Duane LeVine, president of the Blakeslee Group, a local advertising agency with a 75-year presence in Baltimore, said three things helped the agency weather the storm that affected the entire industry following the dot-com bust and the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11 ? its strong client relationships, a loyal and dedicated employee base and the opening of a second location to more aggressively compete for West Coast business.
“We?ve come out of it on the other end and are very positive about where we are,” LeVine said. “Our clients really understood the creative process and the need for them to work with us in developing communications that are relevant to their constituents.”
Another decision the Blakeslee Group made about six years ago, when most agencies were downsizing, that proved to be fruitful was the opening of a second office in Park City, Utah. That office is headed by LeVine?s business partner, Mark Fischer.
“The reason we did this is it gave us access to the West Coast time zone, and that?s helped us immeasurably,” LeVine said. “The nature of the business out there has been very positive for our overall agency in that its high-profile work ? tends to be work that is seen on a national level.”
The agency employs 30 people and reports billings of $45 million to $47 million. LeVine said many of the agency?s employees have been with the firm for 15 to 20 years, ensuring consistency for its clients.
Contact the agency
» Blakeslee Group
916 N. Charles St., Baltimore
» 410-727-8800
» www.blakesleeadv.com
