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.”

A dog was yesterday praised for saving a toddler from a venomous snake.

Hero Jack Russell terrier Pickle leaped in between little Vincent Hunt and a hissing 2ft adder’s fangs - suffering a potentially-fatal bite in her neck.

The snake had been disturbed by 16-month-old Vincent playing football with Pickle in his grandparents’ garden in Bordon, Hants. As it reared up angrily Vincent froze in terror - but 11-year-old Pickle’s intervention gave gran Liz Hunt time to snatch him out of the way.

Liz, 60, said: “Pickle is a real hero. She is getting old and can barely see but she showed she’s still got it where it counts.”

Pickle is now making a full recovery from the bite after emergency treatment.