The Story
Stirring the Pot for Over Two Decades
Kurtis Loftus opened the doors in 1986. It was a desire to serve a unique brand of creative work to the small business community that fueled his passion. That passion combined with a deliberate and personal touch remains a staple of The Kurtis Group. The menu of services is now considerably larger and the staff has grown, but everyone at The Kurtis Group understands how important thoughtful preparation can be to individual customer success.
Throughout the years, The Kurtis Group has earned numerous local, state and national advertising awards including a National Silver Addy for the King Pins CD cover design. In 2004, Kurtis was honored as an American Advertising Federation’s Silver Medalist. The Silver Medal Award is the AAF’s highest honor, recognizing an advertising professional who has furthered industry standards, achieved creative excellence and is actively involved in community service.
The Kurtis Group has produced a flavorful mix of work for numerous high profile events through out the years including the Annual Gator Bowl Classic, ACC Championship Game, Jacksonville Jazz Festival, PGA Tour events and 26.2 with Donna, The National Marathon to Fight Breast Cancer.
1986
Kurtis Loftus Illustration and Design replaced the Ruby Rat name. The business focused on desktop publishing services. Computers and software were the new tools, and Kurtis was quick to embrace the technology. That year Kurtis was contracted to produce Health Focus magazine, a monthly 16-page newspaper insert. That experience provided the knowledge and confidence for Kurtis to launch his own magazine.
1987
A year of planning and development went into SouthSwell magazine. SouthSwell was a self-published, glossy, full color East Coast surfing magazine that gained national distribution in its first year. By 1988, dozens of writers and photographers were working with the staff to publish the bimonthly magazine. Twenty-five thousand copies were distributed to select markets throughout the world, more than 300 surf shops sold the magazine, and over 1,000 surfers were subscribers. Although the life of the magazine was just three years, the stories and experiences could fill a lifetime.
1990
“Downsized and simple” was the mode for the next five years. After closing down magazine production, Kurtis resumed his focus on specialized services. Several advertising agencies maintained their relationship with Kurtis, and several small business clients utilized Kurtis on a regular basis to support their marketing efforts. Surf Expo, a surf industry trade show company, contracted with Kurtis early in 1990 to produce the marketing materials for their shows in Orlando, Florida.
1996
Kurtis Creative, Inc. became official. The company vision was directed toward small business development and no longer support services for area advertising agencies. Several clients and projects allowed the shift in direction to appear seamless. The business plan was for slow, careful growth with additional services to be added as the client needs increased. By the end of the ‘90s, Kurtis Creative, Inc. would employ five full-time employees, handle an average of 60 projects a month, and be recognized as one of the area’s leading providers of creative services and marketing support.
2001
Kurtis was recognized as Small Business Leader of the Year by The Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce, Beaches Division. The company adopted the new name “The Kurtis Group” to indicate the agency’s broader scope of services. Services now include web development, business development, planning, PR, and media buying. The Kurtis Group became one of Jacksonville’s “ad boutiques.”
2006
The Kurtis Group celebrates 20 years in business! The Florida Public Relations Association recognized The Kurtis Group with three awards of excellence in public relations, during their annual Image Awards Event and 50th Anniversary Celebration. The Kurtis Group received a Judges’ Award and an Award of Distinction for their grand opening media kit developed to garner publicity for the new Beaches Museum and History Center in Jacksonville Beach. Additionally, The Gator Bowl Association announces The Kurtis Group as their Agency of Record and The Kurtis Group signs on as the presenting sponsor for the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce Beaches Division event, “The Stargazing Cruise.”
Today
In 2009, Kurtis was once again recognized as Small Business Leader of the Year by The Jacksonville Chamber of commerce, Beaches Division. The Kurtis Group continues to enjoy a solid reputation based on excellent long-term relationships with its clients and vendors. The interest in non-profit efforts keeps us busy, providing support for six organizations in the Jacksonville area. The Kurtis Group believes it is very important for business to do what is possible to give back to community.