A Working History of Advertising in Greenville, SC (1950s–2020s)

This is a living draft. It mixes documented milestones with well-sourced local recollections. Edits welcome.

1) The Roots (1930s–1950s)

Greenville’s ad industry takes root well before midcentury. Barron Advertising is often cited as the city’s first agency (1936). By 1946, Jim Henderson opens Henderson Advertising, bringing national ambition to a textile town and, by the early 1950s, helping organize and lead the local Ad Club. Around the same time, Lowe & Hall and Leslie Advertising are forming the early “triangle” of shops that would define the market through the 1960s.

The 1950s snapshot: post‑war manufacturing and media proliferation (radio dominance, TV’s arrival, newspaper vigor) fuel local advertising growth. Henderson’s push for national CPG work and Leslie’s tourism instincts set the stage for Greenville’s creative identity.

2) Scale & Swagger (1960s–1980s)

By the 1960s and 1970s, Henderson’s Texize/DowBrands work (Spray ’n Wash, Fantastik) puts Greenville on the map. In 1980, Henderson Advertising becomes the first agency outside New York or Chicago to be named Advertising Age Agency of the Year—a watershed moment that signals to talent nationwide that big‑league advertising happens here.

Leslie Advertising, founded by Bill Leslie, grows into a tourism powerhouse, later renowned for “Smiling Faces, Beautiful Places” for the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism.

Talent magnetism & spin‑outs: Henderson and Leslie become pipelines for future founders and leaders. Notably, Mike Goot (a Henderson and Leslie alum) and others jump‑start new shops. Greenville “over‑indexes” in agencies through the 1980s, with 30+ shops working regional and national accounts. Henderson’s recruiting playbook (“What in Hell Am I Doing in Greenville, SC?”) lures creatives from bigger markets.

The Clemson Tiger Paw Story

One of Henderson’s most enduring contributions to the Southeast’s visual identity came when John Antonio, an art director at Henderson, designed the Clemson Tiger Paw logo in 1970. The mark became an icon of collegiate branding and remains Clemson University’s defining visual symbol. After his time at Henderson, Antonio later joined Guthrie and Associates, where he worked under David Guthrie until his retirement.

1980s Henderson alumni who impacted the scene:

• Joe & Gretchen Erwin, who would soon build Erwin‑Penland (EP+Co)
• Mike Goot (later a cofounder in the lineage that becomes Brains on Fire)
• Andy Mendelsohn (later ECD at Erwin‑Penland and agency founder)
• Brad Majors (later founder of Socoh Marketing Group)
• Pat Victory and Mark Bazil, who both later founded Bazil Victory Advertising after early careers at Henderson

3) Henderson’s Final Chapter and the Birth of Cargo

By the late 1990s, Ralph Callahan, a respected account executive and later president of Henderson Advertising, took ownership of the agency. Under his leadership, Henderson maintained strong national accounts and continued its legacy of creative excellence. However, the agency’s operations were deeply affected when embezzlement by a trusted employee caused severe financial strain. This internal crisis, coupled with industry shifts, ultimately led to Henderson’s closure.

When Henderson shut its doors, one of its remaining clients stayed loyal, forming the seed for a new agency: Cargo. Built from Henderson’s final client relationship and driven by a small team of its alumni, Cargo went on to become a successful B2B and brand-to-demand agency, continuing the spirit of Greenville’s creative ingenuity. In this way, Cargo represents the bridge between the Henderson legacy and the city’s modern digital-forward agency ecosystem.

