strategy sessions, creative reviews, bake sales.
Just another day at the office here at The Buntin Group.
No, really. It actually started 20 years ago, as a group
of Buntinites began to organize fund-raisers to help support
St. Luke’s Community House, then a small volunteer-run center
aiding children-in-need in the Nashville area. Jeffrey Buntin, Sr.,
recognizing their selfless efforts, declared that the agency would
match every employee-raised dollar.
Over a quarter-of-a-million dollars raised later, the people of
Buntin are still putting forth time, talent and resources to better the
Nashville community, only it’s done under the AdHope banner.
“From the very beginning, the goal of what is now AdHope
has been to provide an outlet for the agency and its employees to
improve some part of the world around us,” notes John Carney, EVP
and Director of Operations. “Over time, we’ve found that many of our
people appreciate the opportunity to carve out some of the energy we
typically put toward ourselves and our Clients and direct it to those
less fortunate.”
Each year, an AdHope steering committee is formed to
determine how funds will be raised, and what organizations will receive
support. A few guidelines exist. For instance, geographic priorities are
set forth as our neighborhood, our city, our county, our world. Also, an
opportunity to be “hands-on” in charitable efforts takes priority over
check writing.
Nancy Crutcher, director of the Brighter Days Community
Center, cherishes the support the center receives from AdHope. “The
kids in our after-school program come from families who are unable
to provide much beyond the basic necessities. With the support of
Buntin and AdHope, they now can go back to school every year with
new backpacks and school supplies, and have packages to open up
on Christmas morning. It’s really a blessing.”
Today, it is a point of pride to know that giving back to our
community is as tightly woven into our cultural tapestry as generating
business-building ideas for clients. We wouldn’t have it any other way.

Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant.
– Robert Louis Stevenson

What do 6 professional golfers, 4 global business units,
18 million clients, 500 actors and an entire sport have in common?

In a bold move, RBC recently stepped forward as one of golf’s
leading brands, securing a multi-year deal with the PGA of America
as Official Patron of the PGA of America, including designations as
Official Bank of The PGAA; Official Patron of the PGA Championship,

They all play a part in Senior PGA Championship, PGA Grand Slam of Golf; Official Bank
of the PGA Championship, Senior PGA Championship, PGA Grand
RBC Royal Bank of Canada’s recently Slam of Golf; Proud Supporter of the 2010 and 2012 Ryder Cup;
and co-presenting Sponsor of PGA Play Golf America Days.
unveiled PGAA activation strategy. Additionally, the global business has secured multi-year
branded Golf Bag sponsorship of tour professionals Fred Couples,
And our role at the heart of it is nothing short Anthony Kim, Luke Donald, Stephen Ames, Morgan Pressel and
Mike Weir; as well as deep integrated brand initiatives across event
of a 350-yard drive, right down the fairway. marketing, database tie-ins, online/fan socialization, print and
both national network and network cable television media assets
on multiple continents. Anchored in two new television spots,
“World’s Bag” and “Trading Course” set to break at the Sr. PGA
Championship on May 25, 2010, our role is lead strategy, creative
development and media activation agency for the worldwide effort.
You might think of us as the designated caddy for one of golf’s
newest, biggest names.

And the marriage is no accident. Providing strong
linkage into RBC’s burgeoning global business units, where the
Company has experienced significant overall vitality amid times
of strain for larger peers, golf’s fit with the Global Banking, Wealth
Management, Capital Markets and Investment Banking assets is
without question. Add to that the efficiencies made possible by
the pullback of automotive and other financial companies from the
sport in 2009 – and the effort became the natural avenue for RBC
to extend its longstanding RBC Canadian Open sponsorship to
increasing numbers of clients on the global stage.
“The voice of the RBC brand has awoken in the U.S. and 1
world – and has a differentiated ring of relevance, progressiveness,
stability and client-first freshness that people are certainly noticing,”
said our own Jeffrey Buntin, Jr. in a recent interview. “The game of
golf will see few brands over the next few years as committed as
RBC. It is an enormous joy to represent such a strong, global brand
in such a dynamic time.”

