HipBrand Group is a marketing agency that specializes in financial services branding and digital marketing. They have 25 years of experience working with banks and other financial institutions in the Southeast. Some of their notable clients include Superior Bank, Regions Bank, Aliant Bank, and BBVA Compass Bank. For these clients, they have provided services such as website development, social media management, advertising campaigns, public relations, and brand strategy and positioning. HipBrand Group's team has extensive experience across marketing disciplines and a deep understanding of the banking industry.

1. 2332 First Avenue North | Birmingham, AL 35203 | 205.458.9566 | HipBrandGroup.com

2. Experience You Can Bank On.
Brand Focused Marketers
Whether you want to raise brand awareness, generate leads or drive revenue, you need a vibrant on-
line presence in today’s marketplace. HipBrand Group builds customized marketing programs for the
financial services industry: We create digital tools, interactive campaigns and social business programs
using the communications channels and creative strategies that work. We do this by tapping customer
insights, tailoring the creative to each channel and employing the latest technology. The result is a seam-
less experience for users and full measurability for you.
Unlike some boutique shops our experience is firmly grounded in solid, traditional marketing principles.
From local, regional and national Addy awards to an international “Gold” Mercom Award which fea-
tured competitors from 33 countries, our team members have worked extensively for financial institu-
tions and financial companies over the last 25 years including AmSouth Bank, SouthTrust Bank, Regions
Bank, BBVA Compass, Superior Bank (the new Cadence), Aliant Bank, USAmeriBank, Bank of Alabama,
Collateral Mortgage, Southland National Bank, Honolulu Federal, Altus Bank, Visa Corporation and
Porter Capital Corp.
We love what we do, and love getting it right. We find inspiration and success in working directly with
accomplished people like you. We’ve learned a great deal more over the years and we’re pretty certain
you can’t find a group as highly experienced and creatively talented anywhere. Especially not a team
with such deep expertise in banking: branding, digital marketing and public relations. Oh, and did we
mention we’re humble, too?
But don’t take our word for it. Peruse this agency overview and get to know us a bit through our bios
and our work. Learn that we provide attentive service and strategic thinking. Then agree that together
we’ll create results oriented communications that resonates deeply within each community you serve.

3. Experience You Can Bank On.
The Team
Julie White
For over two decades, Julie has provided public relations-focused branding and marketing services to
companies across the Southeast. Julie is a content strategist who develops targeted, relevant and mean-
ingful online and offline communications solutions.
She has served as national PR director for Bass Anglers Sportsman Society and as director of account
services and public relations for leading Alabama marketing agencies.
Her key clients include Samford University, UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center, Superior Bank, Porter
Capital Corp., Birmingham Area Chamber of Commerce, Grow Alabama, RealtySouth and Jones Walker.
Scott Schablow
Scott creates smart online marketing ideas for successful brands to grow revenue & profits. As a web
strategist he helps brands understand how to integrate digital technology, social media and traditional
marketing.
Prior to Hip Brand Group, Scott served as VP Interactive for 10 years at Luckie & Company, which in
1998 merged with Scott’s interactive agency, Schablow/Beaumont. Scott was also a Capitol Hill TV news
correspondent in Washington, D.C.
His key brand accounts include Regions Bank, Blue Cross Blue Shield, AT&T, Little Debbie Snacks,
Moore’s Marinade, LouAna Cooking Oil, Bonnie Plants, Alabama Public Television and McWane Science
Center.

4. Experience You Can Bank On.
The Team
Michael Alfano
Michael’s work as senior art director and creative director at leading agencies and his own design studio
with over 120 clients has won numerous regional, national and international awards. He is an industry
professional who has worked with just about every type of business from small upstarts to Fortune 500
Companies.
This wide range of experience and a multi-disciplined skill set enables Michael to help clients communi-
cate their brand effectively to key target audiences across a full range of media.
Although he is best known for his engaging graphic design and illustration, Michael produces innova-
tive work which effectively communicates his client’s brands and business culture helping them achieve
goals and new benchmarks of success in the marketplace. Key clients have included SouthTrust Bank,
the Helen Keller Foundation, Collateral Mortgage, Superior Bank, Pepper Place Saturday Market, Sloss
Real Estate Group, Regions Bank and Retina Specialists of Alabama.
Chris Elliott
Chris has had a successful 16-year career as an online designer, using his broad experience in almost
every medium as Creative Director for numerous companies in the advertising, software, usability and
design industries.
Previously, Chris was a principle partner, and Creative Director for Triptych Design New Media and
KickMail, as well as serving as Creative Director for Intermark Interactive.
Key clients have included Children’s Hospital, Toyota, Green Resource Center for Alabama, DAXKO, Big
Oak Ranch, Baptist Health System and Balch and Bingham.

