27 November 2009
	Hamilton's Fruitful partnerships By Sasha Planting Reaping the rewards of its unpretentious attitudeh

amilton's is a rare creature. It's one of those agencies that forgot to assume the airs and graces so characteristic of the industry. The offices are not sumptuous and the address is not trendy. For now, creative advertising festivals like the Loeries are the last thing on people's minds. Hamilton's is reaping the benefits of its unpretentious attitude. Though industries around the country are contracting in the face of recession, Hamilton's has expanded its business. "We are fortunate," says MD Lisa Currey. "Our clients are still growing." Currey and Roselie Blankenaar started the agency 13 years ago. Currey handles the creative side of the business and Blankenaar the finances. They have similar values: a shared appreciation for the worth of people and they don't get in each other's hair. They also have a can-do attitude that has helped make the company what it is today. "We have never said no. We have grown 30% annually since we opened and I believe this is partly due to our attitude. It's why people trust us with opportunities." They started without the security of one committed client, but work soon trickled in. First projects came from the fashion industry. But slowly the business morphed into the retail and food industries. "I love it. It is so much more real and tangible," she says. "If the product is good and we market it well, sales go up immediately. But if we are off the mark, they reflect that." Fruit & Veg City is Hamilton's oldest account. "They won't leave us," Currey laughs. "Their loyalty is as strong as our passion, but if we stop producing the goods they would have every right to." Currey, an imposing figure at 1,83 m tall, approached Fruit & Veg City when they were small enough to operate out of a mobile office at the fruit and vegetable market in Epping. "I told them they needed our help," she says. It's not just advertising. Hamilton's has become the brand custodian. Its responsibilities include print, press, TV and store design - down to tiles and paint colours. More recently it developed the brand and branding for the company's high-end retail offering, the Food Lovers Market Stores. "The beauty of this relationship is that we have a genuine partnership," says Currey. "We work closely with the CEO, which means we don't wait ages for board decisions." The recession has curbed Fruit & Veg City's store openings this year. But the company awarded the agency the contract to redevelop the branding of shops on the forecourts of Caltex filling stations. This was after Cape Town-based Chevron and Fruit & Veg City announced a 10-year strategic alliance to launch Fresh Stop convenience stores across the national network of Caltex service stations. Pie City is another account where Hamilton's is involved in every aspect of the business, from the image and branding to the point of sale, menus, radio and TV advertising. It's another business that has grown with the agency over the years. Other accounts include Liberty Foods, which supplies the retail and catering trade. One account falls far outside the competitive and fast-moving world of fresh produce and groceries. It's Giraffe House, a privately run centre outside Stellenbosch that provides the youth and surrounding communities with an opportunity to see healthy animals in a semi-wild environment. Its aim is to educate and instill an awareness and passion for the well-being of animals in the wild. Hamilton's has taken on the account pro bono and the quirky advertising makes it abundantly clear that this is one agency that does not take itself too seriously. That's for others to do.