Ad Agency Signs Mahaffey, Plans To Add Jobs

Paradise Advertising and Marketing, a full-service communications agency in St. Pete, was recently chosen by the Mahaffey Theater to be its exclusive marketer. The agency will lead marketing operations, including public relations, promotions and media buying services. While signing the Mahaffey Theater is the most recent accomplishment for Paradise, the agency has been growing over the past few years.

“We’ve added a number of clients and have had extensive growth, even through the recession while other firms were closing their doors and laying off people,” says Cedar Hames, president of Paradise Advertising and Marketing. “In addition to adding clients, we have long-term clients who have been with us for 10 years. Clients don’t stay with you unless you are providing a good service and getting results. ”  

Hames founded the agency 10 years ago and has since opened up a satellite office in Naples. Due to the success of his business, he currently employs 22 people and plans to add to that headcount in 2012.

“We plan to aggressively seek out new business and depending on how many more clients we get and what their needs are, we will be adding staff to accommodate those clients,” says Hames. “In the next year, I imagine we will be hiring someone to work in account management, adding another PR person and someone to work in interactive/digital media. ”

“We’ve brought on a number of people just in the past few months,” adds Patrick Harrison, director of public relations for Paradise.

Those people who were added to the staff include a creative director, an internationally renowned advertising professional, a director of technology, a social media person and an account manager.  

“Things are changing so rapidly in this industry,” says Hames. “It’s a moving target, but it keeps us from being bored. ”
 
Writer: Kimberly Patterson
Source: Cedar Hames and Patrick Harrison, Paradise Advertising and Marketing