Press release from Kudzu Brands:
On May 4, Kudzu Brands announced their Brand New Start 10K Brand Giveaway, a community-wide competition giving away $10,000 in branding services to one local nonprofit and business looking to adjust or pivot in the midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic. The giveaway started with a two week-long entry period in which local businesses or non-profit organizations could submit an application stating why they believed they were most deserving to win. Ten finalist entries were then selected by Kudzu Brands and turned over to public vote via an online platform.
The rules of the contest stated that the business and the non-profit with the most public votes by May 29, 2020 would receive the $10,000 in branding services. After over 20,00 votes overall, the Literacy Council of Buncombe County and Asheville Wellness Tours came out as the winners of the giveaway in their categories with 3598 votes and 7789 votes respectively.
“Kudzu Brands has been supporting the growth of local businesses for ten years. We are very engrained in this community and committed to its success. When we saw our business and non-profit peers struggling, we knew we had to do something to help. Our goal is to do our part to help ‘lift all boats’,” said Murphy Funkhouser Capps, Partner & Brand Strategist.
Business winner Nicole Will of Asheville Wellness tours said, “In such chaotic, anxious times, we’re deeply grateful for this incredible opportunity to work with Kudzu Brands and for the unbelievable support of our community far and wide. To all of the folks who took time to vote, share, and lift us up throughout this process, we thank you for believing in us, for sharing your big hearts, and for supporting small business.”
LuAnn Arena, of the Literacy Council of Buncombe County shared a similar sentiment, saying, “We are thrilled to have won the Kudzu Brands New Start Giveaway! We are looking forward to working with Kudzu to update our brand and to increase awareness of who we are and what we do. Thank you to all who voted for us and support our work every day – it was a close race to the end. We wish the other contestants all the best.”
The contest was offered in lieu of a 10th anniversary party Kudzu Brands had planned for late May. Kudzu Brands originally opened in downtown Black Mountain in May of 2010 and has gone on to open a new office in downtown Asheville and to support the growth of over 500 Western North Carolina Businesses.
“What better way to celebrate 10 years in business than to give back to the community we love.” Heather Johnson, COO & Brand Strategist.
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