By Ayanna Kirton, Staff ReporterWITH A combined total of 100 years of experience in marketing and advertising, Beverly and Michael Hirst along with business partner Tony Scott have already made a mark on the local advertising industry.
Their latest venture, Prism Communications, almost a year old, is described as a full-service creative agency and design studio and takes the combination of experience and creativity that bred successful careers in the past into the current advertising playing field.
The advertising agency's staff of 12 brings diverse local and international experience and has managed to accumulate approximately $84 million (gross) in billing from numerous big name clients including Appleton, Caribbean Cement Company, Sherwin Williams, Henkel Chemicals, and Sterling Asset Management.
Priding themselves on being highly transparent, managing director Beverly Hirst said the reputation of honesty and integrity of the agency's founding members has made them attract high profile customers.
"The client knows exactly what the third party charges and can have a look at our books or copies of invoices to see exactly where their money goes," Scott added.
In an industry dominated by young minds, Mr. Hirst revealed that the biggest challenge facing Prism is the shortage of young, talented people available to work in advertising.
"It is a young people's industry," said the director, "but it seems as if many of them are migrating at a colossal rate." And while the company is very selective about who they bring onboard to work in the very family-like atmosphere of Prism Communications, Scott is quick to point out that the company is not run in a hierarchical manner.
VERY CAREFUL
"It is a lateral mosaic and we are very careful about who joins our team," he said.
Prism is emerging at a time when one of the leading firms in the business has announced that it has closed due to financial losses coupled with harsh economic times. But the trio have decided that they will not allow Grimax's problems to intimidate them.
"While some companies have gone under, others are growing," said Scott. "We will survive despite the conditions of the economic environment."
"I find this whole business exciting, our biggest challenges are growing pains," said Mrs. Hirst, commenting on the difficulties the fledgling company has faced. The agency's Constant Spring Road office may have to undergo another phase of expansion to facilitate the new equipment they acquired recently to keep them ahead of the competition.
"We are not about blazing any trails," said Scott. "We are only doing what we do best," he said.
"It's about trying to help our clients make a connection with the market through the various campaigns that we create," said Mr. Hirst.
