Last month, Novak Birch celebrated 30 years in business! We enjoyed revealing some secrets behind the history of our marketing and events agency. Our social media accounts turned into a month-long throwback as we highlighted some of the very best photos from the NB archives.
While we’re still in popping champagne mode over here, we wanted to share some of the fun facts about our marketing and events agency that make us unique—and have carried us through the decades.
1. Our roots run deep.
Novak Birch’s founder, Beau Birch, gained inspiration to start the company from his father, a talented Mad Men-style ad man and designer in the 70s. While his father ran marketing creative and ad sales, his mother handled operations and finance.
We’re still mad about dapper branding today. (Minus the whole wearing-a-suit-to-work thing…)
2. When we say we’re full-service, we mean it.
We have in-house capabilities to design and build pretty much anything. We’ve spent years bringing clients’ dreams to life with creative, strategic plans that deliver measurable results.
From custom crab mallets to handcrafted walnut boxes presented to Chinese delegates—and even two-story exhibit booths featuring 55-foot digital walls and virtual reality stations—we’ve helped clients over the years build their brands and businesses.
3. Exhibit, environmental, and interior design is in our blood.
Before the digital days, we created mini exhibit booth renderings from cardboard. Clients came in to meet with Steve Novak and move the little cardboard pieces around until we built the model of their dreams. Today, our interactive and 3D design capabilities have far surpassed our cardboard days. We love watching how technology continues to enhance our designers’ creativity.
4. Our 125-year-old, 60,000-square-foot office space was once home to the Jno. H. Geis & Co. lumber company, followed by Knipp & Co. Architectural Woodworking.
Knipp famously crafted woodwork and furniture for White House renovations for presidents Truman, Taft, Harding, and Eisenhower. He notably created and installed woodwork for the East Room, the Green Room, the Blue Room, and the Red Room, as well as millwork for the Lincoln Bedroom and many other bedrooms, corridors, and sitting rooms on the second and third floors.
In fact, one of Novak Birch’s conference rooms is called “the Oval Office” because rumor has it, the oval window inside was originally built for the White House!
5. We brought our dogs to work before it started trending!
Dogs have been an important part of our culture for a long time. We love seeing pictures of Dawn’s dog, Sophie, who was the very first office dog back in 1992. Every great marketing strategy or creative design for a trade show booth comes after a break to pet the tail-wagging pups.
6. We’re basically movie stars.
Scenes from the 2009 movie My One and Only, starring Renée Zellweger, were filmed at Novak Birch. Talk about starstruck—we were a little distracted that week!
7. We don’t use the term “partnership” lightly.
Some of our clients have worked with us since we opened our doors in 1987, including Western Branch Metals and The Vane Brothers Company.
As we look back on 30 fantastic years, and into our future, we remain committed to building rich, longstanding relationships as a top full-service marketing and events agency in the Baltimore region and beyond.