3) The Goot/Phillips Lineage → Brains on Fire (1980s–2010s)

• Phillips, Goot & Black emerges, evolving into Eison Goot Group (when Jean Eison is a partner). After Eison’s departure, the firm is known as Phillips & Goot when Robin Phillips joins the agency after leaving Leslie Advertising.
• 1998: Phillips & Goot acquires Greg & Greg (co‑founded by Greg Cordell and Greg Ramsey), briefly adopting the combined name Phillips, Goot, Greg & Greg.
• A short‑lived rebrand to Woofgang follows—then, in 1999, the team adopts the now‑iconic name Brains on Fire.
• 2004: Mike Goot retires to Mexico. Robin (Robbin) Phillips continues to lead.
• 2010s: Brains on Fire helps popularize “yeah, THAT Greenville” with VisitGreenvilleSC, a word‑of‑mouth‑driven destination brand platform.
• 2024: Brains on Fire rebrands to BRAINS.
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Notable work attributed across the lineage: American Federal’s “Black Sheep” banking campaign; destination branding work including “yeah, THAT Greenville”; and earlier, the city‑boosting “Of All Places, Greenville” era (a pre‑hashtag precursor in spirit).

Founders & stalwarts associated with Brains on Fire:

• Robin (Robbin) Phillips
• Greg Cordell
• Greg Ramsey
• Geno Church (longtime community/word‑of‑mouth leader)
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4) Erwin‑Penland to EP+Co, and Erwin’s Next Chapter (1980s–2020s)

• 1986: Joe & Gretchen Erwin acquire Penland Advertising, creating Erwin‑Penland in Greenville. The firm scales to hundreds of employees, notable national accounts, and a New York office.
• 2004: Erwin‑Penland sells to Hill Holliday (IPG). The agency later becomes EP+Co.
• 2015–2016: Joe Erwin departs the agency, launches Erwin Creates, and founds Endeavor, a creative‑industry coworking community in downtown Greenville.
• 2018–2025: Erwin founds the Greenville Triumph (and later Greenville Liberty) soccer clubs; steps down as chairman in 2025 while remaining an owner.
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5) Fuel’s Origin, Ownership Timeline & Offshoots (2001–2020s)

• 2001: Fuel is founded after the merger of Jamison Creative and Kaleidoscope Design by Jami Mullikin, Bill Donohue, Eric Whitlock, and Scott Buck.
• 2002–2005: Buck exits (2002); Whitlock exits (2003); Mullikin exits (2005) to found Hill Mullikin Marketing Co. with Chris Hill.
• 2005–2012: Bill Donohue becomes sole owner.
• 2012: Warren Griffith joins as partner (and later CEO).
• 2014: Donohue exits to found Emanate Brands; Griffith leads Fuel.
• 2022: Mary Cornette acquires Fuel; serves as owner & CEO.
• 2024: Warren Griffith reunites with Jami Mullikin as a co-founder of Wonder
  
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Early reputation: Fuel quickly gained recognition for its strong design and brand work, often setting the tone for visual sophistication among Greenville’s new‑generation agencies.

Hill Mullikin: A Real Estate Marketing Powerhouse

After leaving Fuel, Jami Mullikin co‑founded Hill Mullikin Marketing Co. with Chris Hill, focusing on destination real estate marketing. Hill Mullikin became an industry leader in resort and luxury property branding nationwide until 2008, when the collapse of Lehman Brothers—their largest client—triggered a cascade of real estate market disruptions that ultimately led to the agency’s closure.

6) IMI Marketing and Its Alumni Network

IMI Marketing, based in Greenville, became one of the largest resort real estate marketing agencies in the United States during the late 1990s and 2000s. Under the leadership of Managing Director Warren Griffith (1999–2009), the agency produced large‑scale campaigns for resort and destination developments across North America.

Notable IMI alumni include:

• Warren Griffith
• Chad Patterson
• Matt Ferrebee
• Tim O’Neill
• Rodney Rogers
• Blake Tannery
• Jack Delgado
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IMI’s influence can still be felt across Greenville’s agency landscape, as many of its former leaders went on to found or lead creative, digital, and marketing firms throughout the Southeast.

