Agency Secures Additional Space, Team Members, and Accounts; Wins Industry Awards

BLD Marketing, a results-based, digital-first, full-service strategic marketing agency serving the building materials category exclusively throughout North America and abroad, is marking another period of substantial growth at the start of 2023 more than three years after the agency's rebranding. Formerly LarsonO'Brien, the firm changed its name to BLD Marketing in late 2019 to reflect its ongoing emphasis on the building materials category. In that same period that included a global pandemic, the agency has doubled its staff size and has nearly doubled its revenue.

“BLD Marketing's business continues to grow as clients embrace our deep expertise in the building materials sector,” noted David Sladack, president of BLD Marketing. “Later this spring, we will double the size of our office footprint by leasing the other half of the building that houses our agency’s headquarters in suburban Pittsburgh. Interior remodeling is well under way, and when it is complete, our operations will occupy the entire building. It is an investment in our future.”

Over the past several months, BLD Marketing has forged partnerships with several new brands.

• Last November, BLD welcomed Nichiha USA as a full-service account. The Atlanta-based company is a recognized leader in the manufacturing of fiber cement exterior wall cladding for both commercial and residential construction. In late January and early February, BLD helped Nichiha kick off its 25th anniversary celebration at the International Builders Show (IBS) 2023, held in Las Vegas, NV.
• This spring, BLD Marketing will begin executing a full marketing program for Goley Companies, a full-service commercial and residential insulation contractor with operations throughout Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri.

As part of its growth, BLD Marketing has also welcomed new team members:

• Jeff Jones returned to BLD Marketing in December 2022 as director of account management. In this newly created role, Jones oversees a team of practitioners charged with managing the total client relationship for the agency. Jones most recently worked for Lumevity, a Pittsburgh-based business consulting firm. Prior to that, Jones served as an account manager for BLD Marketing.
• Andrew Schmit rejoined BLD Marketing in November 2022 as a performance marketing specialist. In this new role, Schmit works across disciplines at the agency to develop and execute SEO and digital marketing strategies on behalf of clients. Schmit previously served as the agency's SEO specialist and web developer.
• Candace Howell-Williams is the agency’s new social media specialist. In this new role, Howell-Williams is focused on expanding BLD's social media discipline, including social media community management and paid social media strategies. She most recently worked as a marketing and social media specialist for E-Z Anchor Puller Manufacturing Company, based in Sutersville, PA.
• Sean McFarland is the agency’s newest PR/content marketing specialist. In this capacity, McFarland plans and executes content marketing and media relations programs on behalf of a host of accounts. He most recently served as public relations and communications manager for Carlow University in Pittsburgh.
• Zach Schafer is BLD's new front-end web developer. Most recently, he served as art/design director at Invention Home in suburban Pittsburgh, where he helped inventors to create conceptual sketches, 3D digital prototypes, and other assets to enhance their online product portfolios.

In addition, the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Pittsburgh chapter recognized BLD Marketing with a Renaissance Award and an Award of Merit at the chapter’s annual Renaissance Awards banquet, held at the Carnegie Science Center on Pittsburgh’s North Side in January. BLD won both accolades in the “Media Relations” category for its work on behalf of SAF, CENTRIA, and Metl-Span.

“From recent industry recognition to new accounts and new team members, BLD Marketing has sustained plenty of momentum while continuing to offer best-of-breed solutions to help our clients optimize their digital marketing ecosystems,” said Garrett Andrae, creative director for BLD Marketing. “Our goal is to maintain and build on this momentum in the months and years to come.”