Thompson Lands First Horizon Home Loan

Memphis Shop Will Establish a Dallas Office to Serve the Lender
ATLANTA-Thompson & Company of Memphis, Tenn., has won a trio of new accounts, totaling more than $4.5 million in annual billings.
The agency has been hired to develop and implement a branding strategy for First Horizon Home Loan Corp. of Dallas. Thompson will open a branch in Dallas to manage the $3.5 million account, which had been at DDB Worldwide Communications Group, Dallas, according to agency principal Michael Thompson.
Thompson said the branding campaign will position the lending institution as primarily a home loan business, for both first-time buyers and established homeowners. Representatives of First Horizon were unavailable for comment.
Thompson has also been named agency for Kraft Food Ingredients of Memphis. Jody Driver, advertising director for the client, which sells various ingredients to U.S. food companies and agents, said that Thompson defeated six other Memphis agencies, including incumbent O’Connor Kenny Partners, for the account.
“We felt they were by far the top creative agency in Memphis,” said Driver.
Driver said Thompson will handle all trade advertising, database marketing, sales materials and public relations. Billings were not disclosed.
Thompson has also been assigned the $1 million account of Storage USA, the country’s second-largest operator of self-storage facilities. The firm is moving its headquarters from Columbia, Md., to Memphis.
“That had a lot to do with [the change],” said Russ Williams, client marketing vice president. “We would prefer to work with a local agency that can meet our expectations, and feel Thompson can do that.”
Williams said Storage USA heard pitches from two other Memphis shops, O’Connor Kenny Partners and Walker & Associates. The incumbent agency was Enten & Associates in Washington, D.C.
Williams said Thompson would be responsible for creating print and billboard advertising, direct mail and alternative media. The agency will also work with the client’s marketing department to develop and execute a national branding strategy. ƒ