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What's in a name? A new era for ad firm

Vladimir Jones' 'arrival' a sign of changing times

By Joyzelle Davis, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published June 2, 2008 at 6 p.m.

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Vladimir Jones' new company Web site is as enigmatic as the mysterious Mr. Jones himself.

Photo by Special To The Rocky

Vladimir Jones' new company Web site is as enigmatic as the mysterious Mr. Jones himself.

The new Web site features images from the agency's accounts, including the Colorado Tourism Office and St. Mary's Hospital.

Photo by Vladimirjones.Com

The new Web site features images from the agency's accounts, including the Colorado Tourism Office and St. Mary's Hospital.

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After nearly four decades as Praco, the Colorado Springs- based advertising agency felt it needed a new name to reflect the evolution of its approach.

Something that, in the words of its Web site, conveyed "the duality of our business. Art and commerce. Creative aesthetic and work ethic. Precision and soul."

That something turned out to be Vladimir Jones.

"Is this for real? Have they lost their minds?" said Nechie Hall, CEO of Vladimir Jones, laughingly summarizing some of the first reactions to the name change unveiled Monday.

Vladimir Jones is indeed the real new name of Praco, although the man himself is fictional. The agency came up with the name initially as a riff on the industry practice of using company principals' last names - along the lines of Karsh & Hagan or McClain Finlon - but then ended up creating a whole new identity to go along with it, down to a CD with Vladimir's favorite tunes and a booklet containing his pearls of wisdom.

Among them: "Don't do anything without understanding why."

Hall founded Praco - an abbreviation for Public Relations Advertising Co. - with her husband, Jim, in 1970. The company has grown from a two-person agency to a nearly 80-employee shop that billed $53.5 million last year, making it one of the largest independent agencies in the state.

The advertising world has changed dramatically since Hall founded Praco while in her 20s. The company is now just as likely to be reaching audiences through text messages or blogs as traditional newspaper or television ads, she said.

"Praco didn't seem to say what we did anymore," Hall said. "It has served us well, but my personal philosophy is you can't win the race if you don't get out in front."

Praco has engaged in a slow rollout of its new brand over the past few months, leaving enigmatic voice mail messages and postcards from Vladimir Jones.

The company's clients include the Broadmoor Hotel, Colorado Department of Transportation and Centura Health. More than 70 percent of the agency's business is outside of the state, and the name change is geared to help make it even more competitive on a national level, Hall said.

Pieter Leenhouts, director of strategic marketing at Xcel Energy, was one of the recipients of Mr. Jones' enigmatic missives. Praco is the advertising agency of record for Xcel's safety campaign.

"I understand the philosophy behind it and what they're trying to do, so in that context the name makes sense," Leenhouts said.

davisj@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-2514