About
Introducing Tactical Magic
Tactical Magic is a branding agency that specializes in the art of using strategy, words and imagery to build lasting, favorable impressions. Recognized internationally for excellence in brand identity development and creative messaging, the firm provides planning, creative and production services for a broad range of consumer and business-to-business clients.
Branding is what Tactical Magic is all about. The tactical part is to study the brand, the competition and the audiences in order to distill a core persuasive message. The magic is in saying it well. .
What makes us tick
Tactical Magic operates on a uniquely collaborative business model. In fact, our logo design process is so unusual that an entire chapter of the textbook, Design Evolution: Theory Into Practice, was devoted to it.
Our approach stems from a conviction that great strategies and great brands emerge from diverse, well-coached teams – teams that balance an intimate inside perspective with a fresh outside perspective.
Our driving value are integrity, listening, transparency, creativity, passion, accountability, and humor.
How we work
Everything we do is about making brands more memorable and more engaging. And everything we do is collaborative
But creating a strong image starts with a strong strategy. Brand goals have to be realistic, honest and inspiring to work.
The Tactical Magic approach to brand strategy requires full engagement with our client partner teams. Together, we explore brand legacy and strengths, audience characteristics, and competitive factors, and key context issues. This calls for investigation, research, interviews, ideation and soul-searching. As a team, we arrive at a simplified plan to attract our various audiences in a way that is true to our brand and that differentiates from competing voices.
If you need a trademark, you’ve come to the right place. The Tactical Magic team is well versed in the specialties required for developing trade names, logos, taglines, trade dress and the like. We understand the use of language, symbol, typography, proportion, texture and color. Further, we have a solid grasp of legal hurdles and intellectual property boundaries.
Messaging is where brands really come to life. The cumulative effect of ads, videos, landing pages, billboards, social posts, published stories, brochures, and the like should be to create a consistent, compelling image. The Tactical Magic team has decades of experience in working in integrating campaigns for all media.
Our team
Trace Hallowell
Brand Strategist
Trace founded Tactical Magic in 2001. A thirty year veteran of the advertising business, his creative branding work has received numerous international honors and has been published in books, magazines, and even college textbooks. Clients served include First Tennessee, Fulmer Helmets, McDonald’s, Thomas & Betts and Valvoline.
Andi Crawford-Andrus
Director of Creative Services
Born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, Crawford is a University of Memphis graduate and has worked for several top regional advertising agencies on a wide range of brands, including Pepsi, First Tennessee Bank, Smith & Nephew, Medtronic, Tennessee Tourism, and Shelby County 911.
Andi has a unique blend of creative talent (being the recipient of numerous local and national awards), and detail-oriented organizational skills, making her a trusted ally of her client counterparts.
Brian Borgman
Design Director
Brian has a strong background in both the technicalities of printing and the finer points of design. He also illustrates with a unique style. Perhaps paradoxically, Brian brings both meticulous production practices and creative whimsy to every project. Clients served include Fulmer Helmets, Memphis Car Audio and sBox.
Our Strategic Partners
Suzanne Copeland
Employee Engagement Strategist, Copeland Collaborative
Suzanne helps companies influence and engage their most important target audience - their own employees.
Suzanne’s success in developing employee engagement programs stems from her accomplished career as a marketing executive. She has been at the helm of marketing for both market leading and rapid growth financial services companies. She also spearheaded culture change programs to educate and engage the workforce to align with and embrace the strategies of the organization.
Susan Akil Ewing
Marketing Strategist, Ewing Marketing Partners
Susan is all about measurable results. With more than twenty years of planning and implementing effective marketing solutions, she leverages that expertise to help businesses grow by focusing on initiatives that yield the highest ROI. Her philosophy is do less, achieve more.
Susan is a highly-motivated professional who works well both independently and as part of a cross-functional team to help build brands, increase visibility and help businesses to grow sales and market share.
Max Gerson
Brand Sherpa, Brand Wolfe
Max is your storyteller. He is intentional, creative, and quick to switch into “inspire” mode as he helps a client tell their story. Three core values drive Max's instincts: giving, solving and protecting. After nearly two decades in sales, marketing, and branding, Max has become an expert in reading the entire map as well as picking out the smaller details. His ability to see both and to combine both views makes for an elevated and unique experience for clients.
JD Graffam
Owner, Simple Focus – Digital & Experience Design Expert
JD Graffam is the owner of Simple Focus, a digital experience agency known for translating brand strategy into intuitive, effective digital products. With deep roots in SaaS, UX, and business strategy, he’s built and grown multiple software companies while leading design efforts for clients across industries. JD believes brand and experience design are inseparable—especially for brands that aim to show up authentically online. At Tactical Magic, he helps ensure that bold brand work translates seamlessly to the internet, guiding digital strategy so that every interaction feels like a natural extension of the brand behind it.
Jimmy Hamiter
Senior Writer
Jimmy has written for leading national and international brands, including Web MD, UPS, Filtrona Extrusion (a $6 billion UK plastics company that makes medical devices, among other things), Chevron Global Aviation, and the National Urban League. He is also a skilled supervisor of national ad campaigns, naming and brand identity projects, website development, and integrated sales programs.
Jerry Redmond
Design Director, Founder, Redmond Design
A twenty-year veteran of the business, Jerry’s work has received honors from local and regional advertising clubs and educational institutions. His work has been a part of the Memphis and Mississippi Delta community for decades. Over the years, Jerry has developed effective multimedia campaigns for clients like International Church Of God In Christ, Inc., LeMoyne-Owen College, Girl Scouts of the Greater Mid-South, YWCA of Greater Memphis, Memorial Park Funeral Home, M.J. Edwards Funeral Home, and Southwest Tennessee Community College.
Susan Adler Thorp
Public Relations Specialist and Media Strategist
An experienced media strategist, Susan spent thirty years working inside the media, including many years as a political columnist and editorial writer for one of the South’s largest newspapers in addition to her years as a television commentator. Susan’s skill as a journalist combined with her understanding of what makes news ‘news’ gives her the unique ability to help clients navigate the media, land positive publicity, and develop successful public relations strategies.
Luke Braswell
Brand Video Specialist, and Owner of Over and Up
Luke bridges the gap between brand strategy and video.
In today’s world where video is the dominant language of storytelling, knowing how to visually express your brand is essential. With a background in design and experience working with for-profit and nonprofit organizations, Luke knows how to translate a brand’s values, goals, and visual identity into compelling storyboards and narratives. Whether it’s website content, social campaigns, or a full mini-documentary, Luke ensures every frame connects back to what matters most, your brand.