Q2 Summit Park City 2023

SKI HARD. AD HARDER.

A CONFERENCE ON ADVERTISING

IN PARK CITY, UTAH APRIL 12—14, 2023

Dear MAGNET Friends,

The Board huddled in a New York City conference room last December, typing questions into a relatively new platform. One of the questions: How do you run an effective Board Retreat for a global independent creative agency network. Within moments, instructions appeared outlining an agenda that resembled our plans for the day (albeit if you squinted a bit).

We knew at that moment that the curiosity, excitement, and uneasiness we felt about artificial intelligence and platforms like ChatGPT would play an instrumental role in our 2023 network discussions. What would artificial intelligence mean for the industry we love, and how could we lean into its superpower of speed while protecting the soul of our creative processes? During our upcoming Summit in Park City, we’ll delve into some of these questions and much, much more.

A big thank you to the team at LaneTerralever (who may have experimented with AI) for their help on our summit theme and title. Ski Hard, Ad Harder: A Conference on Advertising Innovation in Park City was designed with the collective talents of Ryan Rieches (BrandingBusiness), Chris Johnson (LaneTerralever), Ken Schaefer (Schaefer), Sam Littlefield (Littlefield) and your MAGNET team. This team has organized a program chock-full of pragmatic content that aims to inspire conversation and action. We can’t thank the planning team enough for their contributions and enthusiasm in curating these special few days together.

Reflecting on the year to date, MAGNET has focused its Q1 strategy on engaging more deeply around a selection of member-requested topics:

Management Training Salon Series | Thank you for embracing the opportunity to enroll your staff in our two-part management training program. These highly requested interactive sessions covered a bevy of topics including obstacles to success, managing performance, best in class communications, delegating, conflict management, and managing up. We’ve heard wonderful feedback to date and thank you for supporting programs that uplevel our member agency talent.

Principal Connect Forum Focus | We’ve piloted a more topically-focused Principal Connect Forum in recent months led by a guest Principal moderator particularly passionate about the specific topic. From AI to business development and pricing, this evolved structure has provided for greater depth of conversation and a variety of voices. Keep the great topics coming!

Principal Compass | We’ve relaunched our Principal Compass Program with more participating Principals than ever before. A big thank you to our Navigators (Katie Flynn, Chris Johnson, Ryan Rieches, Kunal Shah, Ken Schaefer) for facilitating these special small groups that explore the nuances of modern leadership.

Artificial Intelligence Round Table | Coming out of January’s Principal Connect Forum, the network launched the AI Roundtable to keep interested Principals and their staff engaged in real-time developments ushered in by AI. This new group shares email updates and will meet periodically to delve into one of the most pressing topics influencing the future of our industry.

We look forward to discussing more with you in-person. See you in Park City,

Scott Foreman, Chairman Melissa Lentz, CEO

CHAIRMAN

Scott Foreman

Copacino Fujikado 1425 4th Avenue, Suite 700 Seattle, Washington 98101

sforeman@copacino.com

P: 206.467.6610

www.copacino.com

DIRECTOR

Josh Okun

9th Wonder

1201 San Jacinto Street, Suite #267 Houston, Texas 77002 USA

josh.okun@9thwonder.com

P: 713.867.3222

www.9thwonder.com

DIRECTOR

Rhonda Ries

OBP 914 Spruce Street St. Louis, Missouri 63102 USA

rhonda.reis@obpagency.com

P: 314.726.5511

www.obpagency.com

DIRECTOR

Rachel Gage

KSV

212 Battery Street Suite 2 Burlington, VT 05401 802-862-8261

rgage@ksvagency.com

DIRECTOR

Sam Littlefield

Littlefield Agency

1350 South Boulder Avenue, Suite 500 Tulsa, Oklahoma 74119 USA slittlefield@littlefieldagency.com

P: 918.295.1000 www.littlefieldagency.com

DIRECTOR

Josh Perlstein Response Media 3155 Medlock Bridge Road Atlanta, Georgia 30071 USA

joshp@responsemedia.com

P: 770.451.5478 www.responsemedia.com

DIRECTOR

Katie Flynn Flynn 175 Sully’s Trail Suite 100 Pittsford, NY 14534 585-421-0100 ktflynn@helloflynn.com

DIRECTOR

Mindy Stomp

Drake

lifetime members (year inducted)

PAST

Schermer Schermer 12 North 12th Street, Suite 400 Minneapolis, Minnesota 55403 USA

chris.schermer@schermer.co

P: 612.375.9999

www.schermer.co

CEO Melissa Lentz

2100 Bedford Avenue, Suite 8B Brooklyn, New York 11226 USA

P: 412.480.2060 www.magnetglobal.org

members

NORTH AMERICA - USA

Arizona

LaneTerralever / 1964

Phoenix

Beau Lane

Chris Johnson

California

BrandingBusiness / 1997

Irvine; New York City, New York; London, England

Ryan Rieches

Ray Bair

Alan Brew

Michael Dula

Florida

St. John & Partners / 2003

Jacksonville

Dan St. John

Jeff McCurry

Georgia

Response Media / 2010

Atlanta; Orlando, Florida

Josh Perlstein

Keith Perlstein

Tantrum/2022

Atlanta

David Tann

Stacey Smith

Idaho

Drake Cooper, Inc. / 2008

Boise; Seattle, Washington

Jamie Cooper

Mindy Stomp

IOWA

Two Rivers Marketing / 2022

Des Moines

Brad Olson

Rachel Adams

Massachusetts Marketing Doctor / 2023

Northhampton

Janet Casey

Michaela Schwartz

Kate Popp

Michigan

BERLINE / 1997

Royal Oak (Detroit)

Jim Berline

Michelle Horowitz

Minnesota Schermer / 2014

Minneapolis

Chris Schermer

Mississippi

GodwinGroup / 1993

Jackson & Biloxi; Irving, Texas

Philip Shirley

John McKie

Donna Ritchey

Susan Graves

Jeff Russell

Kami Wertt

Missouri

OBP / 2017

St. Louis & Kansas City;

Nashville, Tennessee

Rhonda Ries

Suzan Knese

New Jersey

Clearbridge Branding / 2021

Glassboro, New Jersey

Kevin Pustizzi

Princeton Partners, Inc. / 1982

Princeton

Tom Sullivan

Chris Sullivan

Jeff Chesebro

Kevin Kuchinski

New York

KSV / 1995

New York City; Burlington,

Vermont

Erin Fagnant

Rachel Gage

Tucker Wright

Flynn / 2005

Pittsford (Rochester)

Chris Flynn

Katie Flynn

Ohio

Marcus Thomas LLC / 1990

Cleveland

Nancy Hill

Jim Nash

Mark Bachmann

WiredViews / 2012

Akron

Rob Heiser

Sean Rieger

Oklahoma

Littlefield Agency / 1990

Tulsa

Sam Littlefield

Oregon Coates Kokes / 1985

Portland

Jeanie Coates

Steve Kokes

Pennsylvania BRUNNER / 2001

Pittsburgh; Atlanta, Georgia

Dan Gbur

LevLane / 1987

Philadelphia

Bruce Lev

Josh Lev

South Carolina

Chernoff Newman / 2005

Columbia & Charleston; Charlotte, North Carolina; Orlando, Florida

Lee Bussell

David Anderson

Rick Silver

David Campbell

Texas

9thWonder / 1983

Houston & Dallas; Los Angeles, California; Nha Trang, Viet Nam

Jose Lozano

Kyle Allen

Josh Okun

Media Culture /2021

Dallas

Christena Garduno

Schaefer Advertising Co. / 2021

Fort Worth

Ken Schaefer

Washington

Copacino Fujikado / 2002

Seattle

Scott Foreman

Mike Hayward

Tim O’Mara

Jim Copacino

Wisconsin

Nelson Schmidt Inc. / 1978

Milwaukee / Madison

Dan Nelson, Sr.

Dan Nelson, Jr.

