For Immediate Release
Media Inquiries: Sarah Malpeli
SMITH
(941) 315-1226
smalpeli@smithadv.com

AGENCY CREATIVE WINS TOP NORTH CAROLINA TOURISM AWARD

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (June 10, 2008)—SMITH, a fully-integrated advertising and marketing agency headquartered in Fayetteville, N.C., with offices in Raleigh, N.C. and Sarasota, Fla., was recently recognized with a top tourism honor at the Destination Marketing Association of North Carolina's (DMANC) annual conference and Destination Marketing Achievement Awards in Asheville, N.C. on June 2.

SMITH and the Brunswick County Tourism Development Authority (BCTDA) were presented with the top award in the large-size bureau publication category for the 2008-2009 Brunswick County Visitors Guide, a printed promotional piece designed to encourage tourism in the area. The creative was developed by SMITH and the BCTDA. SMITH has served as the agency of record for Brunswick for over eight years.

"We appreciate the contributions of our ad agency in perfecting our visitors guide" said Kemp Causey, BCTDA Chair.

The large-size bureaus competing in the awards have budgets of $1.1 million and over. The purpose of the Destination Marketing Achievement Awards is to honor DMANC members and showcase innovation, best practices, creativity and outstanding efforts and results in destination marketing.

The Destination Marketing Association of North Carolina (DMANC), formerly known as the North Carolina Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus, provides leading-edge educational resources, networking opportunities, marketing benefits and legislative advocacy for the benefit of North Carolina's tourism economy. Founded in 1976, DMANC is comprised of 46 North Carolina destinations. The counties represented by DMANC members generate over 90% of North Carolina's tourism economic benefit.

The Brunswick Islands lie between Wilmington, N.C. and Myrtle Beach, S.C. Situated along North Carolina's southernmost stretch of coastline, the islands claim over 45 miles of beachfront. The region includes Bald Head Island, Caswell Beach, Holden Beach, Oak Island, Ocean Isle Beach, Sunset Beach, Southport, Calabash and many inland towns.


ABOUT SMITH
SMITH is an advertising and marketing agency driven by discovering what makes people who they are and what motivates their decisions, and then planning strategic communications accordingly. Headquartered in Fayetteville, N.C., the 33-year-old firm has offices in Raleigh, N.C. and Sarasota, Fla., offering fully-integrated services that include brand development, account planning, marketing research, interactive services and public relations. SMITH's clients include regional, national and global companies in travel and tourism, healthcare, consumer products, real estate and financial services. The SMITH team has honed its planning and creative skills on blue-chip and Fortune 500 brands including Hershey, BMW, Coca-Cola, ESPN, WebMD, Bank of America, Deutsche Bank and American Express, as well as leading travel destinations such as Hilton Head Island, Pinehurst, Augusta, Sarasota, and Asheville. SMITH is also a corporate partner and the agency of record for the Southeast Tourism Society. For more information on SMITH, call (800) 421-1973 or visit www.smithadv.com.