The State of the Fair.

The Communications Group beat out Stone & Ward and Heathcott Associates to wrangle the Arkansas State Fair and Livestock Show account, the Little Rock-based marketing, advertising and public relations firm announced last week.

The dark horse won.

The decision might have surprised some in the advertising community. The Communications Group, headed by principal partners Dan Cowling, Neal Moore and Dane Cowling, was the smallest-agency among the finalists. With only 14 on staff, the- agency beat out shops with staffs of about 60 (Stone & Ward) and more than 30 (Heathcott Associates).

Jim Pledger, State Fair director, says the State Fair Board made its decision via conference call Jan. 27. He notified the agencies of-the decision by letter. Pledger says choosing an agency wasn't easy.

"All three agencies that made a presentation did an outstanding job," he says. "I'm sure that all of them could do the job, and do it well."

"We just felt that [The Communications Group] fit us; we fit them better than the other agencies. I guess it's just as much a personality thing than anything, because: it's good feeling about them,'? he says.

Pledger says although the presentations were inventive, the board's decision came down to determining with whom they could best work.

The advertising community raised a collective eyebrow in November, when the State Fair announced the review. Because Cranford Johnson Robinson Woods had held the job for more than a decade, some wondered whether another agency could nab the account. Mangan Holcomb & Partners, in fact, decided not to vie for the account. Many were surprised in December when -CJRW wasn't-among the three finalists.