5. Experience You Can Bank On.
The Team
Meg Holmes
A graduate of the Portfolio Center, Meg is a senior level copywriter with a reputation for highly
conceptual work that has appeared in The One Show, National and Regional Addys and Show South.
Meg’s favorite concept is actually the business itself. Where else can you be paid to put Albert Einstein’s
signature on a baseball, dress Icarus in a business suit, or have a farmer grow fields of talk?
Meg has worked on big name clients such as Little Debbie and Toyota, big hearted clients such as the
Associated for Retarded Citizens, and one client, the Vulcan statue, that was just big.
She has been contracted by major agencies to develop work for such high-profile clients as Red
Mountain Bank, Subway Restaurants, McWane Science Center, Southern Museum of Flight and
the Birmingham Zoo, and such critical projects as pitches, rebranding campaigns and new product
launches. She has worked with leading agencies such as Intermark Group, The Slaughter Group, BLR,
Totalcom, Cayenne Creative and Luckie & Company.
Grant Tatum
Led by a passion for design and craftsmanship tempered by 18 years of experience, Grant is a creative
designer with success advertising, design and publishing. He has worked with national, regional and
local businesses (including finance, telecom, and healthcare) to develop brand messaging in all media.
Grant has worked with agencies such as Luckie & Company, Lewis Communications and BIG. Key
account experience includes Regions Bank, AmSouth Bank, AT&T, Gulf Power, Tiffen Motorhomes and
Little Debbie Snacks.

6. Experience You Can Bank On.
The Team
Frieda Pierce
Frieda has extensive experience providing media planning and buying services to a well-established
client base. With over 20 years experience in the advertising industry, Frieda has handled multi-media
campaigns including television, cable, radio, outdoor magazine, newspaper and internet.
For 13 years Frieda was Director of Media Buying for O2 Ideas and SlaughterHanson Advertising in
Birmingham, Alabama.
Key clients have included Talladega Superspeedway, Visionland, Bruno’s Memorial Golf Classic,
Alabama Tourism & Travel Department, Golden Flake, Alabama Power Company, AmSouth Bank and
Superior Bank.
Evan Keller
Evan has never met a programming challenge that he couldn’t conquer. His 15 years experience develop-
ing rich internet applications doesn’t begin to describe the high level of problem solving and innovation
that he brings to each application he works on.
As the senior application developer at Luckie & Company for 12 years Evan has engineered powerful
online tools designed for the end user in mind.
Key clients include Regions Bank, Balch & Bingham, Alabama Tourism & Travel Department, Bayer
Advanced, Little Debbie and AT&T.

7. Experience You Can Bank On.
The Services
HipBrand Group professionals have a 25-year history of creating successful brands, strategic messaging
and effective positioning within the marketplace. We also have solid expertise in the competitive bank-
ing environment in the Southeast. There is opportunity in the banking landscape to develop powerful
and meaningfully relevant brands that are a driver of differentiation, long-term loyalty and competitive
advantage. Consumers perceive little difference among banking institutions and believe that bank-
ing brands are interchangeable—with each delivering identical brand benefits. As a result, consumers
choose aimlessly among look-alike banking brands.
HipBrand Group is uniquely qualified to distill the essence of your brand’s benefits and develop a mean-
ingful brand presence that drives home your unique selling points across traditional and emerging digi-
tal marketing channels.
Unlike traditional agencies, our flexible organizational structure encourages collaborating with a com-
pany’s internal executive and marketing teams as well as with external agencies or consultants already
in place. Our experience in banking ranges from community banks to regional banks and other financial
institutions.

8. Experience You Can Bank On.
The Services
HipBrand Group can work with your in-house marketing team and with your existing agency on specific
project needs; or we are available to serve as an agency of record to provide turnkey communications
solutions and management.
Specialized Services
• Online Presentation Builder (creates custom presentations instantly using pre-approved content)
• iPad/Tablet Applications (enterprise & customer-facing application development/deployment)
• Mobile Apps (iPhone, Android and Smartphone applications)
• Brand & Reputation Monitoring (listening and evaluating the online conversation and sentiment)
• Ad Builder (online system for selecting & creating custom ads and flyers for field use)
• Digital Channel Development (Search Optimization / Social Media / New Media PR)
• Customer Experience Management (improving the online and in-branch experience)
Online Services Advertising Services
• Web Site Development • Print Campaigns
• Blog Design and Management • Television or Radio Campaigns
• Social Media Customization • Outdoor Campaigns
• Social Media Management • Online or Digital Campaigns
• Search Engine Optimization • B to B Ad Campaigns
• Search Engine Marketing (Pay Per Click)
General Services
Public Relations Services • Branding (logo or positioning)
• Media Spokesperson • Print Collateral (product brochures/other)
• Media Kits • Direct Mail Campaigns
• Press Releases • Credit Card Design
• Online Newsroom • External Signage Design
• PR Planning and Editorial Calendar • Retail Branch Merchandising
• Executive Speaking Program • Annual Reports
• Community Building & Management • Program Advertising
• Media Buying

