Reid Stone puts the heart and soul back into advertising with HERO|Farm.
Like attorneys, insurance agents and dentists, Reid Stone believes that advertisers have been among the most hated of professionals. After all, who wants the “Mad Men,” slick, holier-than-thou attitude in a three-piece suit telling you how to represent your company to the public and all for a hefty price tag? When Stone created HERO|Farm back in 2009, he set out to change that stereotype for the better.
Born and raised on the Gulf Coast, Stone is an only child who didn’t fall far from the tree with a mother in public relations and a father in marketing. After graduating Mississippi State University with degrees in International Business and Spanish, Stone came to New Orleans after the levee failures in 2005 to help revitalize the economy. At first, Stone worked in a large, local firm for a few years driving the marketing strategies for clients like the New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Louisiana Superdome. This is also where he met HERO|Farm’s co-founder Shaun Walker.
In 2008, Stone and Walker were two of many people who fell victim to the massive layoffs taking place all over the country, but they turned this sour note into their advantage. Gathering his fellow co-workers who now found themselves jobless, Stone formed HERO|Farm – “an idea cultivation marketing and advertising agency” whose sole purpose is to “do great work for good people,” specializing in helping entrepreneurs and small to medium-sized businesses build their brand through social media and non-traditional advertising. “A lot of small businesses believe they can’t afford a marketing agency, but our services can be quite inexpensive.” emphasizes Stone.
Along with regular clients like myPhoneMD and the International High School of New Orleans, HERO|Farm makes a point to take on one (but often more than one) pro-bono client per year. Green Light New Orleans, WRBH – Reading Radio for the Blind and Project 30/90 are only a few of the many non-profit organizations that have benefited from the creative, innovative talent found at HERO|Farm. Stone takes pride in the company’s philanthropic endeavors and admits that “aiding the community helps keep us grounded and reminds us why we’re here.”
For more information, please visit them online at www.hero-farm.com.
*Article originally published in the May 2013 issue of New Orleans Living Magazine
