First National launches new ad campaign
By Andrew Shain - ashain@thestate.com

First National Bank of the South wants you to meet Jack.

The Spartanburg bank that merged with Columbia’s Carolina National in January has announced a new branding campaign featuring a Jack Russell terrier, who will appear in ads and even have his own Web blog. Both should debut in about three weeks.

Jack will pitch the bank’s loyalty and responsiveness with the tagline, “We can do that.” Jack also will make personal appearances.

First National held a grand opening for its first Lexington office today. The branch is the eight-year-old bank’s 12th in the state and fifth in the Midlands. A Fort Mill branch — its first in the Charlotte suburb — should open early next year.

The company is looking at a couple of suburban Columbia sites for new branches, said Steve Waddell, First National’s Midalnds market chief. And the bank is eyeing expansion in the Charleston area, spokesman Jason Land said.

Since First National has a handful of branches stretching from Greenville-Spartanburg to Charleston, the bank began this month offering free ATM transactions to its customers if they use another bank’s machine. That was a service Carolina National had offered its customers.

“Bank to bank to bank, all offer about the same things,” Land said. “It’s the personal touch that sets you apart.”