SOUTH AMERICA

Argentina

NSB / 2014

Buenos Aires; Miami, Florida

Federico Soto Roland

Sabrina Ortega Marengo

Australia

Digital Crew/2021

Reheen Guin

Ophenia Liang

The Fuel Agency / 2012

Melbourne

Tim Kidman

AFRICA

South Africa

ODA Advertising / 2017

Durban

John O’Donoghue

Bernie Smythe

Sven Christensen

Bevan Von Weichardt

EUROPE

Belgium Group Van Damme / 2016

Oostkamp

Bram Van Damme

Hart Van Damme

Denmark Cross Border Communications/ 2013

Copenhagen

Ralph Kroyer

England Gravity London / 2003

London

Mark Lethbridge

Paul Anderson

ASIA

China Stepworks / 2015

Hong Kong

Stephen Barry

Korea

Brand & Company / 2008

Seoul

Katy Choi

Jerry Lee

India

Accelerate Business Solutions / 2022

Keyur Shah

Kunal Shah

Japan

Eat Creative/2020

Tokyo; Hong Kong

Ayako Chujo

Alison Jambert

Steve Martin

agencies at a glance

CAPABILITIES

Branding

CRM & Loyalty

Data and Analytics

Development

Media

Production

Research & Planning

SEO & SEM

Social Media

UX & UI

INDUSTRIES

Food, Restaurant & CPG

Healthcare

Retail Technology

Utilities

LOCATIONS

Houston & Dallas Texas

Los Angeles, California

Denver, Colorado

Nha Trang, Viet Nam

CAPABILIES

Data and Analytics

SEO & SEM

UX & UI

E-Commerce

Development

INDUSTRIES

Banking and Financial Services

Healthcare

Non-Profit

Retail Technology

Utilities

LOCATIONS

Mumbai, India

Ahmedabad, India

CAPABILITIES

Branding

Data and Analytics

Design

Development

Media

Production

Research & Planning

SEO & SEM

Social Media

INDUSTRIES

Banking and Financial Services

Food, Restaurant & CPG

Healthcare

Non-Profit

Recreation, Entertainment & Sports

Retail

Technology

Travel and Tourism

Utilities

LOCATIONS

Royal Oak, Michigan

CAPABILITIES

Branding

CRM & Loyalty

Design

Development

Media

Packaging

Production

Research & Planning

SEO & SEM

Social Media

UX & UI

INDUSTRIES

Banking and Financial Services

Education and Government

Food, Restaurant & CPG

Industrial & Manufacturing

Recreation, Entertainment & Sports

Retail

Technology

Travel and Tourism

Utilities

LOCATIONS

Seoul, Korea

CAPABILITIES

Branding

Data and Analytics

Design

INDUSTRIES

Banking and Financial Services

Healthcare

Industrial & Manufacturing

Logistics & Transportation

Technology

Utilities

LOCATIONS

Irvine, California

New York, New York

London, England

CAPABILITIES

Branding

CRM & Loyalty

Data and Analytics

E-Commerce

Media

Research & Planning

SEO & SEM

Social Media

UX & UI

INDUSTRIES

Banking and Financial Services

Food, Restaurant & CPG

Healthcare

Retail

LOCATIONS

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Atlanta, Georgia

CAPABILITIES

Branding

Media

Research & Planning

Social Media

INDUSTRIES

Agriculture

Banking and Financial Services

Education and Government

Healthcare

Utilities

LOCATIONS

Columbia & Charleston, South Carolina

Charlotte, North Carolina

Orlando, Florida

CAPABILITIES

Branding

Research and Planning

Social Media

Data and Analytics

Design

SEO/SEM

Media

UX/UI

Packaging

Production

Development

INDUSTRIES

Banking and Financial Services

Food, Restaurant and CPG

Healthcare

Recreation/Entertainment/

Sports

Technology

Education and Government

Industrial/Manufacturing

Agriculture

LOCATIONS

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Glassboro, New Jersey

Chicago, Illinois

CAPABILITIES

Branding

Data and Analytics

Design

Media

Packaging

Production

Research & Planning

Social Media

INDUSTRIES

Agriculture

Banking and Financial Services

Education and Government

Food, Restaurant & CPG

Healthcare

Industrial & Manufacturing

Logistics & Transportation

Non-Profit

Retail

Travel and Tourism

Utilities

LOCATIONS

Portland, Oregon

CAPABILITIES

Branding

Data and Analytics

Design

Media

Production

Research & Planning

Social Media

INDUSTRIES

Banking and Financial Services

Education and Government

Food, Restaurant & CPG

Healthcare

Logistics & Transportation

Non-Profit

Recreation, Entertainment & Sports

Retail Technology

Travel and Tourism

LOCATIONS

Seattle, Washington

CAPABILITIES

Branding

Design

Development

Production

Research & Planning

Social Media

UX & UI

INDUSTRIES

Banking and Financial Services

Industrial & Manufacturing

Logistics & Transportation

Technology

INDUSTRIES

Copenhagen, Denmark

CAPABILITIES

Branding

CRM & Loyalty

Data and Analytics

Design

Development

E-Commerce

Media

Production

Research & Planning

SEO & SEM

Social Media

UX & UI

INDUSTRIES

Banking and Financial Services

Education and Government

Food, Restaurant & CPG

Healthcare

Industrial & Manufacturing

Logistics & Transportation

Non-Profit

Recreation, Entertainment & Sports

Retail Technology

Travel and Tourism

Utilities

LOCATIONS

Sydney, Australia

Guangzhou, China

Mumbai, India

CAPABILITIES

Branding

Data and Analytics

Design

Media

Packaging

Research & Planning

SEO & SEM

Social Media

UX & UI

INDUSTRIES

Agriculture

Banking and Financial Services

Food, Restaurant & CPG

Healthcare

Non-Profit

Recreation, Entertainment & Sports

Retail

Travel and Tourism

LOCATIONS

Boise, Idaho

Seattle, Washington

CAPABILITIES

Branding

Design

Packaging

Production

INDUSTRIES

Education and Government

Food, Restaurant & CPG

Non-Profit

Travel and Tourism

LOCATIONS

Hong Kong, China

Tokyo, Japan

CAPABILITIES

Branding

CRM & Loyalty

Data and Analytics

Design

Development

E-Commerce

Media

Packaging

Production

Research & Planning

SEO & SEM

Social Media

UX & UI

INDUSTRIES

Banking and Financial Services

Food, Restaurant & CPG

Healthcare

Recreation, Entertainment & Sports

Retail Technology

LOCATIONS

Rochester, New York

CAPABILITIES

Branding

CRM & Loyalty

Data and Analytics

Design

E-Commerce

Media

Packaging

Production

Research & Planning

SEO & SEM

Social Media

UX & UI

INDUSTRIES

Banking and Financial Services

Healthcare

Travel and Tourism

Utilities

LOCATIONS

Jackson & Biloxi, Mississippi

Dallas, Texas

CAPABILITIES

Branding

CRM & Loyalty

Data and Analytics

Design

Development

E-Commerce

Media

Packaging

Production

Research & Planning

SEO & SEM

Social Media

UX & UI

INDUSTRIES

Agriculture

Banking and Financial Services

Education and Government

Healthcare

Industrial & Manufacturing

Logistics & Transportation

Non-Profit

Recreation, Entertainment & Sports

Retail Technology

Travel and Tourism

Utilities

LOCATIONS

London, England

CAPABILITIES

Branding

Data and Analytics

Design

Development

E-Commerce

Packaging

Production

SEO & SEM

Social Media

UX & UI

INDUSTRIES

Education and Government

Healthcare

Industrial & Manufacturing

Non-Profit

Retail Technology

LOCATIONS

Oostkamp, Belgium

CAPABILITIES

Branding

Data and Analytics

Design

Development

E-Commerce

Packaging

Production

SEO & SEM

Social Media

UX & UI

INDUSTRIES

Education and Government

Healthcare

Industrial & Manufacturing

Non-Profit

Retail Technology

LOCATIONS

New York, New York

Little Compton, Rhode Island

Burlington, Vermont

CAPABILITIES

Branding

CRM & Loyalty

Data and Analytics

Design

Development

E-Commerce

Media

Packaging

Production

Research & Planning

SEO & SEM

Social Media

UX & UI

INDUSTRIES

Education and Government

Food, Restaurant & CPG

Healthcare

Recreation, Entertainment & Sports

Retail Technology

Travel and Tourism

Utilities

LOCATIONS

Phoenix, Arizona

CAPABILITIES

Branding

Data and Analytics

Design

Development

Media

Packaging

Production

Research & Planning

SEO & SEM

Social Media

UX & UI

INDUSTRIES

Banking and Financial Services

Education and Government

Food, Restaurant & CPG

Healthcare

Non-Profit

Retail

LOCATIONS

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

CAPABILITIES

Branding

Data and Analytics

Design

Development

Media

Production

Research & Planning

SEO & SEM

Social Media

INDUSTRIES

Banking and Financial Services

Education and Government

Food, Restaurant & CPG

Healthcare

Industrial & Manufacturing

Non-Profit

LOCATIONS

Tulsa, Oklahoma

CAPABILITIES

Branding

CRM & Loyalty

Data and Analytics

Design

Development

Media

Production

Research & Planning

SEO & SEM

Social Media

UX & UI

INDUSTRIES

Banking and Financial Services

Healthcare

Retail

Travel and Tourism

LOCATIONS

Cleveland, Ohio

CAPABILITIES:

Research and Planning

Social Media

Data and Analytics

SEO/SEM

Media

E-Commerce

INDUSTRIES:

Banking and Financial Services

Healthcare

Retail

Travel and Tourism

Education and Government

LOCATIONS:

Northhampton, MA

CAPABILITIES

Branding

Data and Analytics

Design

Media

Production

Research & Planning

SEO & SEM

Social Media

INDUSTRIES

Recreation, Entertainment & Sports

Technology

LOCATIONS

Dallas, Texas

Los Angeles, California

London, England

CAPABILITIES

Branding

CRM & Loyalty

Data and Analytics

Design

Development

E-Commerce

Media

Packaging

Production

Research & Planning

SEO & SEM

Social Media

UX & UI

INDUSTRIES

Agriculture

Banking and Financial Services

Education and Government

Healthcare

Industrial & Manufacturing

Logistics & Transportation

Technology

Travel and Tourism

Utilities

LOCATIONS

Milwaukee & Madison, Wisconsin

CAPABILITIES

Branding

CRM & Loyalty

Data and Analytics

Design

Development

E-Commerce

Packaging

Production

Research & Planning

SEO & SEM

Social Media

UX & UI

INDUSTRIES

Agriculture

Food, Restaurant & CPG

Retail Technology

Travel and Tourism

LOCATIONS

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Miami, Florida

CAPABILITIES

Branding

CRM & Loyalty

Data and Analytics

Design

Media

Research & Planning

SEO & SEM

Social Media

UX & UI

INDUSTRIES

Agriculture

Banking and Financial Services

Food, Restaurant & CPG

Industrial & Manufacturing

Non-Profit

Recreation, Entertainment & Sports

Retail

Technology

Travel and Tourism

LOCATIONS

St. Louis & Kansas City, Missouri

Nashville, Tennessee

CAPABILITIES

Branding

Design

Development

E-Commerce

Media

Packaging

Production

Research & Planning

Social Media

INDUSTRIES

Agriculture

Banking and Financial Services

Food, Restaurant & CPG

Healthcare

Industrial & Manufacturing

Logistics & Transportation

Recreation, Entertainment & Sports

Retail

Travel and Tourism

LOCATIONS

Durban, South Africa

CAPABILITIES

Branding

Data and Analytics

Design

Development

Media

Production

Research & Planning

SEO & SEM

Social Media

UX & UI

INDUSTRIES

Banking and Financial Services

Education and Government

Food, Restaurant & CPG

Healthcare

Logistics & Transportation

Non-Profit

Travel and Tourism

Utilities

LOCATIONS

Princeton, New Jersey

CAPABILITIES

CRM & Loyalty

Data and Analytics

Design

Development

Media

Research & Planning

SEO & SEM

Social Media

UX & UI

INDUSTRIES

Banking and Financial Services

Food, Restaurant & CPG

Technology

Travel and Tourism

Utilities

LOCATIONS

Atlanta, Georgia

Orlando, Florida

CAPABILITIES

Branding

Data and Analytics

Design

Media

Research & Planning

SEO & SEM

Social Media

UX & UI

INDUSTRIES

Banking and Financial Services

Healthcare

Industrial & Manufacturing

Logistics & Transportation

Technology

LOCATIONS

Minneapolis, Minnesota

CAPABILITIES

Branding

Data and Analytics

Design

Development

Media

Production

Research & Planning

SEO & SEM

Social Media

INDUSTRIES

Agriculture

Banking and Financial Services

Education and Government

Food, Restaurant & CPG

Healthcare

Non-Profit

Recreation, Entertainment & Sports

Retail

Technology

Travel and Tourism

LOCATIONS

Jacksonville, Florida

CAPABILITIES

Branding

Design

Development

E-Commerce

Packaging

Production

Research & Planning

SEO & SEM

UX & UI

INDUSTRIES

Agriculture

Banking and Financial Services

Education and Government

Food, Restaurant & CPG

Healthcare

Industrial & Manufacturing

Logistics & Transportation

Non-Profit

Recreation, Entertainment & Sports

Retail

Technology

Travel and Tourism

Utilities

LOCATIONS

Hong Kong, China

CAPABILITIES

Branding

Research and Planning

Design

Media

Packaging

Development

INDUSTRIES

Food, Restaurant and CPG

Healthcare

Recreation/Entertainment/Sports

Retail Technology

Non-Profit

Education and Government

LOCATIONS

Atlanta, Georgia

CAPABILITIES

Branding

Design

Research & Planning

SEO & SEM

Social Media

INDUSTRIES

Agriculture

Education and Government

Healthcare

Industrial & Manufacturing

Logistics & Transportation

Utilities

LOCATIONS

Melbourne, Australia

CAPABILITIES

Branding

Data and Analytics

Design

Media

Research & Planning

SEO & SEM

Social Media

UX & UI

INDUSTRIES

Agriculture

Banking and Financial Services

Healthcare

Industrial & Manufacturing

Logistics & Transportation

TechnologyAgriculture

Banking and Financial Services

Education and Government

Food, Restaurant & CPG

Healthcare

Industrial & Manufacturing

Logistics & Transportation

Non-Profit

Technology

Travel and Tourism

Utilities

LOCATIONS

Des Moines, Iowa

CAPABILITIES

Data and Analytics

Design

Development

E-Commerce

SEO & SEM

UX & UI

INDUSTRIES

Agriculture

Banking and Financial Services

Food, Restaurant & CPG

Non-Profit Technology

LOCATIONS

Akron, Ohio

Research-led, audience-first approach to segmentation design, strategy & planning.

