Ad Agencies Are The Navy.
We Are The Navy Seals.

Doug Sappington

Founder, Operations and Sales

Doug has held many titles during his storied career: COO, Vice President, Director of Operations, and National Sales Manager, just to name a few. Entrepreneurship is in his blood, having been involved in building several successful organizations from the ground up before founding Brand Neue Company. He has extensive experience working in consumer goods, telecommunications, business-to-business, business-to-consumer, retail, financial, and education.

Doug understands the importance of having the right product/service, the right people and culture, and the right plan. He focuses on efficiency, effectiveness, productivity, profitability, team building, and exceptional client service. He values honest communication, the ability to recover from deficits, making good decisions quickly, and delivering results. He is a tireless learner, constantly working to find new ways of doing things and his mantra is Do. Better. Always.

A Birmingham native, his deep roots in the community help him build relationships with partners and vendors that help save clients time, reduce costs, and improve outcomes. Doug has a degree in Accounting from Auburn University and is a Member Beta Alpha Psi National Accounting Honorary.

Doug has two children with families in Birmingham, 3 granddaughters and his first grandson on the way. When not knee-deep in a project with Brand Neue, Doug can usually be found spending time with his family, at the gym or in the woods on a mountain bike or motorcycle.

Roger Ellenburg

Founder, Creative

With more than four decades in the industry, Roger is an experienced and enthusiastic brand storyteller. He believes it is crucial to humanize a company and make it more relatable and memorable. In a world saturated with products and services, Roger knows a compelling story distinguishes a brand from its competitors by creating an emotional connection with consumers. He believes people make decisions with their hearts — not their heads — and when we connect emotionally with the consumers, we speak the “decision language.”

Before founding Brand Neue, Roger worked in the advertising agency and corporate in-house spaces. He credits his client-side experience serving as both Marketing Director and CMO roles with giving him a more intimate understanding of what it takes to build successful client-agency relationships.

Roger has extensive experience in healthcare, financial, telecommunications, and pet-related industries and specializes in branding, employment branding, and internal communications.

He has worked with many well-known brands including Mars Inc., Royal Canin, Verizon Wireless, Regions Bank, Chick-fil-A, National Veterinary Associates, Chester’s International, Royal Cup Coffee & Tea, Landing, Southern Living/Southern Progress, Bobby’s Burgers by Bobby Flay, Taziki’s Mediterranean Café and Diversified Energy Company. He and his team have won hundreds of ADDY Awards, including Special Judges Awards, and Telly Awards.

Roger and his wife Vicki are fierce pickleballers. Roger is passionate about his faith and loves spending time with his wife, kids and especially his 10 grandkids.

Joey Graddy

Partner, Creative

Joey believes great creative should do more than turn heads. It should move businesses forward. For more than 25 years, he’s been doing just that, building powerful brands, creating award-winning work and helping businesses connect with customers in meaningful ways.

As a partner at Brand Neue since 2013, Joey helps shape the agency’s creative vision, develop its talent and ensure the work is as strategically sound as it is creatively compelling. He brings a rare combination of creative instinct, business acumen and hands-on leadership to everything he does.

Throughout his career, Joey has led creative initiatives for startups and established national brands alike, including multimillion-dollar brand activations. His client experience includes Verizon Wireless, Honda, Books-A-Million, Chester’s Chicken, Mars Petcare, Fortera Credit Union, Royal Cup, Tidal Wave Auto Spa and numerous others. His expertise spans brand strategy and identity, advertising, digital marketing, environmental design, web development, video and animation.

Creativity runs in the family for Joey, his wife, Gia, and their two kids. Former Auburn University show choir performers, Joey and Gia share a love of music and set design, talents they continue to put to work at Oak Mountain Middle School, where Gia is Choir Director. Their elaborate holiday displays have become the stuff of local legend, drawing visitors from miles around. And when Joey isn’t dreaming up his next big production, he’s building something a little smaller—with a LEGO collection boasting more than 700 creations.

Brooke Smith

Executive Creative Director

Growing up with an innate curiosity in human behavior and what she now understands is design thinking, Brooke’s career start in graphic design and her subsequent development into a seasoned creative marketing veteran today, seems preordained. Brooke is lauded as a master dilemma unraveller, steady-handed people persuader, simplicity seeker and conformity challenger. These superpowers are central to her creative, organizational and account leadership.

