Agency Spotlight: GKV

June 12, 10:05 AMBaltimore Ad ExaminerChris Catalano

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For the next couple of weeks, I will be spotlighting several agencies in the Baltimore area. Why, you ask? Well, not only because I can, but also in preparation for my first installment of the Ad Agency Power Rankings. Come on, you know I've gotta somehow relate at least half of my posts to sports in some way.

Today, I start with GKV, which is located on Hull Street in Baltimore (I wouldn't necessarily know exactly where because they never brought me in for an interview. I guess my writing skills out of college weren't up to snuff. No worries, though...I still know a good agency when I see one. Whether or not they know a good writer when they read one? Let's just say everyone lets one slip through the cracks once in a while.

GKV:

CEO: Roger Gray

Website: http://gkv.com/home/

Size: Grande (not the Starbucks kind)

What are they willing to do for you? Everything

Client Sampling: Loyola College in Maryland, Maryland State Lottery, Provident Bank, BGE Home

Will you wanna quit after working there for a month? Highly doubtful. Among the perks employees have received recently, according to their website, are $200 gas cards right in time for Memorial Day weekend and a Nintendo Wii competition.

Good Ad/Bad Ad:

The Good: Intercontinental Hotels' print ad headline... "Vacations are like orgasms...Even little ones are good." http://gkv.com/portfolio/print/

The Bad: Choice Hotels' TV commercial, "Celebrity in a Suitcase" starring Vanna White. This ad is from some 18 years ago I think. http://gkv.com/portfolio/television/

Bottom Line: GKV is one of the biggest agencies in the Baltimore area. Their client list is solid, so you know they can be pretty well trusted. Their social marketing efforts, called GKV Reach, are helping them adapt to the ever changing culture and landscape of advertising. My biggest knock on them would have to be their website. Although there is nothing completely 'wrong' with it, none of the content makes me jump up and say "I need them as my agency." Having things in their portoflio from the '90s is completely unnecessary and has very little, if any, relevance to prospective clients (Vanna White has got to be 60 by now). All in all, I think any company, especially one in this area, would be ecstatic having GKV as their agency of record.

Chris can be reached via e-mail at chris.d.catalano@gmail.com.