Unparalleled cost savings across data, SSP/DSP & ad-serving fees.

Dedicated agency account team with vertical expertise.

Flexible in-housing, managed services & hybrid partnership models.

Hi MAGNET!

We loved seeing so many of you in Barcelona and Boston. As we look ahead to Park City, Utah, our team is intently discussing “the wild west” of paid media and where we think it’s headed.

Recently, our media buying teams followed:

• TikTok testifying before the US Congress, watching for whether or not a US ban will impact advertisers

• Advertisers leaving Twitter en masse, and brand safety came back to the forefront of client conversations (beyond Reddit this time!)

• The rethinking of GRPs as an industry norm, shifting to more meaningful metrics for this day and digital age

• Clients taking data more seriously than ever, leaning into 1st Party and 3rd Party Data sources and advancing their CDPs/DMPs, allowing our data strategy and integration teams to flex their muscles

• Economic uncertainties and truthful advising about the data (and 20+ years of experience) that tells us investing more in a recession leads to greater outcomes

In light of these changes and beyond, we firmly believe whoever has the most information wins. We remain committed to our growth, continuing education, certifications, training, partnerships, and network to thrive in the changes ahead.

Here’s what we’ve been up to:

Recent Wins:

Global eCommerce

Financial Services

Private Equity Portfolio Companies

Tourism/Economic Development

Healthcare

As all of us navigate the “new frontiers” together, never hesitate to reach out if you’d like to “talk shop” on any of these. By the time we meet, there will be something else new on the market, we’re sure! (It’s part of why we love this work!)

See you soon, Janet, Kate & Michaela

15.9% YOY GROWTH IN 2022

We are excited to share that our work for Bell was successful in helping them win the largest U.S. Army modernization contract in history, beating out Lockheed-Sikorsky for the FLRAA contract. We delivered a unique strategic marketing approach that combined targeting, creative, media, and aligned all comms channels inside Bell around a time-sensitive Army RFP process.

BELL V-280 AWARDED $70 BILLION ARMY CONTRACT MICHIGAN LAUNCHES BUSINESS ATTRACTION CAMPAIGN

Coming off our 2021 AOR win against 15-year incumbent, Universal McCann, we have just launched a fully integrated business attraction campaign for the state of Michigan. The campaign connects with 8 unique audiences in and out of state with over 50 different communications.

MAGNET MATTERS

March 2023

OVERVIEW

Economic pressures on the auto companies continue to heat up in Michigan, and job security is a major topic. As the industry evolves to electrification the mix of suppliers is dramatically changing, as is the composition of the workforce. Engineers are in great demand as traditional Tier One companies are focused on changing if they want to survive. This week alone, GM offered buyouts to a majority of their salaried workers globally. And, Ford is struggling to evolve and maintain high-quality levels. The prosperity of the car companies dictates the health of the Michigan economy, especially SE Michigan. It appears that the next few years will be economically challenging for the industry. In addition, as is the case across the country, real estate sales are a fraction of what they have been.

Because we are not dominated by the automotive sector, we are not feeling a direct impact on our clients’ marketing expenditures. We are hopeful that things will at least remain status quo in the near term.

NEW BUSINESS

1. In addition to assuming responsibility for three new Black Rock Bar & Grill restaurants in the Tampa Bay area, we are now the agency of record for a 20-location pizza franchise operation with ambitious goals for expansion.

2. We are also in the early stages of working with two more franchised restaurant concepts based in Florida with locations in four states.

3. Our franchise portfolio continues to grow as we added a new pizza concept in Michigan and are presenting to another non-restaurant concept late in March outside of Michigan.

4. Another new Florida-based national client is starting to become more active with ambitious plans for growth in both the B2C and B2B categories.

SUMMARY

We continue to be optimistic about continued growth. The quality of our work in all disciplines is great, and our client relationships are strong.

RESULTS

NEW BUSINESS UP REVENUE UP PROFITABILITY SAME

PERSONAL

Debra is successfully recovering from her 5th foot surgery, and hopefully, her last. I will be coming to Park City, but she will not. I was recently selected as a Pillar in Business and Philanthropy by the Bates Street Society in Michigan, along with 7 other people. Quite an honor.

Momentum is hard to start, but once rolling, even harder to stop

-Ryan Rieches

We think there’s power in this word and that it’s underutilized. Think about it, there are no negative associations to momentum – only positive. And there are many types and degrees of momentum that we create for our clients by utilizing the power of their brands — whether it’s related to a business vision or rooted in culture. While virtually all other branding firms in our space focus on business growth as their promise, we believe we are the only one using momentum as a brand driver.

We’re still early in the process of bringing this idea to life. But since I was on the planning committee for Park City and the topic of agency positioning came up – I volunteered to share our work in progress. Be kind. Good thing tomatoes are out of season.

TEAM BUILDING

Sur La Table Experience

The team that cooks together…well, eats together, I suppose! Our latest event consisted of some incredible Italian dishes made by the hands of the BrandingBusiness team, an abundance of good wines, and an unforgettable evening of camaraderie

After seven years as BrandingBusiness, we decided to sharpen our positioning and energize our visual identity. We landed on a big idea that we believe clients will value: momentum.

Case Study

EXTENSIV

3PL Central, a cloud-based warehouse management solution provider, came to BrandingBusiness in 2020 with a unique branding challenge –to integrate three acquisitions into a completely new brand.

Based on a core brand driver, creating the future of omnichannel fulfillment, we developed a new brand name – Extensiv – and an origami-influenced logo to convey mobility and agility. A bold visual identity system and a key messaging strategy for the Extensiv website completed the core brand initiative.

BrandingBusiness enabled 3PL Central to express its bold vision of a new age in fulfillment technology — and to continue their forward momentum while confidently embarking upon a new journey.

BRUNNER HIGHLIGHTS

Navigating Change with a People-First Culture State of Business at Brunner

Top-line Revenue up 16%

2022 was a strong year for us with top-line revenue up 16% and increased bottom-line performance also YOY. Organic growth was a key contributor to our positive momentum and our sales-pipeline was steady throughout the year, including through Q4, with several opportunities that have resulted in several new client partnerships And 2023 has started off fast with the addition of four new clients in January and several other opportunities pending decisions in Q1

Ten New Client Partners in Four Months

As a leadership group we’re very focused on supporting and retaining our people by maintaining a strong culture as we continue to navigate the “flexible” work model We’ve continued to see positive productivity and collaboration throughout the agency and our people-first benefits have become a cornerstone in our recruitment efforts It seems that these policy changes are here to stay

You may have also read/heard that we had some changes in our partner team to end the year Scott Morgan decided it was time for him to take a step back and focus on other interests He shares some of his final thoughts and memories to close our portion of the newsletter update. He still plans to be with us in Park City to visit with everyone and to show me the ropes

Gaining Efficiencies with AI

While we’re pleased with our growth, (like you) we’re keeping a close eye on the economic environments, the potential threats that may come from a global recession and the constant change of the marketing landscape The use of AI across the organization, as platforms like ChatGPT, Performance Max, and DALL-E 2 present opportunities for innovation and efficiencies across every practice area within the agency, while also attempting to interpret and predict how our business will change and evolve as these platforms become better and even more pervasive in our daily lives

I’m looking forward to meeting everyone inperson and look forward to getting more acquainted with all the great things MAGNET has to offer.

Dan Gbur Partner, Integrated Marketing Communications

Good people getting great results for our clients

Employee Spotlight

We've had many new Brunnerites added to our roster this past quarter. Our spotlight this edition, is on Mark Dressel, Strategic Planner. Mark brings extensive experience from brands such as Sam's Club, Johnson & Johnson Skin Care, American Standard, and LG Electronics. Mark has already become an invaluable part of our team.

The Momentum Continues

Atlanta ADDYs

Our latest work with YellaWood was recognized for creative excellence at the 2023 Atlanta ADDYs:

• Judge's Choice

• (2) Gold ADDYs: Animation and Motion Graphics; CGI and Special Effects

• (3) Bronze ADDYs: Elements of Advertising, Video Editing; Single, Local Television; Single, National Television

Our work with Rinnai, RWC Global, The Home Depot Rental, and our very own Vicie Simpson were honored at this year’s PRSA PGH Renaissance Awards:

• Media Relations: Rinnai

• Media Relations: RWC

• Integrated Marketing Campaign: The Home Depot Rental

• Black Excellence Award: Vicie Simpson, Community Manager

Google Premier

Only the top 3% of Google partners make the Premier Partners list. For Brunner, being at the top in SEM comes from years of experience and a continuous commitment to rigorous training, strategic processes, and key partnerships That approach led to Brunner earning Google Premier Partner status again for 2023

MAGNET Memories - a letter from Scott Morgan

The past year has gone by amazingly fast – and I would say that for me, the past 36 years at Brunner and the past 15 as a MAGNET member went even faster! I think most of you would agree, the experience of being involved in our industry as a career can be highly energizing even with the rollercoaster rides that are inherent in the business It makes me happy to know that the future for MAGNET and for Brunner is incredibly bright! The memories created with my MAGNET brethren are some of the most meaningful, enlightening, rewarding, and just a plain fun part of my lifetime! I thank you all for that Now it’s time to hand the MAGNET torch to Dan Gbur, a partner and trailblazer in our business who is a great fit for the culture of our network I’m sure he will find it as enriching as I did One final bit of advice (let’s just call it one guy’s POV ) is for all of you to truly embrace the opportunities and relationships within MAGNET. Support Melissa, our CEO, and show appreciation for MK! Be engaged, consider board membership, committee membership, and maybe even chairing the board. I know how busy you are with your first job, but I can tell you that being involved at that level has its own unique rewards. For those of you who I shared that experience with, I am forever grateful. I look forward to seeing you in Park City and of course, attending the meetings at the bar too!