9. Experience You Can Bank On.
The Work
Superior Bank
Superior Bank, is a southeastern community bank headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, with $4 bil-
lion in assets. The bank’s assets were acquired by Community Bancorp, and has recently been renamed
Cadence Bank. The company stands as the second-largest community bank holding company in Ala-
bama, behind Regions Financial Corporation, HipBrand Group served nearly six years, until November
2011, as an extension of the bank’s marketing and executive team, exclusively responsible for the devel-
opment and implementation of all corporate communications and consumer advertising, B2B market-
ing and public relations. The account was headed by Julie White, who produced an extensive array of
strategic marketing initiatives including:
• Developed retail and commercial core messaging and positioning used in advertising, sharehold-
er relations, public relations and in sales collateral materials.
• Opened 30 branches in Alabama and Florida with an aggressive schedule while maintaining
hands-on attention to detail.
• Campaigns helped drive impressive growth in customer numbers and a $2 billion boost in
revenues.
• Managed all local marketing public relations.
• Managed million dollar media buy in two states and production of all consumer advertising
(print and broadcast).
• Established executive speaking bureau to reach commercial clients.
• Served as creative development team for ongoing project needs including program advertising
system; annual reports and event collateral.
• Helped transition to the new holding corporation in April 2011 including leading media relations
and assisting Houston, Texas ad agency and New York public relations firm.

10. Work We Have Done: Superior Bank

11. Work We Have Done: Superior Bank
Work We Have Done: Superior Bank

12. Experience You Can Bank On.
The Work
Regions Bank
Regions Financial Corporation, with $130 billion in assets, is one of the nation’s largest full-service pro-
viders of consumer and commercial banking, trust, securities brokerage, asset management, mortgage
and insurance products and services. Regions serves customers in 16 states across the South, Midwest
and Texas, and operates approximately 1,800 banking offices.
Scott Schablow provided leadership for nearly 8 years as part of Luckie & Company’s management team
responsible for Regions Financial Corporation and Regions Bank. Scott was instrumental in creating
technology and workflow methodologies to speed the integration of personnel and marketing functions
during Regions merger with Union Planters Corp. Scott was also intimately involved in the rebrand-
ing process for Regions during the merger with AmSouth Bancorporation. Scott had an active role in
all phases of the brand transformation process from research to the development of color, typeface,
and graphic mark to assisting with creating standards for implementing across all marketing mediums.
Scott’s accomplishments also include:
• Developed an $8,000 Google AdWords search marketing campaign for commercial banking that
yielded $6 million in new loans.
• Created similar online campaigns for $100,000+ investments for personal banking products that
also created a high ROI.
• Created an online ad management workflow system that saved 1000s of hours/year in production
time. Client ad production time decreased from 10 days to as little as 24 hours saving over $200K in
production costs.
• Worked with Regions E-commerce team to develop branded mini-sites and digital promotions.
• Enabled collaboration between multiple functional divisions within Regions and the agency.
• Implemented creative concepts throughout digital channels

13. Work We Have Done: Regions Bank

14. Work We Have Done: Regions Bank

15. Experience You Can Bank On.
The Work
Aliant Bank
Aliant Bank is an Alabama based community bank with over $1 billion in assets. The bank merged
with USAmriBank in 2012 which drove a complete rebranding effort. As one of Alabama’s oldest banks
founded in Alexander City, Alabama in 1900, we tapped into the bank’s history to rediscover its brand
essence. Following an in depth brand audit that incorporated competitive research and interviews, we
launched a new logo icon and typeface for Aliant as well as a new positioning statement: A Century of
Banking On Alabama. In addition, our rebranding efforts have included:
• Developed a brand guidelines manual to maintain a consistent identity throughout Aliant’s15-
branch network.
• Launched a completely new and optimized web site that introduces Aliant’s new brand in a fresh,
new way.
• Designed new exterior signage and managed installation throughout Aliant’s branch network.
• Produced new product collateral (personal and business brochures).

18. Experience You Can Bank On.
The Work
BBVA Compass Bank
BBVA Compass is a leading U.S. banking franchise located in the Sunbelt region. BBVA Compass ranks
among the top 20 largest U.S. commercial banks based on deposit market share and ranks as the third
largest bank in Alabama, fourth largest bank in Texas and fifth largest bank in Arizona. Headquartered in
Birmingham, Ala., BBVA Compass operates more than 716 branches throughout Texas, Alabama, Ari-
zona, California, Florida, Colorado and New Mexico.
BBVA Compass hired Hip beginning in the Fall of 2012 to provide creative development and produc-
tion management in the area of direct mail. Following an in depth review of their over 500 page brand
manual, we began work on the first project: to create and produce a direct mail package for the BBVA
Compass Clear Points credit card including an attention getting envelope, a direct mail letter and a com-
pelling insert.
After a successful first project, we have since developed direct mail creative packages for the following
financial products: a pre-approved personal loan offering, a pre-approved mortgage refinance offer, and
a preferred client offering.
While we have worked hard to assimilate the work to their international brand flavor, we have also
given it our own creative touch while staying on point with their brand standards. The result has been
direct mail that grabs attention and new customers.