For Immediate Release
July 28, 2005

BKV Surpasses $50 Million in Revenue

ATLANTA – Bennett Kuhn Varner (BKV) surged past the $50 million mark with $58 million in billings in 2004. Brent Kuhn, president and a founding partner of BKV, attributes the company’s phenomenal growth to truly diversified media capabilities that benefit clients. “All direct agencies must be good with direct mail and database, and we are. However, we are equally good with DRTV (Direct Response TV), interactive, print and other forms of direct marketing.

“DRTV is what truly differentiated our agency through the 90s and continues to be a large part of our billings. Since our aggressive drive into interactive, beginning in 1998, with a focus on cost effectively generating sales for clients, we’ve seen interactive billings increase every year. Interactive marketing (search engine optimization, paid search, e-mail) grew from 3 percent of our billings to 20 percent today.

“In fact, I’d tie our explosive growth that began in 2000 largely to interactive marketing,” Kuhn continued. “We have several traditional direct mail and direct TV clients today that we wouldn’t have if we didn’t also have strong interactive capabilities.” In the past five years, the Atlanta-based agency’s revenue more than tripled from $18 million to $58 million. The number of full time BKV employees likewise increased from 35 to 95.

Specifically, Kuhn credits BKV’s knowledgeable Web design and interactive marketing strategy that maximizes client presence and reaches potential customers with impressive, trackable results. But interactive is not the only successful medium BKV employs for its clients. A direct mail campaign for Six Flags, a client for more than 20 years, generated a 9% increase in sales even though the project budget was decreased 18%.

Formed in 1981, BKV was originally a traditional ad agency that handled a wide spectrum of clients. However, the success experienced with two of its early direct response clients, Six Flags and Christian Children’s Fund, planted the seeds for what was to become the agency’s specialty and focus. The years 1983 and 1984 saw a transition in BKV’s client base that favored direct marketing. By 1985, BKV was exclusively a direct marketing agency. Maribett Varner, the other founding partner, is executive vice president and director of client services at BKV.

BKV’s current clients include Dirt Devil, Applica (Black & Decker Household Products), Cingular Wireless, EarthLink, Harrah’s Entertainment, Six Flags Theme Parks, the American Red Cross, Make-A-Wish Foundation, and BB&T (Branch Banking & Trust).

As for the future, Kuhn is optimistic that BKV’s growth will continue. “We plan to stay on the cutting edge of interactive,” he said, “and continue building our data and analytic ability to stay ahead of the curve.” BKV also aspires to grow its DRTV business. Having done more than 100 productions in recent years, “we’re expert at putting together a commercial that sells both product and image,” he noted.

About BKV
Formed in 1981, Bennett Kuhn Varner Inc. (BKV) is one of the largest independently owned direct response ad agencies in the country. With over 100 staff members, the Atlanta-based agency billed more than $58 million in 2004 and currently carries a client list that includes Dirt Devil, Applica (Black & Decker Household Products), Cingular Wireless, EarthLink, Six Flags Theme Parks, and the American Red Cross. BKV specializes in all direct response media including television, direct mail, print ads, and interactive. For more information, call 404.233.0332 or visit www.bkv.com.

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