PRSA Renaissance Awards

Dear Magnet friends,

It was great to meet many of you in Barcelona recently; it was an inspiring few days! It reminded me how invaluable it is to be connected to such a dynamic group who are open to new ideas, opportunities, and challenges.

I am pleased to report that CBC has had a fantastic comeback after the Covid downturn, with 2022 being our best for 20 years. While there has been a slower start to 2023, we’re now seeing things changing gears. Several old accounts are committing more marketing budget than last year, and we have been fortunate to onboard new accounts within the Energy & sustainability, MedTech, and Industrial engineering sectors.

After 40+ years in international B2B branding and marketing, we are well positioned in the Danish market and we’re increasingly attracting business from abroad within our specialist sectors: Marine & Logistics; Industrial engineering; Process industry; Life science & MedTech; and IT & High-tech. The outlook is positive, and it seems the B2B market is less impacted than feared by unpredictable global events.

I look forward to seeing you online and, hopefully, at one of our upcoming Magnet summits.

With warm regards,

Ralph Krøyer

Managing Partner

Tel: +45 35 25 01 75

Email: rk@cbc.dk

www.cbc.dk

CBC is a specialist B2B branding and marketing agency that takes global businesses from complexity to clarity to commercial impact.

For QUPAQ, CBC created an original company name and logo, implemented these across a new CVI, and aligned sales and marketing activities to support the launch.

Project highlights

For Huntsman Advanced Materials, CBC created the “Made Possible” platform, highlighting how the company is an enabler for innovation that brings its customers’ ideas, potential, and products to life.

Project highlights

For MAN Energy Solutions, CBC created a campaign to position MAN Energy Solutions as industry experts and increased sales by 288% on a key product line.

Project highlights

Hello Magnet friends,

We’ll get straight to it today. Here’s our go-to list of current initiatives:

Go virtual.

Many of you have seen our office space. It’s beautiful—13th floor views, roof deck off the kitchen, glass walls, private editing suite, and lots of space for people to spread out. It’s also twice what we need, and we’re only using it one day a week. Our lease has become a giant, expensive noose around our neck. We’ve put our space on the sublet market and plan to move to a small footprint of co-working space if our real estate brokers can pull off a miracle. Downtown Portland isn’t that popular of a place these days, but at least we have that beautiful roof deck going for us along with sunny days ahead.

Go paperless.

We’ve talked about this being a goal in recent years, but moving to co-working space now makes it a necessity. Fortunately, we’re paperless in a lot of aspects already. But it’s the accounting side of the business that still has us buried in paper and rows of filing cabinets. We’ve assigned a small task force to develop the overall structure and processes that we feel are both fail-safe and in compliance with the requirements of our governmental contracts. From there, we’ll move on to training our entire staff. Whether it’s invoices, contracts, or some other random thing, it seems everyone touches something that eventually becomes part of the accounting system.

Go get more new business.

Granted getting new business is always a given, but we’re feeling it especially hard these days. We need to replace the gross income from the Oregon Department of Education, our second largest client these past two years. The contract ended when government funding ended along with the pandemic. Fortunately, we’ve got multiple opportunities we’re working on, but it’s going to take more than one to land to fill in the gap.

We always look forward to seeing our inspiring Magnet friends at the meetings. This time around, Steve will be our in-person CKer in Park City while Jeanie stays back to help drive the go-tos.

2021-2022

What we did

Coates Kokes is proud of its continued growth in B Corp activities, with the highlight being our renewed certification and new score of 89.5. As part of the recertification process, CK added new policies to the handbook including nursing parent, environmental and labor policies. We also added a Code of Ethics to the beginning of the employee handbook to articulate our existing values.

Annual Report

United Way of the Columbia-Willamette donated $1.2 million dollars to Bybee Lakes Hope Center a person-centered, trauma-informed and data-driven reentry center for our houseless neighbors. CK announced the donation itself and held a media-only tour of the facility after construction was completed.

In total, CK’s revenue for 2021 was 63% from clients who do social or environmental good. In addition to our paid client work and volunteer work, CK also completed pro bono work for many of our cause-oriented clients, including:

• Oregon AETC

CCO Oregon

• Coalition for Oregon Land Trusts

• Catholic Schools Endowment Foundation

• Multnomah County Health Department

• Oregon Department of Education Oregon Health Authority’s End HIV

• Oregon and State Health Improvement Plan

• Oregon Housing and Community Services

• Oregon Manufacturing Extension Partnership

• City of Portland’s Bureau of Planning and Sustainability University of Oregon’s Prevention Science Institute

• United Way of the Columbia-Willamette

Coates Kokes created English and Spanish videos for the University of Oregon’s Prevention Science Institute, sharing their successful recruitment techniques to connect Hispanic and Latino populations with COVID-19 testing.

CK started an employee-led “Food for Thought” lecture series where employees can lead an office discussion or presentation on any topic around sustainability or equity. In 2022, the topics included Racial Identity Development, PDX Earthquake Preparedness and Crossing the Sonic Color Line. This program, along with time spent at conferences and training new employees, helped CK increase its total hours spent training over the previous year.

We saw an almost 770% growth in our employee-initiated charitable matching program from 2021 to 2022. This past year, CK employees donated to local nonprofits including The Rosewood Initiative, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, St. Clare School, Wells Youth Baseball/Southwest Portland Little League, Hollywood Theatre, Build Social, Northwest Children’s Theater, The Street Trust and Rose City Rollers. As a company, CK donated to JOIN PDX, Oregon Symphony, Oregon Ballet Theatre, Portland Center Stage and the Catholic Schools Endowment Foundation.

As a company, CK has completed volunteer work as a full staff, leading a downtown trash clean up with SOLVE and packing food for students with Portland Backpack. CK’s employee-initiated volunteer program grew this year, with our staff working with a variety of organizations including Depave, Oregon Food Bank, Children’s Book Bank and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund.

A few of our staff members go above and beyond to volunteer on local boards, including Friends of Frog Ferry, Eco-School Network, Cascade AIDS Project junior board and the Oregon Spinal Cord Injury Connection.

What it’s all about –continually elevating our game

Recertification was certainly a big focus over the last year or so. The bar keeps getting higher, and that’s as it should be. We’ve never felt more urgency than we do now to help usher change into the world around us.

Ultimately, the new procedures and actions that come with elevating your B Corp gameplan strengthen the underpinnings of the business and the culture on which it rests. I’m thankful for the push that recertification provides and the various ways of looking at our firm, the work environment it fosters and the impacts it has on our community.

One component that’s been critical to the evolution on our B Journey has been the deepening of B Corp engagement throughout the company. More people are more involved with B Corp than at any point so far. In particular, I want to note the leadership and proactivity of our “B Keepers” Christina Bertalot and Kellie O’Rourke. They have shouldered more and more of the responsibility for engaging the larger team, and they keep opening new doors to additional opportunities to make a difference. I’m sure there’s some kind of “it takes a village” analogy in there, and certainly it seems like a truth that success in this realm is a collaborative affair.

Leading the Way in Cross-Cultural Digital Marke�ng

A�er a challenging few years, Covid is now becoming a distant memory. And this post-pandemic era brings some exci�ng opportuni�es for Challenger Brands who want to scale across borders and connect with consumers across cultures. At Digital Crew, we're op�mis�c that 2023 and 2024 will be an excellent �me for us to solidify our posi�on as a top-�er Challenger Agency. Our cross-cultural marke�ng proficiency and global outreach enable us to capitalize on new business opportuni�es and revitalize our current clientele.

CHINA OPENS UP: A NEW OPPORTUNITY

One of the most exci�ng developments is China's opening up a�er months of strict COVID lockdowns and restric�ons. As one of the world's largest and most influen�al markets, China presents a tremendous opportunity for businesses looking to expand their reach. At Digital Crew, we have a strong presence in Shanghai and Guangzhou, giving us a unique advantage in helping businesses navigate the complex Chinese market. We understand the cultural nuances and the digital landscape in China, which is crucial for successful digital marke�ng campaigns. We have also observed interna�onal brands partnering with virtual influencers to engage digitally na�ve consumers with tailored content designed to appeal to specific target audiences.

CEBU PACIFIC AIR: A LONG-TERM PARTNERSHIPV

We are excited to con�nue our long-term partnership with Cebu Pacific Air, one of our biggest clients. With travel restric�ons easing, they're ge�ng ready to take to the skies again, and we're thrilled to be a part of their comeback story. In March 2023, Cebu Pacific Air will be launching new campaigns, and we can't wait to help them reach new heights.

CROSS-CULTURAL AND BORDER DIGITAL PROJECTS: OUR FOCUS

At Digital Crew, we have always been focused on cross-cultural digital marke�ng. Our team of experienced digital marketers is fluent in mul�ple languages and has a deep understanding of different cultures, allowing us to create campaigns that resonate with audiences across borders. As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, our focus has shi�ed towards cross-border digital projects. We believe that businesses need to embrace the unique challenges and opportuni�es that come with working across borders, and we are here to help them do so.

PANDAMETRICS 2.0: A GAME-CHANGER

We are excited to announce the launch of PandaMetrics 2.0 later this month. As a proprietary social media listening tool, it has been an essen�al part of our toolkit for successful digital marke�ng campaigns. With a new user interface and improvements to our extrac�on, transforma�on, and loading (ETL) process, PandaMetrics 2.0 will provide even be�er data extrac�on and analysis capabili�es. This will enable us to provide even more valuable insights to our clients, helping them make informed decisions about their digital marke�ng strategies.

At Digital Crew, we believe that a data-driven approach to digital marke�ng is essen�al to crea�ng campaigns that are not just culturally relevant, but also emo�onally resonant. As the world becomes more interconnected, cross-cultural digital marke�ng is no longer a nice-to-have, it's a necessity. We're proud to be leading the way in this space and are excited to help businesses connect with audiences across the globe.

www.digitalcrew.agency

HI MAGNETS,

I’m dedicating this issue of Drake Cooper’s MAGNET Matters update to the one and only Jamie Cooper. (He won’t be thrilled about this, because he’s far too humble, but hey guess what, he’s not the boss anymore…well, actually he sort of is, he still chairs our board). “The one and only” is obviously a figure of speech, but in this case, I mean it. In fact, when I first took that call from the recruiter about “an opportunity in the mountain west” she told me in her 30+ years in the industry she’d never met anyone like Jamie Cooper. It’s now been a little over a year, and I can confirm that statement. Jamie cares deeply about people and culture. That is the legacy he cares to leave behind. I’m beyond honored that he chose me to carry it forward. I know there will be challenges ahead, but I also feel woefully prepared thanks to everything Jamie has done.

If you’re looking for guidance on how to succession plan, I strongly encourage you to speak to Jamie. He went about this transition in such a thoughtful, methodical way that I believe it set me up with the best opportunity for success. He over-communicated to the agency from the very beginning, so there was no confusion on what his plan was and what the plan was for the agency. So by the time we formally announced my appointment to CEO there was a sense of familiarity, not surprise.