Brooke is a national, regional and local design award-winning, multi-disciplinary creative whose expertise lies in direction, design and strategy. Her projects have included the design of brand identity, brand experience, environment, publication, packaging, websites and campaigns, many of which range across multiple media.

Industry breadth characterizes Brooke’s experience from publishing and pet care to education, food and beverage, finance, fashion and non-profit. She has worked with well-known national brands including Mars Inc., Greenies, IAMS, Pedigree, Frontgate, Health Magazine, Cooking Light Magazine and National Veterinary Associates, as well as regional brands such as 2nd & Charles, Parisian, Books-A-Million, Chester’s International, Royal Cup Coffee & Tea, Taziki’s Mediterranean Café, Diversified Energy Company, Highlands College and the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Creativity runs in the family. Brooke’s husband, Cleve, is a creative director too, and their son hasn’t rebelled against good design yet. When she’s not working, you’ll find her lost in a good book or podcast, on the road, or adventuring with the people she loves.

Grace NeSmith

Director of Operations

When asked to describe her role at Brand Neue, Grace called herself a relationship builder, strategic thinker, leader, collaborator and motivator. She genuinely has her hand in many aspects of the business, including account service, business development, digital strategy, and production, social media strategy and production, print strategy and production, management of creatives, and much more. Grace says: “I’m always in motion, looking for ways to help my team and my clients achieve their goals.”

Grace has 12-plus years of experience in client services and project management. She started in healthcare benefits consulting, managing clients with more than 50,000 employees, and transitioned into account and project management in the agency world in 2018. Since joining Brand Neue, she has spearheaded efforts for clients including Mars Petcare, Royal Canin, Express Oil Change, Royal Cup Coffee and Tea, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Bobby’s Burgers, Books-a-Million, 2nd and Charles, Chester’s International, Highlands College, and Southern Research.

Grace has a Master of Hispanic Studies with an English Concentration from Auburn University and a dual Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish and Journalism, also from Auburn. She was on the Dean’s List every semester and a student marshall at graduation. Grace also completed coursework in advanced photography and advanced feature writing. She studied abroad in Alcalá de Henares, Spain, writing for and organizing the student magazine Alcalá a tus pies. She also completed Spanish conversation and phonetics courses in Salamanca, Spain, and was a transient student in San Luis, Costa Rica where she completed community outreach coursework, including working at an English camp for local children.

When not at work, Grace and her husband Neal enjoy spending time with their three children — biking, hiking, swimming, traveling — really doing anything outside, together.

Hayley England

Senior Art Director

Hayley is a national award-winning designer with more than two decades of experience in corporate identity, packaging, print collateral, direct mail, and advertising. She specializes in conceptual design and is known for her intense attention to detail. She’s especially passionate about designing logos and invitations and book/editorial design.

Hayley is methodical and carefully studies each project to find the most effective and creative solution. To her clients, she is the keeper of the brand and works tirelessly to ensure brand standards are not only met but are the solid foundation upon which a brand is reinforced, promoted, and amplified.

Hayley was heavily influenced by her high school art teacher who was a typographer. She earned a BFA in Graphic Design from Auburn University. She has worked at several Birmingham-based creative companies and has worked on many well-known brands including Verizon Wireless, Home Depot, Mars Petcare, Buffalo Rock, Honda, Captain D’s, Chester’s International, Tidal Wave Auto Spa, Highlands College, Books-a-Million, RFG Advisory, Alabama Sweet Tea Co. and the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Hayley’s work has earned her numerous ADDY Awards over the years.

When Hayley isn’t working with amazing brands, she’s likely enjoying life on the lake with her husband, Aaron, and their daughter—cruising on their pontoon, relaxing at the lake house, or cheering on the Auburn Tigers at a football or basketball game.

Jenny Bryant

Senior Account Executive

Jenny is keenly focused on client communication. During her years of experience in account and project management, she has learned that to build a strong, productive relationship with clients, it’s key to understand their communication style and meet them where they are. She knows many clients come to her and her team for guidance on finding their brand voice and direction and being heard and understood is a critical part of that process. Over the years, she’s found her most valuable skill is listening and understanding the situation and challenges from the client’s perspective.

