Hitcents

Hitcents is a technology-based creative agency in Bowling Green, Kentucky specializing in web design, application development and mobile games. Hitcents was established by twin brothers Chris and Clinton Mills in 1999.

History

As high school sophomores, Chris and Clinton started Hitcents, which at the time was a company focused in internet advertising. When the company first began, Hitcents paid clients on a cents-per-hit basis, hence the company name. Hitcents was acquired by Houchens Industries in 2003. Since 2004, Hitcents has grown from three employees to 50, and it occupies 13000 sq. ft of the 4th floor Hitcents Park Plaza business park.[1]

The scope of the business includes application development, solutions for ecommerce, technology, marketing, creative design, software development, production, automation, self-service checkout, and enterprise resource planning.

Hitcents was named one of the best places to work in Kentucky for 2014[2]

Divisions

Omniprise ERP Software

Omniprise is a customizable software suite for enterprise resource planning. Information gathered in a single central repository is available to every part of an enterprise for use in all applications from simple data mining to mission-critical decision making.

Services

Website Development

Hitcents web development solutions include graphic design, programming and maintenance, administrative access, eCommerce, data transfer and website hosting. Hitcents web department has been recognized over the years with numerous awards for their website work including Marcom Awards,[3] Davey Awards[4] and Communicator Awards.[5] Hitcents designs websites for local businesses, celebrities, and international brands such as Tampico.

Technology

Hitcents technology solutions includes consulting, data backup, hardware purchasing, Virtual Private Network setup, secure DSL, kiosk development, networking and high-speed internet acceas.

Marketing

Hitcents offers a range of public relations and marketing solutions, such as Search Engine Resubmission, Cost per Click Marketing Options and social media planning.

Creative Design

Hitcents provides design aspects such as logos, print and web.

Software Development

Hitcents develops software for businesses, including a company intranet/extranet, inventory system, employee management program.

Production

Hitcents provides video services including shooting, editing and production for a variety of content.

Mobile Application Development

Hitcents develops mobile applications for both in-house and client projects. These applications vary in genre: from mobile games to enterprise level business applications.

Draw a Stickman

Hitcents created the internationally recognized and award-winning series, Draw a Stickman. It started as a website, Drawastickman.com, and then was developed into a Draw a Stickman: Epic, a mobile application for iOS, Android, Kindle, Windows 7 and 8 phones, and later into full desktop versions for Windows 8, Linux, Mac OS X and Steam.

A key feature of the game is the ability of the player to create a stickman, which becomes the central character of the game. Throughout the game, the player guides this stickman through multiple levels, utilizing various pencils to draw elements, tools, and weapons to solve puzzles and overcome obstacles. Draw a Stickman: Epic combines adventure, puzzle, action, and creative thinking.

Battlepillars

Hitcents created Battlepillars, a tug-of-war real-time strategy game for iOS, Android, and Steam. The game was launched on October 2, 2013. Battlepillars allows users to strategically build and command caterpillars, which are then sent to battle a red caterpillar army and various bosses. The game challenges users to create caterpillars using specialized segments that offer various powers and abilities.

Battlepillars is one of the first mobile cross-platform multiplayer games, allowing Android user to play against iOS users through Google Play.[6]

Hanx Writer

Hitcents created the Hanx Writer app in collaboration with Tom Hanks.[7][8][9] Inspired by Tom Hanks' appreciation for classic typewriters, the Hanx Writer App reflects the look, feel, and sound of old-fashioned word-processing.

Hanx Writer was released on August 14, 2014. Hanx Writer reached the No. 1 ranking on the iTunes App Store in its launch week, where it held the top spot in both the Productivity section and the Overall section.[10][11]

Hitcents Park Plaza

In 2012, the city of Bowling Green approved construction of a parking garage and commercial wrap to be built as part of the TIF Financial District. The construction was spearheaded bY Chris and Clinton Mills through Mills Family Reality. In addition to Hitcents being relocated to this building, the Mills family also opened a number of restaurants next door to the newly built Bowling Green Ballpark, including Brick and Basil, Tres Molinos, 6-4-3 Sports Bar, and Pagoda Asian Cafe. They also purchased the failing Mariah's restaurant and incorporated the business into the wrap. After less than a year, all of the restaurants with the exception of 6-4-3 and Mariah's had closed down citing a need to revamp the business. [12]

In January 2015, the city began courting Bowling Green Hot Rods owner Stuart Katzoff to purchase the building and commercial wrap.[13]

However in March of that year, a $2.1 million lien put in place citing unpaid work for its construction. Immediately after, both Mariah's and 6-4-3 closed indefinitely. [14]

Shanghai Office

In fall 2013, Hitcents opened their first international office, in Shanghai China[15] The Shanghai office specializes in publishing mobile games for the Chinese market and their platforms. The office is located in the Luwan District.

Timeline

External links

References

  1. ↑ Minor, Robyn. BG Daily News http://www.bgdailynews.com/news/local/hitcents-employees-set-up-shop-in-wrap/article_fa78acf8-7892-5a2e-bfaa-0eb529946e7b.html. Retrieved Feb 10, 2014. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. ↑ "Best Places to Work KY" (PDF). Kentucky Chamber.
  3. ↑ "2012 Platinum Winners". Marcom Awards.
  4. ↑ . Davey Awards http://www.daveyawards.com/winners/list/?l=H&event=&category=4&award=G. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  5. ↑ . Communicator Awards http://www.communicatorawards.com/winners/list/?l=H&event=7&category=8&award=E. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  6. ↑ "GDC 2014 - Battlepillars Cross-Platform Multiplayer". YouTube. Retrieved 23 August 2014.
  7. ↑ della Cava, Marco. "From Tom Hanks, an app ode to the typewriter". USA Today. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
  8. ↑ Kastrenakes, Jacob. "Tom Hanks just released a typewriter app for iPad". The Verge. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
  9. ↑ Spangler, Todd. "Tom Hanks Launches Free Manual-Typewriter iPad App". Variety. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
  10. ↑ Perez, Sarah. "Tom Hanks’ Typewriter App Shoots To The Top Of The App Store". TechCrunch. Retrieved 23 August 2014.
  11. ↑ Dockterman, Eliana. "Tom Hanks’ Typewriter App Is No. 1 in the App Store". Time. Retrieved 23 August 2014.
  12. ↑ http://www.wbko.com/home/headlines/Hitcents-Park-Plaza-Planning-New-Restaurant-After-Cloure-277518681.html?device=phone&c=y
  13. ↑ http://www.wbko.com/home/headlines/Negotiations-Open-to-Purchase-Hitcents-Plaza--287741061.html?device=phone&c=y
  14. ↑ http://www.wbko.com/home/headlines/Mariahs-643-Sports-Bar-Close-294658591.html?device=phone&c=y
  15. ↑ "Signs Lease for Overseas Office". Hitcents.
  16. ↑ . Webby Awards http://winners.webbyawards.com/2012/web/website-features-and-design/best-use-of-animation-or-motion-graphics. Retrieved 10 February 2014. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  17. ↑ . South Central KY http://www.southcentralky.com/HitcentsGroundbreaking.aspx. Retrieved 10 February 2014. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  18. ↑ della Cava, Marco. "From Tom Hanks, an app ode to the typewriter". USA Today. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
  19. ↑ Kastrenakes, Jacob. "Tom Hanks just released a typewriter app for iPad". The Verge. Retrieved 15 August 2014.
  20. ↑ Spangler, Todd. "Tom Hanks Launches Free Manual-Typewriter iPad App". Variety. Retrieved 15 August 2014.

www.hitcents.com