February 2007- Star News

Mother and son work together to make businesses stand out

By Judy Royal Star-News Correspondent judy.royal@starnewsonline.com

Helping businesses create an identity through "innovative advertising solutions" is what The Andrus Group is all about.

Susan Miller and her son, Andru Miller, started the Oak Island company in June 2005 after realizing how much Brunswick County's business climate was growing and changing.

"It used to be you didn't have to do anything down here, and that has changed, of course, dramatically, so they want to know, 'How do I make myself stand out?'" Susan said. "We have people calling us and using those buzz words, 'I know I need to get branded and I want my business card to look the same as my stationery.' They're coming in and asking us for it now."

Susan, who has 20 years of marketing experience in the real estate, banking and financial industries, moved here from the Midwest because of her husband's job relocation. She was looking for a job in marketing when she and Andru, a graphic designer and part owner of an advertising firm in Pennsylvania, decided to go into business together.

"This had been something that Andru and I had talked about for a long time," she said. "It was a good fit."

The Andrus Group, which blends their first names, is an advertising agency that offers company identity, brand development, Web site creation and hosting, logo development, brochures, fliers, business cards, and advertising concepts and placement.

For those who already have a slightly aging brand identity, The Andrus Group can help update it, or "bring it into the 21st century," Andru said.

Susan is the project manager, while Andru is the art director. While you wouldn't expect a mother to sing anything less than her son's praises, Susan insists that her opinion of Andru is based solely on his skill.

"Andru is an amazing designer," Susan said. "People are just blown away by his designs, and I'm not just saying that because I'm his mother and business partner. They say, 'Wow, I've never thought my logo could look that professional and that good.' That's a wonderful compliment to hear about your work, and we just hear it continuously."

Andru said it's second nature to him. "When you take a step back and view advertising, you see that it is everywhere, influencing decisions we make all day long," he said. "I enjoy not only helping to shape companies and their goals but also helping consumers to have a positive impact in their community."

The Andrus Group is moving its office to a bigger, more accessible location off N.C. 211 in the spring. The new address will be 3960 S.E. Executive Park Blvd., Suite 3, Southport. The company has also hired an additional employee, account executive Don McCauley, to boost its staff to four members.

The relocation and personnel addition are testament to the growth the company has seen during the past two years.