Media veterans Ted Williams and Chace Black launch paid media agency
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L: Chace Black, R: Ted Williams Photos: Provided by South Mint
Charlotte Agenda founder Ted Williams and marketing veteran Chace Black are launching a new local agency called South Mint.
Why it matters: South Mint aims to fill a gap in Charlotte's marketing sphere by hyper-focusing on digital media, from TikTok and Google ads to streaming TV and podcasts.
- "The traditional agency model is broken," Black tells Axios. "They try to do a little bit of everything but aren't great at any one thing. We're trying to just be great at paid media and growth strategy."
Driving the news: South Mint officially launches Monday with three of Black's existing clients — Vestique, Safe Sedation Training and Caravan.
- The agency will cap its founding roster at 12, leaving nine seats up for grabs to middle-market businesses in the Charlotte area.
What they're saying: "I've been trying to convince Chace to start his own media agency for two years," Williams said in a press release. "He's the best media executive in Charlotte."
Between the lines: Williams will serve as an advisor and investor. This new venture is the latest in his local media empire, which includes digital media (Scoop), print distribution (Andy's Print Shop) and now marketing.
- "I love supporting media entrepreneurship," Williams previously told Axios.
How it works: South Mint describes itself as an AI-enabled agency, using the technology to speed up delivery on routine tasks while letting humans drive decisions. Black works with the clients to set goals, create advertising plans and then measures what's working with analytics.
- Pricing is a flat fee, starting at $4,000 a month for one channel, unlike many other agencies that base charges on a percentage of ads purchased, Black says.
Zoom in: Local clothing store Vestique Boutique came to Black at a time when its sales were flat or declining.
- He rebuilt the retailer's campaigns to target new shoppers, resulting in a 30% increase in online net sales, a 62% increase in new customer acquisition and a 29% increase in return on Meta ad spend during the first year, according to Black.
What's next: Interested clients can "chat with Chace" directly on South Mint's site.
Editor's note: Axios acquired Charlotte Agenda in 2020.