On August 11, 2009, after 22 years in the industry, veteran agency Riggs Advertising announced its move from a larger agency with on-staff employees to a five-person partnership that works with a network of strategic contacts. The model was innovative, bold and ahead of its time – and it was dubbed “Riggs Partners.”
Six months later, partners Cathy Monetti and Teresa Coles presented the new Riggs model to more than 50 agency principals from across the country.
The presentation was part of a three-day seminar held by Second Wind, a business-improvement information network consisting of more than 9000 small to midsize advertising agencies, design firms and related businesses. The seminar, held at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada, highlighted the SMALL+SMART agency model, an idea which held an uncanny resemblance to Riggs Partners’ existing structure.
“Riggs Partners was smart to make this shift from traditional ad agency to small and smart outsourcing agency,” said Tony Mikes, managing director of Second Wind. “Their structure is a wise and timely response to economic change, overhead-weary clientele, increased freelancing and advanced technology. They have recognized an idea whose time has come.”
Monetti and Coles offerred expert advice to a number of inquiring principals attending the seminar. “It will be interesting to see how many traditional agencies now move to a smaller structure,” Monetti said. “I hope to see many follow suit, because I truly believe – especially for midsize companies – our structure is the agency model of the future.”
And so we found the Partners at the 2010 Addy Awards, Cirque du ADDY. The ultimate costume ball of the season, we were there in all our costumed fabulousness.
Kudos to the ADDY committee for the Party-Part of the night. We had a blast.
And now to the awards. We did A-OK, walking out with both Best of Print and Best of Broadcast. We also racked up three gold ADDYs and four silvers, and while we shouldn’t, we will steal a tad bit of the spotlight of the two silvers bestowed upon our friend Ryan Cockrell for his amazing Riggs Partners CreateAthon video. (Ryan rocks.) Glory!
Honored work included:
- Best of Print for Vaughn’s BBQ, poster and sales collateral
- Best of Broadcast for Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System, Breast Health Center, television campaign
- Gold ADDY for Preservation Trust of Spartanburg, logo
- Gold ADDY for Vaughn’s BBQ, poster and sales collateral
- Gold ADDY for Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System, Breast Health Center, television campaign
- Silver ADDY for Central Carolina Community Foundation, annual report
- Silver ADDY for Hilton Head Island Convention and Visitors Bureau, direct mail
- Silver ADDY for Girl Scouts of South Carolina – Mountains to Midlands, website
- Silver ADDY for PAALS/Heartworm Project, event poster
We want to shine a little light upon our Riggs Partners apprentices, who contributed mightily to our big haul. And thanks to our good, good friends Mad Monkey, as our creative partners in the Spartanburg Regional “Who’s Your Plus One” television. (We believe in the cause–find a woman you care about and MAKE SURE she gets a mammogram!)
It has never been more true: a fine time was had by all!
