EXPERTS DISH, NOT SUGARCOATED
Restaurateurs chew the fat on how their business model changed overnight — and what the industry does next

05/01/20 • Memphis Business Journal

“I can tell you, this is a struggle for us. I know some restaurants that have been hanging on. I can’t imagine how they will ever be able to come back from this. And, that’s just an honest answer. I hate it, but it’s honest.”

How local PR firms help restaurants get their stories out of the kitchen — and in front of consumers

05/31/19 • Memphis Business Journal

““I tell restaurateurs, when opening a restaurant, that dining out is theater.””

Farmhouse: 3 Gold, 4 Silver

02/20/18 • Memphis Daily News

“Winning an ADDY in this market is a huge accomplishment for any agency,” Farmhouse principal Ben Fant told The Daily News. “Having been a judge at other chapters and also having seen district and national competitions, I can assure you that the work being created locally in Memphis is some of the best around.”

Whimsy Expands Into Franchises

10/30/17 • Memphis Daily News

“So we’re taking the look they have now and upgrading it. We’re choosing lighting, artwork and wall coverings to make it specific to the store in order to reinforce their brand and who they are.” Says Farmhouse principal Ben Fant, “Working alongside the owners and the design team, we’re reinforcing the brand through signage, merchandise, swag and other guest touch-points.

Business advice for startup founders: Play to strengths, define audience early

08/12/17 • Memphis Daily News

“Every journey of a thousand miles begins with that first single step. Every song, that first note; every long-lasting relationship can trace back to that first hello.”

Executive of the Year Spotlight Video

06/06/17 • Memphis Daily News

“From 2015 to 2016, MBJ’s 20 Small Business Awards finalists grew sales by 35 percent, collectively, and added more than 130 employees over the same period.
To help celebrate this accomplishment, we’ll be taking a closer look at each one of them.”

ADDYs Honor Memphis’ Creative Community

03/03/17 • Memphis Daily News

“Farmhouse principal and creative director Ben Fant called this year a “record” in terms of the number of entries and number of awards handed out at the event. That, as he sees it, signifies a groundswell of energy in Memphis’ creative community: “I say it every day: This is a great time to be a creative in Memphis.”

Top 40 Under 40

11/18/16 • Memphis Daily News

Despite being a small shop, Ben Fant’s Farmhouse won 10 national ADDY awards in 2016 for its advertising and branding work. A Jackson, Mississippi, native who attended Mississippi State University, Fant is a board member of the American Advertising Federation Memphis and, as an almost daily user of Overton Park, has been a vocal advocate for the greensward.

Farmhouse creative brings national gold home to Memphis

06/08/16 • Memphis Daily News

The Memphis creative scene was represented on a national stage last night, during the national American Advertising Awards competition at Disneyland in Anaheim.

Farmhouse, a two-man firm in Downtown Memphis, was recognized for its concept work for restaurateur Jeff Johnson’s latest venture, Agave Maria Kitchen & Cantina.

Creative firm reaps numerous awards for restaurant Agave Maria

04/25/16 • Memphis Daily News

Farmhouse, a two-man firm in Downtown Memphis, took home the most District ADDYs at the AAF 7 District American Advertising Awards.

All of the firm’s 12 awards were for its concept work for restaurateur Jeff Johnson’s latest venture, Agave Maria. At the 2016 Memphis ADDYs, Farmhouse took home 15 Gold awards, including Best of Branding, for its work with Johnson.

Memphis Creatives Walk Through Recent Branding Projects

12/02/15 • Memphis Daily News

The heart of Agave Maria’s branding, however, is its collection of patron saints. While tossing around the idea of depicting patron saints, Fant says the team had a Eureka moment – Why not look toward the art and culture of the city by “canonizing” famous Memphians?

Editorial: Creatives Prove Memphis’ Cool Factor is Heating Up

07/18/15 • Memphis Daily News

“If you have the vision, and the gumption, you can create something original in Memphis.”

The Memphis News cover story this week features four distinct entrepreneurs who are living, working and creating in Memphis. The aforementioned quote comes from Ben Fant, principal at local marketing firm Farmhouse. He is just one member of the city’s creative class, one guy trying to make something lasting for himself, his employees and his city.

Memphis Resolutions

12/27/14 • Memphis Daily News

“My New Year’s resolution for Memphis would be the continued revitalization and beautification of commercial areas and storefronts within the city. I have been so thrilled to witness all of these new, ‘old’ spaces come back to life. We are creating a stronger city. We are building better communities. We are removing blight. We are making an economy that is not based off of large corporations, but rather small business. And we are making a more compelling environment for visitors who will spread the word about a city that is trying. Let’s continue the reinvestment in what is available. We still have a lot to do.”

Fant Expands Farmhouse With New Space, Staff

07/10/13 • Memphis Daily News

For media, Web and strategy firm Farmhouse, 2013 has proven to be a breakout year.

That’s according to Ben Fant, who started the marketing agency in 2007 out of his home, in – where else – an 1800s-era former farmhouse. The firm recently moved into a larger space Downtown at 97 S. Front St. to make room for more staff, and recent projects it has taken on include work for restaurateur Taylor Berger’s new enterprise Tamp and Tap and the Cooper-Young restaurant Ink.

FROM THE BLOG…