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

SMITH Agency Awarded Full-Service Contract with Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (Sept. 21, 2009)—SMITH, a fully-integrated advertising and marketing agency with offices in Fayetteville and Raleigh, N.C., Sarasota, Fla. and Hilton Head Island, S.C., was again named agency of record by Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands following an extensive 12 agency national review.

SMITH will provide strategic planning, conduct market research, and develop and execute an integrated advertising, promotions and public relations program to support the tourism mission of the Charlotte Harbor Visitor & Convention Bureau.

SMITH president and CEO Gary T. Smith said, “We are very enthusiastic about the opportunity to continue to work with the Charlotte County Visitor’s Bureau. The eco-tourism available in this area is so rare for Southwest Florida, and many beach communities in the Southeast for that matter. It is a very exciting message to spread, and we look forward the chance to show visitors what is waiting for them in Charlotte County.”

Located halfway between Tampa and Naples on the Southwest Florida Gulf coast, Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands is a charming collection of nine coastal communities surrounding the state’s second largest harbor. Florida’s premier year-round eco-tourism destination, Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands offers a pristine unspoiled beauty that has served as the backdrop for seven major feature films as well as countless memorable vacations. A haven for outdoor enthusiasts, Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands was named to SAIL magazine’s “10 Greatest Places to Sail in the United States,” ranked by Golf Digest as “Third Best Place to Live and Play Golf in America,” and rated by MONEY magazine as one of the “Best Places to Live in the South.” The city of Punta Gorda was named as one of “Top Ten Places to Retire Healthy” by U.S. News & World Report. Englewood, Fla. was just named as No. 2 of the Top Ten emerging travel destinations in the U.S. by TripAdvisor.com.

For information about area events, activities and attractions, contact the Charlotte Harbor Visitor & Convention Bureau, 18501 Murdock Circle, Suite 502, Port Charlotte, FL 33948; (941) 743-1900, or call toll free at 1-800-652-6090 for a free Visitor’s Guide; or visit the Web site at www.CharlotteHarborTravel.com.

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 ext. 3107 or visit www.smithadv.com.