Nonprofits get free marketing services

By By Steve Gillespie / staff writer
Aug. 9, 2002
Leading Edges Advertising employees will provide free marketing services to 11 local nonprofit groups during CreateAThon 2002.
The 24-hour "no charge" period begins Sept. 19 at 8 a.m. for: American Red Cross, Merrehope and F.W. Williams Homes, Meridian Speech and Hearing Center, United Way of East Mississippi, Care Lodge, Habitat for Humanity, Community of Hope Tutoring Program, Boys and Girls Club, Relay for Life, Hope Village for Children and the Jimmie Rodgers Foundation.
At a press conference Thursday, Leading Edges co-owner Tony Pompelia said his staff is excited about the idea.
He said the goal of CreateAThon 2002 is to supply nonprofit organizations with services and products they ordinarily cannot afford.
The East Mississippi Business Journal, Brown Printing and Newell Paper Company are pitching in with free services and materials, and graphic design students will be asked to take part.
Pompelia said his employees expect to design one to four projects for nonprofit clients and present mock-ups of marketing materials by 8 a.m. on Sept. 20.
These drafts are scheduled to be returned to the agency with final revisions by Sept. 21, so that electronic files of the materials, brochures, letterheads, direct mail and posters can be e-mailed to the printer that afternoon.
The CreateAThon concept originated with an advertising agency in South Carolina and has been adopted by many agencies. Pompelia said he plans to do it every year.
Louis Sutton, president and chief professional officer of United Way of East Mississippi, said he is grateful for the help.