Keeping the Heart in Marketing

(Norfolk, Va., August 19, 2026) – “If we’re going to work this hard, it should be fun.”

I said this to a colleague recently, as we were hashing out the pros and cons of working in the ever-evolving, don’t-blink-or-you’ll-miss-it marketing free-for-all.

One can go weeks, sometimes months, without a face-to-face meeting. While the work moves quickly, what’s missing is the synergy and delight that comes with elbows on the table and a robust conversation (or friendly disagreement) with your people.

The longing for such days came to mind recently with the passing of William Campbell, an endearing creative designer in our local marketing sphere.

A founding partner of Barker Campbell & Farley (BCF), “Bill,” along with Bob Barker, Palmer Farley and later Bruce Mansfield (BCF&M), set a high bar for elevated advertising and marketing in the day. I recall Bill’s keen artistic eye, the retro manual typewriter on his desk, and his even keel when things got hectic.

Palmer, without fail, had the clients’ best interest at heart—and showed it, by assembling teams equal in both vision and execution.

I worked in the firm’s public relations department. The work was fast-paced and discerning. The vibe, cool and collected. Clientele seemed a bit like family.

Founding agency partners Bob Barker, Bill Campbell and Palmer Farley, in front of the BCF building on Greenwich Road in Virginia Beach.

We knew to place a small foot stool behind the podium when the diminutive “Mayor Meyera” Oberndorf spoke at press events. We flew with clients to far-flung press junkets. And we escorted countless travel writers from the Boardwalk to Back Bay, Norfolk, Williamsburg and beyond.

Imagine what more we could have done then with today’s bells and whistles.

But that’s it, really. The world keeps moving, agencies continue to evolve, and we go with the flow. If we can just keep the heart in the work, making human connections, we can chalk up even more memories to last a lifetime.

Elizabeth Evans is the founder of Evans & Company, a marketing communications consultancy in Norfolk, Virginia. With a career spanning public relations, marketing, content development and strategic communications, she helps organizations find the right words, tell their stories and connect with their people. She believes good marketing should be strategic—but it should also feel human, be useful and, whenever possible … create fun. www.evansatwork.com