7) Other Notables & Agencies

• Showcase Marketing (founded by Geoff Wasserman) → rebranded as The Brand Leader; an enduring brand‑first creative shop.
• Guthrie & Associates (founded 1983 by David Guthrie)—a durable local agency presence through the 2000s, employing veterans like John Antonio.
• Socoh Marketing Group (Brad Majors, founder)—part of the 1990s–2000s indie wave.
• Bazil Victory Advertising (founded by Mark Bazil and Pat Victory), both Henderson alumni, known for early 1990s creative campaigns in manufacturing and automotive sectors.
• Jackson Marketing—a long‑standing full‑service shop recognized for its deep ties to motorsports, B2B, and event marketing.
• Infinity Marketing—a major integrated agency known for media planning, retail, and telecom accounts.
• VantagePoint Marketing—specializing in B2B and industrial brand strategy, one of Greenville’s longest‑running independent agencies.
• Cargo—emerging directly from the closure of Henderson Advertising, founded from its last active client. Cargo carried forward Henderson’s legacy of strategic storytelling in a modern B2B landscape, proving that from hardship can come reinvention.
• RingoFire—a fast‑growing, social‑first creative agency that emerged in the 2010s, symbolizing Greenville’s continued relevance in the national marketing conversation.
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8) Signature Campaigns & Cultural Markers (select)

• Henderson Advertising: Clemson Tiger Paw identity (John Antonio); national CPG for Texize/DowBrands' Scrubbing Bubbles; Agency of the Year (1980)—a first outside NY/Chicago.
• Leslie Advertising: “Smiling Faces, Beautiful Places.”
• Brains on Fire / BRAINS: “yeah, THAT Greenville.”
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9) Legends & Luminaries

• Ralph Callahan — final owner of Henderson Advertising, who shepherded its legacy through closure and indirectly inspired Cargo’s founding.
• Mike Goot — copywriter/creative leader; co‑founder in the lineage that became Brains on Fire.
• Joe & Gretchen Erwin — EP+Co builders; Joe as civic catalyst (Endeavor, Triumph/Liberty).
• Robin (Robbin) Phillips — Brains on Fire/BRAINS president and longtime leader.
• John Antonio — designer of the Clemson Tiger Paw, Henderson and Guthrie alum.
• Greg Cordell — co‑founder and creative conscience of Brains on Fire.
• Greg Ramsey — co‑founder/designer; later full‑time fine artist.
• Geno Church — word‑of‑mouth/community strategy mainstay.

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10) Why Greenville? A Summary Thesis

Greenville’s ad history is the story of ambition in a mid‑sized market. Two anchors (Henderson, Leslie) attracted outsized talent, spawned entrepreneurial spin‑outs, and established a creative culture comfortable with national‑caliber work for household brands. The 1990s web wave and 2000s brand/digital specialization diversified the market. Today, the city’s agency ecosystem remains dense and nationally relevant relative to its size—sustained by a steady flow of founders, boomerang talent, and civic‑minded leaders who keep re‑investing in the local creative economy.

11) Making Advertising Great Again:
Wonder and the New Era (2024–Present)

In 2024, Greenville’s creative story entered a new phase with the rise of Wonder, a fast-scaling startup agency blending strategy, storytelling, and design innovation. Founded with a mission to challenge traditional agency structures, Wonder represents the next generation of Greenville creativity—nimble, digital-native, and purpose-driven.

Building on the legacy of Henderson, Leslie, Brains on Fire, and Fuel, Wonder positions itself as the modern embodiment of Greenville’s entrepreneurial ad spirit. The agency’s growth, client roster, and multidisciplinary team signal that Greenville’s reputation as a creative capital of the South is not nostalgia—it’s an ongoing evolution.

Notes on Sourcing & Oral History

This draft blends documented sources with first‑person/local accounts. Where public documentation is thin (e.g., short‑lived name changes, specific acquisitions between small firms), notes reflect the best available local recollections from founders/participants and will be footnoted as archival links are surfaced. Please note any corrections or additions for the next revision and email to history@workwithwonder.com.

Working with Wonder

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