Many of you have known Jamie far longer than I have, and I’m confident he has impacted many of your lives. He’s certainly impacted mine. And not just because he took a chance on hiring me, or the guidance every day since doing everything in his power to help me be successful in this role. The thing that I wasn’t expecting was how I would not only gain an incredible professional opportunity, but I feel like I’ve gained lifelong friends. I have been welcomed by Jamie and Charla to a degree that I feel like I’ve known them forever and it has me overwhelmed with gratitude. But, for those who know them, I’m sure that comes as no surprise. It’s who they are. “One of a kind”.

What’s next for Jamie? A combination of much needed family time, fresh powder runs, mountain biking trips, warm nights in Sayulita, camper trips to who-knowswhere in Idaho and beyond and undoubtedly some newfound hobbies. We hope he and Charla will be able to join us in Tokyo so you all can personally wish him well but in the meantime, please join me in congratulating Jamie on his retirement.

With gratitude,

Mindy Stomp

DRAKE COOPER ANNOUNCES JAMIE COOPER RETIREMENT, NEW CEO

MINDY STOMP APPOINTED CEO - TO LEAD EMPLOYEE-OWNED AGENCY ALONG WITH PRESIDENT, JOHN DRAKE BOISE, ID

Effective April 1, 2023, Drake Cooper announced the retirement of CEO Jamie Cooper and the appointment of Mindy Stomp as its new CEO. Joining the agency in 2006, Cooper was named CEO in 2007, growing the firm by more than five-fold in the years since.

In December 2020, Cooper sold the company to its employees under an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) and in early 2022 brought in Mindy Stomp to serve as general manager and co-president along with longtime agency chief strategy officer John Drake. With the appointment of Stomp as CEO, Drake transitions from co-president to president.

“I feel very honored to have led the agency for 17 years, but it’s time for a new spark of energy and ambition,” said Cooper. “Mindy and John are the perfect combo to take us into the future and develop the agency to its full potential. Creating the opportunity for our employees to own Drake Cooper is the pinnacle of my career. I know the legacy Bill Drake started back in 1978 is in good hands.”

Drake Cooper’s board of directors is composed of a majority of outside members, each with years of industry experience. Cooper will remain on the board, serving as chair.

Prior to Drake Cooper, Stomp spent more than 20 years in advertising and digital marketing at agencies both big and small, most recently at VMLY&R where her teams led efforts for clients such as Facebook/Meta, SKYY Vodka, Crystal Cruises, Driscoll’s, Haas Automation, and Mazda. Since joining Drake Cooper, Mindy has been instrumental in agency growth and key client relationships. She was recently elected to serve on the board of directors for MAGNET Global, a worldwide community of independent agency CEOs.

“We worked very hard to find the right CEO to replace Cooper,” said John Drake, president. “We were looking for that right person with deep industry experience who would respect our heritage and culture, while at the same time taking us to new heights. I am very excited to continue working alongside Mindy as we embark on the next phase of the agency’s life cycle. My job as president continues in making sure the agency delivers highly effective and sought-after work that builds our clients’ brands.”

“It’s a true honor to have the opportunity to build upon the incredible foundation at Drake Cooper,” said Stomp. “We have passionate employee-owners who care deeply about our culture and our clients. Jamie has given us all a gift by making Drake Cooper employee-owned, and as we continue to focus on our people and our clients, we will also be building the value of each employee’s stock.”

Drake Cooper’s motto is We Build Brands for the Ambitious. With ambitious plans of its own, the agency has notably moved into bigger markets, dominated by agencies much larger than itself. The agency has added larger brands to its roster in recent years, including ExtraMile, Chevron, Blue Diamond Almonds, Brookfield Homes, Nordic Naturals, and Challenge Butter. Additional client partnerships include some of the largest and most notable advertisers and marketers in Idaho, such as The J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Family Foundation, Idaho Central Credit Union, Your Health Idaho, CBH Homes, Bogus Basin, and 44 North Vodka.

ABOUT DRAKE COOPER

We Build Brands for the Ambitious. We look for and celebrate ambitious clients, partners, and team members. Drake Cooper increases the value of midmarket companies using advertising, media, digital content & technology, brand strategy, analytics, video & photography, and creativity. One of the few employeeowned agencies in the country, Drake Cooper is based in Boise, Idaho, and works with ambitious-minded clients throughout the US. drakecooper.com

ABOUT ESOPS

Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) are qualified retirement plans that buy, hold, and sell company stock for the benefit of all employees, providing a real ownership stake in the company. An ESOP allows for a company’s legacy to continue in its community through a closely-managed ownership transition that preserves the company’s culture while protecting local jobs.

JAPANESE BRANDS AS A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION EAT CREATIVE

Born in Japan over 20 years ago, we are constantly on the look-out for the brands that are challenging established norms, leading their industry with a brand-first and purpose-led approach, or extending their reach with new audiences through innovative and exceptional experiences. Here, we give our take on some of the home-grown Japanese brands that offer tactical learnings for marketing leaders around the world and can be a source of inspiration for new client engagements.

SMBC – BRAND AS THE BLUEPRINT FOR CHANGE IN A SLOW-MOVING INDUSTRY

Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) is the 2nd largest banking institution (by total assets and market capitalisation) in Japan and 12th largest in the world. For many, financial institutions can be perceived as ‘too big to fail’ but also ‘too big to change’, falling behind smaller, more agile challenger banks and institutions in terms of product offering and customer experience. Not so with SMBC.

With many financial mechanisms and transactions still executed in paper form or cash in Japan, SMBC has pushed to advance digital evolution in the country. Establishing its own in-house brand design team in 2016 – the first to do so in Japan’s financial industry – this team has been the spark for overhauling the SMBC customer experience. In 2019 the brand launched its app under the concept of ‘a new wallet’ to accelerate a national movement towards a cashless society. And more recently SMBC has launched its ‘Olive’ digital ecosystem – a numberless physical card that can switch from being a debit, to credit, to points card for all your purchases instantly in the SMBC app.

All of these touchpoints and innovations have been supported by a distinctive but dynamic visual identity that is driving brand equity and is a key reason for their appearance in the top 25 of the Best Japan Brands rankings for 2022

TSUTAYA – DOUBLING-DOWN ON EXPERIENCE TO BUILD BRAND EQUITY

When Tsutaya was first founded in the early 1980s, the proposition was quite innovative – brick and mortar bookstores that also offered CD rental and a café for customers to while away the hours. Fast forward 40 years later and we might expect Tsutaya to have succumbed to the might of the video streaming and

e-commerce platforms that have brought down so many bookstore chains and movie rental properties around the world. This is certainly not the case.

The brand’s owner and operator, Culture Convenience Club (CCC) headquartered in Tokyo, is not just focusing its growth strategy for Tsutaya on physical locations but is evolving these locations beyond just spaces of commerce to experience centers that tap into a huge range of life moments and interactions.

Driven by CCC’s mission to ‘build cultural infrastructure for Japan and the world’, Tsutaya locations are being developed with awe-inspiring architecture (a number of their locations have received global architecture awards), elements such as stunning lounges and bars surrounded by rare book collections, and exclusive exhibitions of Japanese arts. These are turning Tsutaya locations into must-go destinations for a drink, to meet friends or explore.

Demand for hybrid retail spaces are growing in Japan and in the region which should support CCC’s focus on in-store experience for their Tsutaya brand. And the appetite for growth is large. With global players like Amazon not having as strong a foothold in South East Asia as they do elsewhere, CCC is targeting 55 new locations in Malaysia alone by the early 2030s. Watch this space.

MUJI – THE ANTI-BRAND THAT TAKES A UNIQUE POSITION IN THE MARKET

To many, the name MUJI evokes images of rows of pencils and stationery, notebooks and a simple, practical aesthetic throughout. Since its founding in 1989, the brand has developed a lifestyle ecosystem of products, such as bedding, clothing, furniture and food, and even turned to automotive briefly through a partnership with Nissan in 2001.

From a classic brand perspective, MUJI stands out due to its “No brand” policy. The company name ‘Mujirushi

Ryohin’ translates as ‘No-Brand Quality Goods’ and this policy is carried through every interaction and experience. Unbranded products, simple packaging and Bauhaus inspired store design all endeavour to shift perceptions away from the rest of the marketplace where brands scream for attention. The business limits its spending on advertising and marketing, instead leveraging word-of-mouth awareness building and the ease of its MUJI Passport app for in-store and digital purchases.

This approach has brought a lot of success for the organisation with customers – customers who are tired with the incessant consumerism and branded content that dominates so much of our lives today. MUJI instead tries to bring a sense of calm to customers’ everyday lives with its ‘no-frills’ design style.

A surge in raw material prices and a weaker Japanese Yen in 2022 was a cause for concern from a financial perspective, but with strong growth in international markets and an ethos that continues to attract new customers, MUJI is a brand we will be keeping an eye on as an organisation that has built an empire outside of the expected brand conventions.supportive culture that powers performance.

HOSHINO RESORTS – EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE TO DELIVER EXCEPTIONAL CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

Although Asia is often stereotyped as a digitallysavvy region, in which cnnected technologies are all-pervasive, the truth is actually quite different. In Japan for example, fax machines still play a major -role in business communication and so does the hanko – a physical identification stamp held by individuals and companies alike without which almost no official undertaking can take place.

From luxury resorts to small-scale ryokan (traditional Japanese inns), Hoshino has built up an enviable portfolio of properties across Japan over its 100-year history, and today is expanding into markets across Asia such as Korea and Indonesia. Despite a diverse range of properties and a diverse range of customers, every location is imbued with a deep sense of place – drawing on local cultures and histories that embeds every property in the local environment and community.

So, while this speaks to a strong proposition of a consistent philosophy that can be adapted and flexed depending on local needs and nuances, it’s what happens within the Hoshino Resorts organisation that offers great learnings for brand and marketing leaders.

The brand operates on a very horizontal structure. While every employee is on-boarded to learn, understand and support the core facets of the Hoshino Resorts brand itself, they are heavily involved in each location’s brand

experience, initiatives and messaging. This employee-led development and delivery of the brand experience allows for the creation of unique in-property experiences for guests while also building a loyalty-driving culture at each and every property. Furthermore, guest satisfaction data and portfolio financial performance is shared with all members of the company, no matter what their position, engaging employees to deliver the exceptional experiences that will support Hoshino’s brand and business ambitions.

With travel and tourism in Asia back on the ascent, we are eager to see what Hoshino will do next.

VERMICULAR – HELPING CUSTOMERS TO ‘SPEND MORE, LESS OFTEN’

Nearly every consumer-facing industry – from apparel, to food, to technology – is tasked with solving a massive challenge they created: how to stop the flood of fast, disposable purchases that have become a scourge to every community, nation, wildlife and ecosystems. The calls for brands to bring customers on the path to buying higher quality, longer-lasting products that are purchased less often, have grown louder and louder with plenty of push-back or little response by the brands themselves.