She is also passionate about being more than just a creative order-taker. Her role is to bring value to the client-agency relationship by offering innovative ideas and finding new opportunities so her clients can greatly expand their marketing efforts and grow their brand. Jenny graduated from Jacksonville State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Public Relations. Her class was observed as part of the accreditation process for the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC). Jenny has worked with several marketing companies in Birmingham and has served many national and regional clients such as Fortera Credit Union, Four Seasons Federal Credit Union, Bank of the West, Regions Bank, Highlands College, RFG Advisory, Tidal Wave Auto Spa and SteadPoint. In 2023, her team won a Hermes Creative Award for the comprehensive redesign of Cotton Incorporated’s Lifestyle Monitor website from both a user experience and visual design perspective.

Jenny and her husband, Jake, have two daughters and if she’s not at Brand Neue, she could be anywhere. Watching a Savannah Bananas game, exploring a cave in west Georgia or at a tap-dancing competition — not as a spectator, as a participant.

Andrew Handley

Senior Art Director

Andrew has always had a passion for creating, from drawing to painting, web coding, and animation. He grew up in a family that encouraged his creative endeavors. Since graduating with a degree in graphic design from Auburn, he has continued to hone his creative and development skills and gain new ones along the way. He was recognized as Web Designer of the Year by the American Advertising Federation Birmingham and his attention to detail and innovative creative solutions are infused in all his work.

Andrew approaches his work by thinking of engaging and creative ways to help the end user understand the value of a product. He specializes in storytelling through animation and videos, as well as web coding with HTML, CSS, and WordPress.

During his career, he has worked with numerous agencies in the Birmingham area and has worked with national and local brands including Verizon Wireless, BBVA, Honda, Mars Petcare, Buffalo Rock, Chester’s International, the University of Alabama at Birmingham and Fortera Credit Union.

When Andrew isn’t producing inspired creative, you’ll find him lifting heavy weights at the gym or exploring new worlds in Zelda or Mario.

Brian Handley

Senior Art Director

Brian is that rare creative who’s equally comfortable designing something beautiful and figuring out how to make it work. With more than 20 years of experience, he brings a unique combination of design expertise, technical know-how and a results-driven mindset to every project.

A graduate of Auburn University with a BFA in Graphic Design, Brian began his career at a small agency where a need for web development sparked his interest in coding. He taught himself to build websites from the ground up, developing a skill set that bridges the gap between creative design and technical execution.

Today, Brian approaches every project with equal consideration for aesthetics, user experience and performance. Whether he’s building a sophisticated e-commerce platform or finding just the right animation to bring a website to life, he believes great design should not only look good but deliver measurable results.

His expertise includes HTML, CSS, JavaScript, SEO, analytics and content management platforms including WordPress, WooCommerce and Shopify. Over the years, he’s worked with brands including McDonald’s, Verizon Wireless, BBVA Compass, Honda, Mars Petcare, Books-A-Million, RFG Advisory, Christ Health Center and the University of Alabama at Birmingham. His work has earned multiple ADDY Awards.

When Brian isn’t bringing creative ideas to life, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Kim, and their two kids. He’s also an avid Auburn fan who enjoys weightlifting and the occasional late-night gaming session.

Alex Kistler

Account Director

Alex works closely with clients to understand their needs and bring fresh, new ideas to the table. Ultimately, his goal is to be a valuable extension of his client’s team, boost all aspects of their business, and cultivate and grow strong, lasting relationships.

To this end, he loves rolling up his sleeves, doing his homework, and gaining a strong understanding of the client’s industry, business personality, and objectives. Alex’s keen attention to detail allows him to design and carefully monitor processes to make sure BNC delivers services that are on point, on time, and within established budgets.

He has experience bringing together multiple teams — strategy, media, production, management, and creative — to foster and promote collaboration and mutual support. Alex believes the role of the account team goes way beyond servicing the client to supporting the entire Brand Neue team and enabling them to do their best work. He believes in leading by example and getting to know his team members well. This allows him to facilitate communication that, again, empowers everyone to work at their most productive, creative, and efficient level.

