EVB and Free Agents Marketing Recognized For Marketing Campaigns in Banking and Service Industries

TAPPAHANNOCK, Va., March 31, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- EVB, an independent, full-service community bank serving eastern and central Virginia, and Free Agents Marketing (FAM), a full-service marketing, advertising and public relations firm in central Virginia, have been recognized by the Virginia Bankers Association and the Service Industry Advertising Awards for outstanding work on the EVB Brand Handbook and the POWER (Potential of Women Entrepreneurs Realized) Campaign.

FAM received two awards on behalf of EVB from the Service Industry Advertising Awards including one gold award and five awards from the Virginia Bankers Association including the prestigious Best in Show award.

The awards include:

Service Industry Advertising Awards

• GOLD Award - Integrated Campaign for EVB POWER Campaign
• MERIT Award - EVB Big Believers Brand Handbook

Virginia Bankers Association

• Best TV - POWER launch video
• Best Radio - Big Believers with POWER tagline
• Best Digital - POWER website
• Best Social - POWER Facebook and Pinterest campaigns
• Best in Show

EVB launched POWER (Potential of Women Entrepreneurs Realized), a product line designed to help spur revenue growth for its women-owned business customers. EVB is the first community bank in Virginia to offer a business program specifically tailored to women business owners. POWER offers a suite of quality financial products and services tailored to women entrepreneurs, including POWER Checking, POWER Debit Card and Rapid POWER Micro Loans. This service line targets women whose businesses have been in operation for at least two years, with two or more employees.

"Women business owners are starting companies at a faster rate than ever. They are changing the landscape of communities throughout Virginia, and we want to support them in reaching their own potential," said Joe A. Shearin, president and CEO of EVB Bank. "We are particularly thrilled that in its first year, POWER has been recognized and honored by two prestigious organizations, the Service Industry Awards and the Virginia Bankers Association."

FAM helped EVB create a new brand with the tagline "Big Believers in You." FAM also developed and launched an integrated marketing campaign for the POWER program that included creating of the name and logo; social media development and implementation; a regional public relations campaign; website design; collateral materials; and radio, print, outdoor and display advertising.

"We are thrilled for EVB and delighted to share this honor and recognition with them. The POWER program is an innovative program, and to be EVB's partner in developing a unique brand designed to target women business owners was an exciting challenge for our team," said Ken Wayland, president of Free Agents Marketing. "EVB is a leader in their industry and is very deserving of these awards. We look forward to continuing our partnership and creating more award-winning work in the future."

The Virginia Bankers Association presents awards at their annual conference, at which, entries are judged by members of the association. The Service Industry Advertising Awards are judged by a panel chosen from the same industry as the award entry. For more information about the Virginia Bankers Association and the Service Industry Advertising Awards, visit http://www.vabankers.org/ and http://siaawards.com/.

About EVB

Eastern Virginia Bankshares, Inc., is a bank holding company headquartered in Tappahannock, Virginia. Through its wholly-owned bank subsidiary, EVB, founded in 1910, the Company operates twenty-four full service branches in eastern Virginia located in the counties of Essex, Gloucester, Hanover, Henrico, King William, Lancaster, Middlesex, New Kent, Northumberland, Southampton, Surry and Sussex and the Cities of Colonial Heights and Williamsburg, Newport News, and Hampton. EVB traces its history to the formation of its predecessors Southside Bank and Bank of Northumberland, Inc. in 1910 and Hanover Bank in 2000. Most recently, EVB has acquired Virginia Community Bank in November of 2014, adding three offices to the franchise located in Williamsburg, Newport News, and Hampton. EVB is a community bank targeting small to medium-sized businesses and consumers. Growth has been accomplished through de novo branching, branch acquisitions, and organic growth. For more information, please visit www.bankevb.com.

The Company also offers other financial services to include investment, mortgage services, and insurance. The Company's stock trades on the NASDAQ Global Market System under the symbol EVBS.

Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender.

About FAM

We are more than 40 free agents creating ideas that bring together people and brands. We are freethinkers drawing on any source, influence or inspiration to make connections and build relationships for performance-based companies to enhance their presence, image and profits. We believe that for every brand there's an opportunity for growth by creating experiences and sharing ideas between people and brands. And we do it through advertising, public relations and digital communications.

Contact: Michelle H. Simon

804-550-9278

[email protected]

Carol Billingsley

804-762-9400

[email protected]

SOURCE EVB