One home-grown story of inspiration is Vermicular, a cookware brand founded by two brothers in 2010 in Nagoya in Japan’s central Chubu region. Their pots and pans are designed to last not just a lifetime but to be passed down from generation to generation. Every product is handmade and Vermicular has been applauded for its transformation of cast iron cookware design and manufacturing through its embrace of Japanese heritage and philosophy.

Because a Vermicular pot or pan commands a more premium price and has incredible product longevity, the opportunities for customer repeat purchases are obviously slim. However, Vermicular have complimented their core cookware range with an ecosystem of cooking tools and utensils, exclusive recipes developed by world-renowned chefs as well as repair services that all work to realise Vermicular’s core brand idea of ‘timeless and universal cookware’.

And just this year Vermicular have opened the ‘Vermicular Village’ – a modern space incorporating a restaurant, bakery and studio where visitors can learn about the product development process and take cooking classes – a true embodiment of the Vermicular experience.

We hope you’ve enjoyed these insights. If there’s anything you’re interested in hearing more about, don’t hesitate to get in touch at info@eatcreative.jp. We’re always here to chat, and most of all, always here to help. Until next time - the team at Eat.

Agency Culture Choices That Really Worked

I’m so very proud to share that Flynn was named to the Ad Age Best Places to Work list for 2023! Knowing this award is a direct reflection of our staff’s feedback and the positive culture we’ve built, it’s far and away the most meaningful accolade we’ve received. I’m honored to work alongside the people who embody our company beliefs each day and make this agency so special.

Being a third-generation, family-owned and -run agency, it should come as no surprise that our people are our number-one priority. We’ve made a conscious effort to build a healthy environment that people want to be a part of—making strategic choices (both big and small) each day to further this goal.

In recent years, we’ve seen a marked increase in our staff’s day-to-day happiness at work. We’ve received high marks from clients on our team’s engagement, collaboration, and communication. We’ve even seen increased financial success—which is a proven byproduct of more supported and fulfilled teams, as just about any study will tell you.

Knowing how employer/employee dynamics have shifted these past few years, and especially as this next generation of workers joins the workforce, I wanted to share a few of the choices and changes I believe have made the biggest positive impact over the years:

Brought the “Human” Back: We started checking in more. In my opinion, this is the most important shift we made. We talk to our people about how they’re feeling emotionally and dig deeper to understand where they need support. This has created an environment where people have the psychological safety to ask for help and share their concerns and desires.

Started a Profit-Sharing Program: When we have a strong year, everyone on the team benefits. We believe any success the agency enjoys is a direct result of the diligent efforts of our team—when the company does well, so should they. We want our people to know they have ample “skin in the game” beyond a biweekly paycheck and a benefits package.

Added Flexible PTO: Though more than 70% of employees would like an unlimited PTO policy, only 10% of U.S. companies have adopted one. Numerous studies have shown the employer benefits of adopting a flexible or unlimited

ONLY

10% OF U.S. COMPANIES OFFER AN UNLIMITED PTO POLICY

PTO policy, including higher staff productivity, more effective retention and recruitment, and ultimately, cost savings. We trust our folks to strike the balance that works best for them, and they don’t abuse the privilege.

Paid Parental Leave: This is a big one for me. The Wall Street Journal reports only 35% of U.S. companies offer paid maternity leave, and just 27% offer it beyond what is required by law. These are significant decreases from just two years ago. We believe all parents are entitled to sufficient paid leave to bond with their child, whether after birth or adoption. As a family business, giving people the means to prioritize their own families was a no-brainer.

Set Realistic Expectations: Sometimes we have to work more and sometimes we don’t. We encourage people to take advantage of these natural lulls, whether by exploring new ideas for clients, learning something new, or even just ducking out a little early for some R&R. We trust our staff to deliver for our clients and I’ve found that when we do need to work the occasional weekend to hit a deadline, there’s no shortage of volunteers.

Added a Holiday Break: We close the agency for the last full week of December, between Christmas and New Year’s. Why? It’s one thing to take some time off, but it’s another to be given protected time off when your teammates aren’t working and there’s no guilt or pressure to catch up on emails. Come January 1st, our clients get a refreshed Flynn team that’s ready to roll. This has been a transformative addition to our PTO calendar, and I highly recommend it.

While this may not be new or groundbreaking, we’re unwavering in our belief that supporting each other with empathy, mentoring, and kindness is central to our success. I’m immensely proud of this agency— and equally proud that our team notices and values our efforts, too.

Introduction

At The Fuel Agency, we’ve recently been reflecting on our favourite projects from 2022. Whilst we’ve had the pleasure of working with our partners in government and education to develop new brands and launch several successful campaigns, there was one brief in particular that took us by surprise: Arborgreen.

The Brief

Arborgreen are horticultural experts that supply (and create) products and intelligence to make large-scale tree planting projects faster and easier. Having recently acquired their closest competitor, Arborgreen’s brief to us was straightforward: develop a strategy to merge both brands, whilst respecting and preserving what made them special (and keeping their respective customer bases on-side).

The Challenge

With the recent acquisition, Arborgreen had the operational scale and capability to offer the fastest turnaround times in the market. They had the expertise, service culture and the scale to lead the category. What they lacked, however, was differentiation.

Across the category, each business positioned itself around a single factor: customer service. Service was critical – a er all, a relentless dedication to customer outcomes (going to far as to refer customers to competitors if they could do a be er job) was the foundation of Arborgreen’s success. But how could we talk about this differently, to show just how much further ahead Arborgreen was from the competition?

The Strategy

Change the conversation around service. Service dominates the category messaging, but it’s not well defined. Our starting point was to shi ing the category expectation of service towards “problem-solving resourcefulness” – something that framed Arborgreen’s strengths in a much more specific and ownable position.

We leaned into expertise – building a positioning around smarts, innovation, experience and resourcefulness, rather than simply “service with a smile”.

Our recommendation: to promote Arborgreen as the most resourceful horticultural partner in the country.

The Design

The design that was chosen for the new brand centred around the premise of being “Be er Together”.

This worked to achieve the key aspects of the brief:

– It fused design cues from both the original Arborgreen brand and its competitor brand, representing the convergence of two brands, coming together to become be er. This also served as a subtle acknowledgement customers and employees of the competitor brand that their brand wasn’t being forgo en.

– It also served to visually represent Arborgreen’s positioning – a resourceful partner that worked together with you to overcome obstacles and create be er solutions.other campaign work, the Arborgreen project had something for everyone – a simple, focused strategy, solid design work, a client that was a pleasure to work with, and an outcome that agency and client could both be proud of. Sometimes, the budget isn’t everything!

Conclusion

Despite having modest beginnings (the customer found us on Google!), the Arborgreen project became emblematic within the agency as the perfect, self-contained project:

1. We won it when we weren’t trying to win. In fact, we weren’t even sure we wanted to work with them – and we said so. Rather than chasing revenue, our approach was to determine if they’d make good partners for the agency, and whether we could achieve a good outcome. When they awarded us the business, they later cited this “ask first, sell later” as a key factor in our success.

2. The clients commi ed to the process. The client team understood how to get the most from an agency partnership – they trusted us. They asked thoughtful questions, posed hard challenges, and once decisions were made, commi ed wholeheartedly to seeing them through.

3. It reminded us that the best projects aren’t always the biggest. Despite being comparatively smaller in scale than our other campaign work, the Arborgreen project had something for everyone – a simple, focused strategy, solid design work, a client that was a pleasure to work with, and an outcome that agency and client could both be proud of. Sometimes, the budget isn’t everything!

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Hey Magnet,

Can’t wait to reunite at the upcoming Summit!

We’re loving being part of the MAGNET family and thrilled to have welcomed Copacino last year. Karen Carter, working with you is an honor and privilege.

Workamajig

Updates:

So far, 2023 is on trend to be our best year ever in terms of total users, with 3000 added users in Q1 of 2023. Whilst this is wonderful, we can’t say it’s surprising:). It’s just our constant effort to improve Workamajig that’s making good dividends.

With super useful content from top consultants in the creative field, our 4 Ps & a Podcast Newsletter subscribers have soared to over Get on board!

20,000!

Bootcamp

We’re gearing up for our Finance & Accounting Bootcamp on April 3-4, as well as our Project Management Bootcamp on May 1-2. November’s PM Bootcamp was a huge hit, so hopes are high for the upcoming events!

250+

Our MAGNET partners

We’re proud to work with these MAGNET agencies:

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The Business Overall

New Business Plan Is Working

After losing our two largest accounts in the Spring of 2022, we prepared an aggressive new business plan that was executed over the past 12 months. As of March 2023, we have secured a dozen new accounts that will result in total replacement of the lost revenue. Inspired by MAGNET agency presentations at the 2022 Boston Summit, we revamped our website and pitch materials. Godwin pursued and earned the business of recession-resistant prospects in our specialties of healthcare, education and tourism. We have acquired several blue-chip accounts secured with two-year contracts.

Our staff has worked extremely hard to make this happen with incredible proposals that are both strategic and creative. I am thankful for the Godwin team effort and all the support they have provided in answering the challenge. Here’s our client wins so far:

Revolutionary Spaces, Boston Hired for our travel/ tourism marketing experience. This historic museum’s Old State Meeting House is where the Boston Tea Party began.

Northstar Memorial Group, Houston Engaged by this national company based on our extensive knowledge in multi-channel database lead generation marketing for the end-of-life care vertical.

Sage Health, Nashville Hired by this national healthcare company for our healthcare experience launching primary care centers across America.

Bundy Group, Charlotte Hired by this boutique investment bank for our experience in financial services related to mergers and acquisitions.

Strive Health, Chicago Hired by this Denver-based company for their Chicago healthcare launch for our healthcare experience in value-based primary care for strategy, branding and creative.

Mississippi Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center Hired for our healthcare marketing experience and our responsiveness to the marketing director’s needs since she’s a one-person department answering to 21 physicians.

BlueHealth Baptist Hired by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi for our creative solutions and proven marketing, digital and event strategy to relaunch an innovative primary care center exclusively for Blue Cross members.

The Vertex Company Hired for our expertise in digital and social media marketing as this global aerospace company changed its name to V2X.

Mississippi College Hired for crisis management regarding a sensitive issue.

Thrash Commercial Contractors Hired to refresh this local construction company’s website to make their brand attractive to regional clients.

FWD.US Hired to introduce this out of state organization to business and community leadership for our Mississippi public relations and media connections.

Empower Mississippi Hired for our experience in branding, naming, and launching a new schools accelerator, Embark-New Schools for Mississippi.

Lauren Mozingo Promoted to SVP Operations and Brand Management

Lauren has been integral to Godwin’s success during her 25-year career. She has led many of our largest accounts including financial, healthcare, education and tourism clients. In addition to her brand management role, she was recently promoted to be over Godwin operations where she has had an immediate impact. Lauren’s unflappable positive attitude and her problem-solving abilities serve our clients and our staff well. Congratulations Lauren!