“The voice of the RBC brand has awoken
in the U.S. and world – and has a differentiated ring
of relevance, progressiveness, stability and client-
first freshness that people are certainly noticing.”
.
2

Jeffrey Buntin, Jr.

The RBC story will hit the airwaves and fairways this
spring through both “top down” communications from the Global
Brand Group and also via the marketing/communications efforts of
3
multiple distinct RBC business units. The creative work will feature
pros from Team RBC performing on the course, interacting with
clients and playing through special effects, all carefully brought
to life by the capable hands of Director Michael Karbelnikoff from
Hello! Productions (Executive Producer: Carl Swan, Producer,
Leanne Amos), DTrain Effects (Executive Producer: Dan Connelly,
4 5
VFX Artist; Casey Price, VFX Artist: Ben Gibbs), Red Car editing in
Chicago (Editor: Sean Berringer, Sr. Producer: Jon Desir), Music Photos from top to bottom: 1 Jim Little (RBC), Michael Karbelnikoff (Director),
Anthony Kim 2 Jim Little, Fred Couples, Penny Rahe, Anthony Kim, Luke Donald
and Sound design by Q Department, L.A., and Film Transfer at 3 Erin Rose (RBC), Tom Gibney, Jeffrey Buntin, Jr. 4 Fred Saunders shaking hands with
Company 3, Santa Monica (Colorist: Mike Pethel). Anthony Kim 5 Matt Horton, Jim Little, Jeffrey Buntin, Jr., Anthony Kim

When you’ve got almost 600 stores within a stone’s you have to consider managing the relationships with 438
throw of an interstate highway, it’s vital to have an extensive unique outdoor companies. Plus the documentation process
outdoor program. But when you’re recognized as being a behind creating and maintaining a photo-catalog inventory
leading outdoor advertiser nationwide, you better have more – which at last count was nearly 300,000 digital images.
than a program. You better have a well-oiled out-of-home And don’t forget the never-ending maintenance report
management machine, equipped with proprietary technology that often numbers in the 150-item range. Plus the periodic
systems and operational infrastructure. And you best staff it with system-wide production process – that sometimes lasts up
a dedicated squad of eagle-eyed road warriors to monitor the to six months – whenever new creative goes into place.
ever-changing complexities of over 1,500 boards. In other Okay, if all that sounds like a lot to keep track of,
words, if your primary message is “Exit Now”– enter Buntin Out- never fear. Buntin Out-of-Home has a secret weapon.
of-Home Media. A nationally recognized OOH media team with It’s called GEOTRAK – a proprietary online media
over 20 years’ experience paving the way for major outdoor management system that uses art-mapping software
brands like Cracker Barrel Old Country Store®. Now, with geospatial capabilities to streamline the day-to-day
riding herd on a billboard system this large doesn’t just mean management process. (Take that, James Cameron.)
making sure the lights are on every night. It involves a complex, So, the next time you see one of those ubiquitous
ongoing protocol of practices like constantly monitoring the beige and brown boards, we hope you’ll not only consider
market for turnover and availability, in case of opportunity some Good Country Cookin’ but also all the art and
to upgrade locations and/or negotiate better rates. Then science that go into making sure you got the message.

