GSA Daily Staff Report
Published March 29, 2010

Erwin-Penland Inc. opened a 10,000-square-foot office expansion on the ground floor of 300 E. McBee St., about 150 yards from the company’s two existing buildings at the corner of Falls and Broad streets. The expansion brings the agency’s footprint to more than 65,000 square feet, making it one of downtown Greenville’s largest office tenants.

“Erwin-Penland has continued to prosper despite an $11.6 billion decline in U.S. ad spending in 2009, according to The Nielsen Co.,” said agency founder and President Joe Erwin. “In the past 18 months our staff has grown more than 20%. We’ve added new clients like Denny’s and expanded our relationship with such clients as Verizon Wireless and Bi-Lo Supermarkets. We’re excited about our growth and proud to expand our presence in Greenville’s thriving downtown area.”

Every employee of the 24-year-old company was challenged to create a poem, collage, painting or other form of expression that demonstrated their deepest feeling about their current state of being. As part of the “Today Project,” more than 120 pieces of employee-created art on display at the new offices.

“As a strategic and creative agency we wanted to develop a personal point of view about what is happening in the world today and how people are feeling about it,” said Cynthia Davis, EP’s vice president and director of account planning. “We sought to engage individuals in thinking about how consumer attitudes impact the decisions they make and how they interact with the brands they choose. Our goal was to create a robust exchange of ideas that would reflect the diversity of our work force and present an inclusive point of view on the behavior of today’s consumer.”

The “Today Project” follows last year’s inaugural “Tomorrow Project,” in which EP staff members were asked to create similar expressions of their visions for the future. Coinciding with the inauguration of President Obama in January 2009, a primary theme that emerged from that exercise was one of hope and optimism despite mounting economic, political and social turmoil at the time.

“It’s interesting to note how a year later, the artwork suggests people feel more vulnerable, more weary of all the negativity,” Davis said. “Their expressions are more personal, and there appears to be an awareness that today is not just a moment in time, but part of a longer journey.”

As for EP’s expansion, Erwin also cited the introduction of a new specialty called experiential branding that is helping companies like Verizon Wireless and Lockheed Martin give customers a hands-on experience with products, events, company personnel and other touch points that enhance their engagement with and affinity for their brand.

Created just six months ago, the experiential branding team already has seven professionals, led by Cory Schearer.

“Experiential branding leads to greater consumer impact, increased marketing effectiveness and increased brand equity,” Erwin said. “Some of our recent projects – like the Verizon Studios we’ve created at the Staples Center, home of the Los Angeles Lakers, Clippers and Kings; Reliant Stadium, home of the Houston Texans; and other major sports and entertainment venues – are helping companies connect with their audiences in ways they never thought possible.”