Jeff’s Painting Again

It’s been a 30-year hiatus, but Godwin President Jeff Russell is painting again. He has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree combined with a Master of Business degree, but for most of his career the MBA side of his brain has won. Recently, Jeff’s daughter gave him a watercolor set that sparked his creative urge to paint. Here’s a sample. Please don’t judge.

G rav i ty h ea d s t ow ar d s

600 s up er stars !

We’re scaling and expanding fast, delivering on our ambitious growth plans. This growth means a whole host of fantastic new talent joining our team to make our proposition shine even brighter And they’re already delivering fantastic results – our pitch win rate is going from strength-to-strength, our pipeline is growing and our work is becoming more and more recognized by the industry as best-in-class.

Sarah Hoerner, Head of Client Services, Gravity US

Steve Cheliotis, Chairman of Superbrands & FAB Methodology Lead

Lisa Hillmer-Poole, Head of Operations, Gravity US

Mark Morse, Managing Partner, Gravity US

Frances Gibbs, Brand Strategy Director, Gravity London Nikole Rose, Managing Partner, Gravity US

Hello,MAGNETFriends!

Our team started 2023 refreshed after we closed the office for the final week of the year it was scary, but it was a success

The last year has been an incredibly fruitful one in focusing our efforts on improving our own operations from a logistical standpoint Around the beginning of the pandemic we made some strategic decisions that focused our model exclusively on our agency efforts when previously we had been developing marketing software as well. We rode the wave of agency leads that came in as organizations adapted to an increasingly digital landscape and focused a lot of our attention on improving our product and adding team members, but I feel we left some of our own housekeeping behind in the process We started bringing on staff that were more well-suited to management and began slowly delegating work we had traditionally handled at the owner level It was at about this time that we found MAGNET.

Since our first appearance in Boston, we have attended every event and taken part in every training offered It has been a HUGE boon to our operational maturity and in the last 6 months we have made improvements to our HR policies, our sales process, management training, and in our general networking We’ve quickly become true believers in the value of having such an open dialogue with our fellow agencies and we want to extend a very genuine thank you to the folks who have been generous with their time and expertise Looking forward to seeing you all in Park City and to what we can bring back to the business after we learn from you all. More details below

NEWSERVICES AUSTRALIA

Developed a disability accessibility audit for organizations’ websites to ensure they are in compliance with the ADA for the more than 1 3 billion folks in the disability community

Launched a partnership with Bellingham and Whatcom County Tourism to deliver Local SEO to hometown organizations This is a pilot program to be brought to similar organizations in other cities and counties

Although we’ve been providing content writing and dev support under the guise of SEO for the past 7 or so years, we’ve finally teased both out into their own line items And like everyone else in the industry, we’re digging in and gearing up for the dreaded UA transition to GA4 a nice way to attract new clients via web dev

Have our first Australian client and our office set up (complete with phone number and address) Working slowly to network, set up our com au website and more learning the culture and being respectful Getting U S actions off our plate.

Potentially partnering with an AU-based B-Corp to review our mission/values for better alignment

TEAM&BUSINESSDEVELOPMENT SIGNINGOFF

We’ve continued to add more structure to our teams and invite input for business planning Annual strategic planning is moving more slowly with more people, but greater insight means better planning and more company buy-in (all great things, as employee burnout and quiet-quitting are trending)

We’ve also tried our hand at more breakout sessions to support feedback from everyone (especially the quiet ones!).

We’ve been developing better connectivity between sales, fulfillment, and account management teams by collaborating more meaningfully on proposals and initial meetings with prospective clients (gleaned from Mirren training and MAGNET Sparks presentations) We’ve been leaning in on better storytelling rather than a list of services we provide (and it’s working!)

Finally, we’re pushing and planning for more education and training to keep people interested in the work, keeping in mind, “What if we invest in them and they leave what if we don’t invest in them and they stay?”

NEWCLIENTFEATURE

Please give our Paid Ads Team Lead Spencer a warm hello while in Utah!

Hope to see you all in Tokyo later this year.

Courtney, Alex, and Jared

“Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes”

Well, the last few months have been a bit of a roller coaster.

When we last saw you all in Barcelona there were four partners and now there are three. Kevin is no longer with the agency. This change, while difficult to make, was in the best interest of the agency and we've been lucky to fill the role quickly promoting our ECD, Nick Bruskewitz, to Chief Creative Officer. Nick has been with the agency for three years and has played a key role in elevating our creative over that time.

At the end of November we lost our second largest client. The financial impact that comes with losing a client is always tough, but this client was also great to work with, valued our work, paid us appropriately for it, and was willing to take risks. What more could you ask for?

Unfortunately, we were a subcontractor to an energy program design firm who was let go putting our future in jeopardy. While the client requested KSV to stay on under their newly selected program design partner, a forced partnership rarely lasts. As a result, we started 2023 with a financial gap and a full-court press on new business.

Speaking of new business, you may remember the client loss we experienced in 2019 (National Grid) that decimated the agency. Well, we've been deep in a pitch with them and are heading into the final round. It's been a six-month process but we're nearing the finish line. Winning would be financially game changing for the agency but also the ultimate redemption story. And who doesn't love a redemption story? Send us your good energy and winning vibes!

We're sorry we won't be seeing you in Salt Lake City this year. Hopefully things will be looking upwards by Tokyo. Missing you all!

Erin, Rachel, Tucker

In the wise words of Beyoncé, “Who run the world? Girls!”

What do STEM and candy bars have in common? KSV’s newest client Mars, Inc.! An internal study conducted by Mars sought to understand why their Digital Technology group experienced significant drops in female leadership (30% female representation in middle management vs. 4% senior leadership). The study revealed four key enablers and barriers to career progression and so on International Women’s Day, Women of Digital Mars (WoDM) was officially launched dedicated to furthering women’s advancement to leadership positions. Mars partnered with KSV to define and launch their brand, establish their voice, and to build a community.

March 1, 2023

Hello MAGNET!

I hope your year is off to a great start. I feel like January started off slow, but here we are already in March and no doubt Park City will be here before we know it!

Where we stand 60 days into the new year:

We’re off to a solid start this year. We’ve picked up 4 new clients within Jan/Feb and have a couple of more warm leads in the pipeline. We have a few prospects that are in limbo waiting things out with everything that’s going on in the world, but we’re doing our best to stay top of mind for when they are ready to move forward.

Trying to figure out how to enhance our pipeline:

I can’t wait for this meeting given the new business topics. We’re closing business, but need a hell of a lot bigger pipeline. I keep telling my team if we could have a consistent $2mm pipeline and close 1/3 of that every 6 months we would be cruising.

Culture:

We are freaking onto something. I’ve told Tara the last 2 years “we are getting close” … I told her two weeks ago “we are there!!!”. Now it’s time for us to take the leap, and the team is ready to do it.

Revenue:

We did $2.9mm in 2020, $3.3mm in 2021 and $3.5mm in 2022. Our revenue goal is $4mm for 2023 and I know we are going to get there. For the first time in a very very long time, we’re focused on a kick ass culture that produces great work for badass clients. I think that focus is what’s going to get us over the $4mm hump.

Personally:

Tara and I are expecting a DAUGHTER in May! The plan is for her to join me in Utah, but totally depends on what her doctor says. Matt Matt turns 2 March 19… where is the time going?!?!?!?!

See you all very soon. I really can’t wait.

Sam Revenue: Up Profit: Up Spirits: Up!

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Happy Spring, Fellow MAGNET Members!

2023 has started out challenging, to say the least. We, like many of you I’m sure, are experiencing the “death by a thousand cuts” of a brutal budget season. We have not lost any clients, but the cumulative effect of the budget cuts sure feels like it. To that end, I just gave a speech at SXSW on Strategies for a Brutal Budget Season. Here’s a link to the speech in case you have some time to review it.

Fortunately, we increased our rates twice last year to accommodate the increase in payroll that was realized during the first and second quarters last year. That pricing increase is just now catching up with our clients’ 2023 SOWs, so we feel somewhat fortunate that the budget reductions aren’t hitting us as dramatically as they would have without those increases.

The WFH/hybrid/distributed workforce environment is not changing any time soon. We continue to do what we can to bring people together when we feel it is most necessary. Most of the employee response has been, “I’ll come in when there is a reason to; otherwise why should I commute to do Teams calls? I can do that from home.” It’s hard to argue with that logic. So, we remain flexible like everyone else and do what we can to foster our culture.

I’m really looking forward to meeting everyone in Park City. In the meantime, please enjoy this work that we recently launched for our Ditto™ client (joint venture between JOANN stores and SINGER® sewing machines).

My best,

Nancy Hill, Chief Executive Officer

Ditto™ is a new, unknown brand with a new, unknown product that is the first disruptive sewing technology in 160 years. Ditto combines digital projection with powerful software to make sewing patterns paperless, customizable, and adaptable to specific body measurements – all in real time. But how do we let sewists know Ditto exists? We drop in on New York Fashion Week with two big activations.

First, we hosted an all-day event in SoHo to reach key players in the sewing and fashion world who would help build early buzz for Ditto, and amplify the event experience beyond those four walls.

Ditto’s magic comes to life when sewists can get a hands -on look at the technology, so we designed three different sessions where guests could try Ditto for themselves, tailoring each one to a key audience for the new brand: fashion design schools, media, and New York-area sewists and makers. Attendees tested out the Ditto ecosystem, met with Ditto designers, and heard from early users of the product: the brand’s seven influencer partners (and counting) secured by Marcus Thomas.

Meanwhile, for two nights, Ditto took over key street corners with guerilla projections – digital billboards that demonstrated Ditto’s empowering, inclusive and forwardlooking technology with messaging in direct opposition to the limited standards of beauty and elitism that are typical of Fashion Week fare. Together, the event and projections helped Ditto reach hundreds of thousands of consumers within the brand’s audience, specifically earning attention and praise across social media, with the brand’s social following growing organically by more than 1,000% in the first 24 hours.

Hello and Happy Spring,

We’ve had a busy start to the year. For the clients we serve, it is annual planning and industry event season.

As co-founders of the Cattle Feeders Hall of Fame, we produced the annual awards ceremony and dinner at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association convention. The event is supported and promoted throughout the animal pharma industry. This year’s event was the largest to date with nearly 600 guests.

We produce activations at the National Farm Machinery Show and Mid-South Farm & Gin Show for clients including GSI, Kinze Manufacturing and Bayer seed brands DEKALB and Deltapine.

Commodity Classic, the largest indoor agricultural trade show, took place March 9-11. We produced and activated several incredible farmer experiences for National Corn Growers Association, United Soybean Board and Bayer seed brands DEKALB®, Asgrow®, Deltapine® and WestBred®.

For the Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, our experiential team helped bring the brand to life at their annual convention and trade show. We’ve added a few new clients.