An agency veteran, Alex has spearheaded multiple ADDY Award-winning integrated campaigns for Valvoline, Jack’s Family Restaurants, and UAB Callahan Eye Hospital. Alex has worked with national and local clients including AmFirst Federal Credit Union, Southern Company Gas, Birmingham Legion FC, Mercedes-Benz USA, Taziki’s Mediterranean Café, Diversified Energy Company and Mars Inc. He earned his PMP® (Project Management Professional) certification in 2015 and he graduated cum laude from Auburn University with a B.A. in Communication and Media Studies.

Alex is a proud boy dad who loves exploring the outdoors with his wife, Katie, and their three boys. An avid runner, he’s always up for an adventure and never passes up an opportunity to spend time at the beach.

Lane Mullins

Art Director

Lane lived in Manzini, eSwatini, a small landlocked country in Southern Africa, during his high school years. While in Africa, Lane became the designer for the local church and community center where he lived. Throwing himself into the challenge, he eventually led a creative team of 10+ at age 16 and also managed the design and website production for a purse company run by and benefiting women in eSwatini.

This experience gave Lane insight into how people from different cultures and viewpoints prioritize and interact with design in everyday life. It also taught him that it is crucial to understand the viewpoint of your audience when working on any design project. This insight brings meaning to the decision-making process, rather than making arbitrary design choices.

Lane has experience in business-to-business, business-to-consumer, retail, financial, healthcare, outdoors, tourism, recruitment, and architecture/interior design. His passion is evident, working with non-profit organizations that positively impact the community, like Christ Health Center and The University of Alabama at Birmingham. He has worked in experiential design, environmental design, digital native, UI, UX, brand strategy and identity, SEO, social media, and content marketing with clients like Mars Inc. and Tidal Wave Auto Spa. Lane has won two Graphic Design USA Packaging Design Awards. While at Auburn, he received the Auburn University President’s Award and W. James Samford, Jr. Award for the College of Architecture, Design, and Construction, the top graphic design award given each year, and was named a “GDUSA Student to Watch” by his professors.

Lane enjoys traveling to new places, baking complex creations for the sport of it, and hunting down beautifully designed books to peruse.

Rachel Pocus

Art Director

achel focuses her passion on experiential design and, as she puts it, “creating special moments with design.” She is specifically interested in systems-based design, brand identities, the evolution of print and manipulating paper. Rachel is also studying environmental wayfinding and other practical applications of good design. While in college, Rachel studied signage in London and became particularly interested in deploying design to “get people to the right place” and making design that serves the user.

After graduating from Samford University with a degree in design, Rachel was an honorary fellow at Food & Wine magazine for two years. Her client experience includes Launchpad AL, Tidal Wave Auto Spa, Autotec, Mars Inc., Highlands College, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Mercedes-Benz USA and Taziki’s Mediterranean Café.

Rachel and her husband, Michael, and the proud parents of a newborn bouncing baby boy. With Michael owning Domistique Coffee, Rachel is not really a coffee snob — more of a coffee enthusiast. Rachel also enjoys getting out into nature and spending time with her family and friends.

Sarah Gentry

Art Director

Sarah has a well-established track record — and passion — for layered storytelling and working closely with clients to help them achieve their goals.

She loves to see how brands can function holistically and create campaigns that tell a cohesive story across all media. A fine artist in her spare time, Sarah draws a parallel between creating fine art and telling a brand’s story. She says, “I love to see how putting layer upon layer can create a brand message.”

Sarah enjoys working directly with clients and understands how important it is to be empathetic and listen to clients before speaking. She says: “By listening and working closely with clients—even if they aren’t sure what they want at first—together we can find the ‘thing behind the thing’ that will make their brand strong and message stand out.”

Sarah is originally from Memphis and graduated from Samford University with a BFA in graphic design. In her time at Samford, Sarah was one of the founding members of Samford’s chapter of AIGA, a University Fellow, and received several awards for her work, including multiple gold ADDY Awards. Some of her current clients include RFG Advisory, Christ Health Center and Fortera Credit Union.

Sarah is truly multi-talented. She is an accomplished fine artist and her florals, landscapes and photography are stunning. She is also a really talented baker.