In the five years I have worked with VANCE on the Richmond Folk Festival, the effort to promote an amazing, multicultural “feast for the senses” has grown into a highly coordinated, well-oiled machine that draws eyes and ears to the festival throughout the summer and early fall. From the festival website to press coverage across diverse media in Richmond to special projects like an e-newsletter and a very successful promotional video (filmed in hurricane-like conditions, no less), the team working to promote the Richmond Folk Festival has matured significantly due to the vision and leadership of VANCE.

Our partnership with VANCE affords us the ability to be current, relevant and agile in the always-changing landscape of public awareness. Their creative spirit energizes our membership and brings tangible results to our vision. But most importantly, Kelly and her team share our dedication and passion for this life-saving mission.

From the outset of our collaboration, VANCE demonstrated an unwavering commitment to excellence, innovation, and impact. Their strategic vision, professionalism, and ability to deliver compelling narratives that spotlight this serious issue have significantly enhanced the visibility and effectiveness of our public health messaging. They approach every project with thoughtfulness, creativity, and a deep understanding of both our mission and our audience.

As an 18 year veteran of television, I have worked with many PR and Marketing agencies. Of them, few show the ‘out of the box thinking’ that today’s strategies require; and even fewer reach out to us to acquire a media insider’s perspective and expertise. VANCE has been the only agency that not only shows the knowledge and forward thinking to best promote the client’s needs, but reaches out to media professionals to help stay on the forefront of industry trends and events, all the while building excellent professional relationships.

I can attest to their expertise and ability to be a strategic partner, delivering quality counsel and content in an ever-changing, high-profile situation. In VANCE, I felt like we had a partner. At all times, I felt that they had as much skin in the game as we did, and their involvement resulted in better outcomes for Virginians than if we had chosen to try to handle these aspects in-house. From writing and placing op-eds to organizing satellite media tours with subject matter experts and leveraging existing relationships to help our message reach millions of residents, every detail was thoroughly researched and planned, then executed flawlessly.

Kelly is an absolute force when it comes to amplifying your message. I’ve been impressed with her ability to rally fans around a brand and create genuine conversations that lead to conversions. Kelly also does all of this with a kind heart and from a place of absolute integrity. If you’re a brand looking for help sharing your message, give Kelly a call. I give her my highest recommendation.

Strategic counsel is where this team shines. They partner with you to solve communications challenges. They are team players that are focused on outcomes and they are helpful at navigating all kinds of communications challenges. Over and over again, they exceed expectations.

I trust Kelly, and know I can reach out to her for assistance. She cares about our people, our region, and our state. It is hard to express the importance of this level of trust for us at the local level, but having someone to rely on for the duration of this pandemic has been invaluable.