Haan Marketing + Communications Named December Small Business of the Month

Haan Marketing + Communications

Named December Small Business of the Month
Sponsored by Lafayette Savings Bank

Asked for three words to describe the 33-year-old business that’s more than an advertising agency, five-year co-owner Bob Dearing says of Haan Marketing+Communications: “Savvy, purpose-drive and loyal.”

Offering a blend of traditional and new media services, the 10-employee, full-service agency is “a savvy hybrid that’s strategic through and through with an entrepreneurial spirit that gives clients an edge—new opportunities and innovative solutions other agencies may not have thought of or be able to develop and deliver,” Dearing says.

That’s spawned success, recognized by Greater Lafayette Commerce as it names Haan Marketing+Communications December Small Business of the Month.

Clients Appreciate Talent, Creativity, Results

It’s a well-deserved award, Haan’s clients agree.

“Their work is outstanding, the staff is incredibly talented and a pleasure to work with, and they give back to the community in countless ways,” says Lisa Decker at St. Elizabeth Regional Health. “Our community is very fortunate to have such a terrific asset.”

Heather Hoesly at Purdue Intercollegiate Athletics says Haan’s campaigns are creative, complete and effective. “Their new audio and video capabilities are very convenient for us to use because they are local and available to work around our coaches’ and student-athletes’ busy schedules.”

In-house Broadcast, Video, Web Services

Services range from advertising, brand development and planning to design, digital marketing, web design, direct marketing, media placement and public relations. It also offers in-house broadcast and video services and in-house web development.

“We do it all—from strategy to design to code development,” Dearing says of web work. And “we also offer award-winning, in-house video production, which has helped our clients add value to a growing number of electronic media applications, all while fitting within their budget.”

Proprietary Brand Steering Program

Branding is another area of expertise, he says. “We have created a proven brand development process.” It includes offering brand workshops and facilitating a proprietary brand steering program, “helping our clients leverage their strengths and build valuable brand equity across all mediums.”

The firm’s expertise in brand development is what sets it apart, says Michelle Kreinbrook at Unity Healthcare. And, she reports, “They have never missed a deadline and have executed projects with precision.”

Giving to the Community

She, too, cites the agency’s work with local organizations, such as the YWCA Women’s Cancer Program, as a plus.

Other groups that have benefited from financial or service contributions include Habitat for Humanity, Lynn Treece Boys and Girls Club, Lafayette Catholic Schools, Leadership Lafayette and the Elks Club, among others.

Founded 1976, Bought by Dearing 2004

The agency’s roots go back to 1976, when it was founded by Joyce Haan Weintraut and David Miskunas. Dearing was hired there 20 years ago, and in 2004, he and his wife, Michelle, bought the agency.

“I grew up in a family business, so having my own place was always in the back of my mind,” says Dearing, 42. “I think that I owe an awful lot to both Joyce and David for the opportunity I had.”

Since buying the agency, he’s added his own touch. “I saw some opportunities for strategy development, a higher level of sophistication in what we do, and establishing some processes that drove messaging,” he says. “We’ve developed our own proprietary processes for brand development and messaging. And we keep a lookout for where the industry is going as a whole.”

Born and raised in St. Joseph, Mich., Dearing came to Lafayette in 1985 to attend Purdue, where he majored in communications with an advertising concentration, minored in English and also took management and marketing classes.

After graduating in 1989, he spent six months in sales. Interested in possibly working for an Indianapolis ad agency, he visited Weintraut to learn what she might know. “It was an information-gathering session,” Dearing says. “She brought me in as an account executive, and here I am 20 years later.”

Credits Staff for Increased Revenues

Since Dearing bought the business, annual billings have increased by more than 70 percent. “We consistently invest in technology and aim to over-deliver results,” Dearing says.  

The agency’s success is as much his staff’s as his, he says.

He calls Earl Borron, vice president and creative director and a buddy since college, “the other part of my brain.” “He makes sure things keep moving. He keeps you thinking.

“I’ve got some really great talent on staff,” Dearing says. “I’d stack these guys up against anybody. I’m super proud of them and the work they do and the effort they give. Without these guys, it doesn’t happen.”

Criteria for Small Business Winners

Businesses nominated for the Small Business of the Month award must be:

§  Privately owned

§  In business under current ownership at least three years

§  A Greater Lafayette Commerce member

§  Staffed by 50 or fewer employees

§  Involved in the community