The uniqueness is that the first area of impact is not on creative
work itself, but on the strategies that ultimately shape all great creative.
Traditionally, strategy has been built on two axes: Rational attributes
SOMETHING AMAZING HAS REAWAKENED: IMAGINATION.
and Emotional attributes. Today, with the recent cultural reframing, the
It’s not surprising, really. After an era in which jeopardized financials have
growing technology community and the exploding opportunities that
become reprioritized lives, there had to be a tipping point the other way.
exist for bringing a BIG IDEA to life, our view is that strategy must be
And our POV is that we’re now experiencing the emergence
crafted on four axes: Rational, Emotional, Social and Experiential. In
of a new consumer imagination. Dreams are here again, albeit slightly
fact, this new reality has led us to re-tool our own Brand Translation
altered…an altered state of dreams born of an altered state of reality,
strategic path.
you might say. And creativity in the brand-building business is in a new
So what’s this mean for the work? It means the work does
race to delight in this new consumer space.
not just come from the creative department anymore. It comes from a
convergence of talented people, including client partners, working from
a clear strategic premise with “legs” into rational, emotional, social and
experiential areas. And, while Social holds immense allure and power,
Rational attributes also have found their own legs again. Today’s
transaction entails the parting of dollars but also trust in heightened ways
– and the selling proposition needs be understood, embodied in the
product or service and well represented in the creative expression.
“We want our creatives to know how to sell something, while
making people feel something at the same time. And we only want ideas
that, in the digital and social space, can equip happy consumers to do
some opinion shaping among their own social networks, as well,” says
agency ECD Matt Horton. “That’s the human media plan that we in
creative talk about inspiring.” So watch for ideas to come back bigger,
deeper and more fluent than ever before.

THE BUNTIN KICKBALL TEAM:
PROVING THAT ALL WE EVER NEEDED TO LEARN,
W E L E A R N E D I N K I N D E R G A R T E N.

OUR AVERAGE STAFF TENURE IS ABOUT TO TAKE A BIG HIT AS
TWO LONGTIME BUNTINITES ARE CALLING IT A CAREER.
After 47 years, thousands of layouts and three
generations of Buntins, William “Bill” Holley is riding off
into the sunset. Since starting his career with Buntin
& Associates way back in 1962, Bill has not only
established himself as one of the Southeast’s preeminent
art directors (and artists – the man wields a mean brush
SIX STRAIGHT YEARS OF THROWING SOME BACK
and canvas), but has also mentored a good-sized
agency’s worth of young creatives along the way. And AND KNOCKING SOME DOWN
even more so than his immense talent, his energy, spirit
T O R A I S E M O N E Y F O R J U N I O R A C H I E V E M E N T.
and overall enthusiasm about the business and the
agency will be sorely missed.
After 18 years, thousands of miles back-and-forth
to Centerville, TN and two previous failed attempts,
Peggy Owen is also retiring. Peggy served as the
agency’s Media Director from 1992–2003, guiding the
smart planning, buying and stewarding of millions of
client dollars with great care. She has since returned
to serve two additional, extended tours of duty working
on special media assignments. Aside from her industry THAT’S NOT A TYPO.
expertise, we will miss Peggy’s motherly nature,
homespun colloquialisms and, of course, her world- “HAVE FUN, LIMIT INJURIES” IS THE GOAL OF OUR
famous banana pudding. ANNUAL FIELD DAY COMPETITION. REIGNING CHAMP: MEDIA!
TODD DAY

CAROL LEINWEBER
(ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT)

(MEDIA)

(OUT-OF-HOME)
MALLORY SILER

BUNTINITES GET THEIR CELEBRATION ON AT

THE ANNUAL ADDY AWARDS.
TEELA SHANDESS

JEANINE MAHONE
(CREATIVE)

(MEDIA)

(RESEARCH)
MAGDALENA DUTKIEWICZ

AND TAKE HOME PLENTY OF HARDWARE TO BOOT.

A VACATION DAY, CASH, GIFT CERTIFICATES…
JACQUELYN THOMLEY

(MEDIA)

LAUREN DAVIS

KIMBERLY LELAND

SO WHAT IF THEY’RE HIDDEN IN EASTER EGGS?

YOU’D TRY TO FIND THEM, TOO.

We’d love to hear from you.
Contact us at results@buntingroup.com or 615-244-5720
To view this issue electronically, go to buntingroup.com/spring10pov

everything speaks.

Spring 2010 POV

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Spring 2010 POV