Cole Henderson Cuts It Creatively With Snapper

After more than a year without an agency, Snapper Power Equipment awarded creative chores for its primarily broadcast account to Cole Henderson Drake here. Media will continue to be handled by SFM Media in New York.
Nationally, Snapper spent $7 million-plus during the first 10 months of 1997, per Competitive Media Reporting. Like many manufacturers that use a dealer network, that figure nearly doubles, an industry source said, when local and regional advertising are added.
Snapper senior director of marketing and advertising Neil Egan, who joined the company last August, said the McDonough, Ga., client conducted an informal review of undisclosed midsize Atlanta agencies.
“Cole Henderson Drake got hired for its strategic and creative abilities,” said Egan. Although CHD has no previous experience handling consumer durables, Egan was impressed with the agency’s brand-building work for 13-year client Ritz-Carlton.
Egan’s goal is to reposition Snapper.
“In the past, we have enjoyed what was a very strong brand image . . . throughout the Southeast and in pockets throughout the United States,” Egan said. “We need to find out where we stand with consumers.”
The current tagline, “Anything less just won’t cut it,” may be changed, Egan said.
CHD chief executive officer John Drake saw the win as testimony to the “disciplines that we’ve integrated” into the agency. In the past couple years, CHD added Asa Johnson as vice president of promotions and direct and Mike Tyre as director of strategic planning. In addition, Kurt Tausche joined the shop last fall as executive vice president and director of creative services.
Fricks/Firestone in Atlanta handled Snapper’s advertising account until November 1996.