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

SMITH AWARDED TOURISM CONTRACT RENEWALS

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (Oct. 24, 2007)—SMITH, a fully-integrated advertising and marketing agency with offices in Raleigh and Fayetteville, North Carolina, and Sarasota, Florida, has recently been awarded two contract renewals from the Augusta Convention & Visitors Bureau in Augusta, Ga.; and the Charlotte Harbor & The Gulf Islands Visitors Bureau in Port Charlotte, Fla. SMITH serves as the agency of record for both organizations and will continue directing multi-faceted campaigns to drive tourism to the golf and coastal destinations.

Augusta lies approximately 150 miles east of Atlanta and is easily accessible to most of the Southeast via its prime location on Interstate 20. The Savannah River serves as the state line and separates Augusta from North Augusta, S.C. Founded as a trading outpost during the British colonial period, Augusta is the second oldest and second largest city in Georgia and today stands as a center for medicine, the military and manufacturing . The city, however, is likely best known as home of the Masters Golf Tournament, held the first full week in April.

Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands is a tranquil getaway on Florida's Southwest Gulf Coast. As Florida’s premier eco-tourism destination, Charlotte Harbor offers world-class boating, fishing, and sailing, include paddling on hundreds of miles of Blueways trails, exploring five National Wildllife Refuges and discovering prime birding opportunities for spectacular photography excursions. Relax on uncrowded beaches and enjoy unique shopping and dining experiences and a thriving arts community. Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands includes the areas of Boca Grande, Don Pedro Island, El Jobean, Englewood-Cape Haze, Little Gasparilla Island, Manasota Key, Palm Island, Placida, Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda.

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 ext. 3107 or visit www.smithadv.com.