We’ve expanded our business with Bayer Crop Science on the launch of their ForGround platform. ForGround leverages The Bayer Carbon program to assist farmers in transitioning to sustainable agricultural practices.

We will also begin work with Pivot Bio, a progressive fast-growing microbial nitrogen for food production.

Pivot Bio engaged OBP for brand-building and channel initiatives with their various stakeholders.

We’ve added some awards.

Our integrated campaign “Field of Dreams” work for DEKALB seed brand won two regional American Advertising Awards (ADDYs). Work across four other clients also won 13 regional awards from the National Agri-Marketing Association.

On the tourism side, we continued to achieve incredible milestones for the Missouri Division of Tourism for the “That’s My M-O” campaign , winning five HSMAI Adrian Awards for excellence in travel marketing.

To date, the campaign has earned more than 30 industry awards — a groundbreaking achievement.

It doesn’t stop there. Once we knew our beloved Kansas City Chiefs were headed to the big game, we made sure Mo was part of it. We developed a Super Bowl ad buy and we debuted our new creative during the broadcast. Please take a look at it in our work highlights.

We’re marking an agency milestone.

OBP celebrates 35 years in the noble pursuit of possibility this spring. On April 1, we’re celebrating by hosting a client and employee open house and attending a St. Louis Cardinals game.

I am so proud of our achievements and grateful for all the clients who entrusted us with their brands and helped us reach this milestone. We are stronger and

o ur w o rk i s b e t t er be c a u s e o f t h e co mm i tme n t s o f our t e a m a n d t h e a gen cy p a rtners hi p s w e ’ v e f o r ge d a l ong t h e j our n e y

Su z a n w i ll be j o inin g y o u a ll i n P ar k Ci t y I a m u na ble t o a t t e nd i n per s o n but k n o w i t w ill be a r em a r k a ble M AG NE T Summ i t

C heer s ,

Rhonda Ries

C AN ’ T S T O P, W ON ’ T S T O P.

Th i s y e a r, OB P c el e b r a t es 35 y ears of s e r v i n g s o m e o f t h e in du st r y ’ s be st cl i en t s .

C ELEB R ATI NG T HE I NDU ST R Y ’ S BES T

Th e n e w Cat t l e F e e de r s H al l of F am e w e bs i t e f eat u r es an in t e r a c t i v e t i meli n e ce l eb r a t in g t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n ’ s r ic h hi s t o r y.

F o ll o w ing i t s deb ut on a d v e r t i s in g ’ s b i g g e st s tag e , t h e n e w “ T ha t ’ s M y M -O” c am p a i g n r olls ou t t his s p r in g

Operating Profit: Down Business Volume: Up

Dear MAGNET friends,

Business Trend: Up

As I write this note, we are in the midst of major changes at the agency. We made it through 2022, replacing the revenue from the loss of our biggest account in Q1, and we’re finally focused on looking forward. Two separate initiatives at Response Media will transform us by the end of 2023.

First, we’re going through a full repositioning journey. We’ve been dragging our feet for years on properly articulating our value to specifically targeted verticals, and it’s finally time to focus. We’re “going for it” in our key targeted verticals, Consumer Packaged Goods and Multi-Location Retail. By mid-year, we’ll be rolling out new positioning, value props, and services focused on the needs of those specific businesses. We’ll finally be investing in our own marketing, biz dev and restaffing these areas. Our goal is to make us fully irresistible to brands in those industries by packaging the right combination of our proven data-led services that drive outsized results for marketers in CPG and Multi-Location.

We’re not just changing how we position and package, but adding new services, such as retail media and promotional media, which will appropriately flank and support our core capability – helping brands grow by maximizing the value of connected first-party data through a bespoke relationship platform. It has been an interesting journey thus far, and there is nothing sacred – we might even end up renaming the agency or spinning-off vertical focuses into separate businesses.

Second, we’re putting a renewed focus on what truly makes us great – our people. We’ve brought on a few new faces that will help in our transformation. We announced major changes to the staff development approach and employee wellness, which we hope will both improve our employees’ experiences at Response Media and secure their place here for longer and more fulfilling tenures. Among these new benefits – we’ve decided to pick up 100% of their individual healthcare cost, introduced a couple of mental health days into our annual calendar, and announced a $1,000 professional development stipend each team member can use to enhance their development. We’re putting a renewed focus on career pathing for each department and individual (which isn’t an easy task for a 35-person firm).

Last, we’re sticking with a hybrid work environment – everyone comes into the office on Tuesdays + one additional day each week of their choosing, then work from home the other 3 days of the week. We have seen that this offers the best of both worlds, providing the right balance of collaboration and convenience. Of course, this will continue to evolve but seems to feel right at this time.

I’m eager to see you and learn from you in Park City. Can’t wait to collaborate and discuss what’s working (and not) for you.

Warmly, Josh

New Additions to the Team

We’re excited to announce that Ami Sirlin has joined Response Media as our new Chief Client Officer. With over 20 years of experience in the industry, Ami brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to our agency. Her unique perspective and innovative marketing approach will undoubtedly help us continue to elevate our Client Experience. In her new role, Ami will be leading our client experience team, overseeing the development of our client relationships, and collaborating with our clients to ensure they receive the best possible service.

Brooke is a project management professional originally from Miami, Florida who has made a home in Atlanta. She has a blend of corporate and marketing agency experience working with various types of companies from large retail brands to hospitality giants and small businesses. She specializes in streamlining processes and managing projects. She likes to think of herself as an empath who can understand the needs of her team and the needs of external clients, which helps her build long-term relationships. Brooke puts her Converged Communications - Corporate Strategic Marketing degree skills to use to structure, plan, and adapt to the ever-changing marketing industry.

Yes, the cranberry people. In late 2022, we added Ocean Spray to our roster of top CPG brand clients, helping them create new, fun, and memorable experiences with their consumers through data and personalized CRM. Did you know Ocean Spray is a cranberry farm collective that grows over 80% of the world’s cranberry supply?

After a full audit of their consumer relationship programs, we helped Ocean Spray reinvent how they capture more first-party consumer data and effectively communicate with their consumers in more productive ways. The holidays were our first opportunity to launch, and we led with great email –effectively increasing engagement and consumer interactions by over 50%.

Client Evolution: Big Ass Fans

In 2020, we created an Analytics offering in the agency to help our internal team improve reporting, optimize campaigns, and deliver better client insights. Big Ass Fans (BAF), a High-volume, Low-Speed fans (HVLS) manufacturer based in Lexington, KY, engaged us to audit their marketing programs’ effectiveness back in 2020, and the engagement led to a retainer agreement to help with marketing analytics. Today, RM serves as BAF’s outsourced marketing analytics arm, managing and developing marketing dashboards and other advanced analytics outputs, such as campaign effectiveness and Predictive Demand Analysis. As a result, we’ve grown the account by over 81% YOY since 2020. We’re proud that BAF is our largest analytics client and continues to grow.

New Strategy: Client Partner Summits

In March 2023, we hosted a Partner Summit for our client, Enfamil (infant formula). As their acquisition media agency, we help them acquire over 90% of all expecting moms each year into their CRM program. We invited our most strategic media partners to provide them the opportunity to collaborate with our client and media team to improve our work together. We hosted everyone from the largest pregnancy apps, and baby registries, to TikTok. The day was educational, engaging, and provided us with a new way to showcase the strong partnerships we’ve developed on our client’s behalf. This event will be replicated across our largest clients annually, as both a productive working session and a great relationship builder.

Sarah Morgan is an accomplished marketing professional with over 7 years of experience in the industry. She began her career in traditional marketing, working extensively with print, promo, design, signs, and apparel for multi-family clients. As the marketing landscape evolved, Sarah expanded her expertise into the digital world, recognizing the importance of reaching clients across all channels. At Response Media, Sarah’s passion for learning and growth led her to a role where she could continue to expand her knowledge of digital marketing. With a keen eye for detail and a dedication to excellence, Sarah has become a valuable asset to the Response Media team. Sarah’s ability to understand the unique needs of each client and develop tailored marketing strategies that drive results have earned her a reputation as a trusted and effective marketing professional. With a deep understanding of both traditional and digital marketing, Sarah brings a comprehensive and innovative approach to every project she takes on.

MM&M AGENCY 100

GREAT PEOPLE MAKE GREAT WORK.

We are Schaefer Advertising, an independent advertising agency based in Fort Worth, Texas.

We help brands forge connections, hit their targets and move audiences to take action. Our work is defined by one pursuit – to make life better – for our partners, clients and each other.

MAGNET MATTERS // SPRING 2023

AMERICAN ADVERTISING AWARDS FORT WORTH:

BEST OF TRADITIONAL

BEST PLACE FOR WORKING PARENTS INNOVATOR AWARD

MM+M SMALL AGENCY OF THE YEAR FINALIST

20% GROWTH YEAR OVER YEAR IN 2022

HEALTHCARE

We build human-first brands for clients across the healthcare spectrum. From pharmaceuticals to medical devices, hospitals to health systems, we create campaigns that speak directly to the patients, providers and people you want to reach.

REAL ESTATE

You’ve got the vision, we’ll pave the way. At Schaefer, we craft brands that actively engage consumers and drive business results. Our strategic approach and award-winning creative has amplified some of real estate’s biggest names and industry up-and-comers.

ATTRACTIONS, TOURISM & THE ARTS

What sets us apart is our approach – we partner with ambitious brands and people to reach new audiences and cultivate a meaningful relationship between brands and their guests. By helping brands think like consumers we can better connect people with places and experiences.

» CLICK TO VIEW CASE STUDY

» CLICK TO VIEW CASE STUDY

» CLICK TO VIEW CASE STUDY

KEN SCHAEFER PRESIDENT/OWNER

SARA HULL EVP, ACCOUNT STRATEGY & CLIENT DEVELOPMENT

DOUG AUSTIN VP, GROWTH & INNOVATION

CHARLIE HOWLETT VP, CREATIVE DIRECTOR

DEBBIE CARRELL CONTROLLER

I mentioned to my Compass group a few weeks ago that historically we have been an agency of a few, larger AOR clients. Accordingly, our “news” has historically been focused on those “big” wins or “big “ losses, but the past two years have been much more sedate — more project work, fewer wins, no real losses.

There is good and bad in that relative quiet — a sense of stability as all client relationships are solid, but “standing still” isn’t necessarily comfortable. So, new business continues to be the top priority for us.

OUR BUSINESS

Top line … business is stable — stronger in strategy, creative and production opportunities than media — but quiet in terms of real growth. Revenue and profit were flat over the past six months.

Like many of you, our costs (primarily payroll) have increased faster than rates (particularly longer-term AOR contracts), so services that are not so directly pegged to hourly estimates of labor (media and production) are ideal right now.

From a revenue standpoint, the first half of the year should be good and at or above budget as every client has a key initiative being developed or launched in late Q1 early Q2. My gut is the second half of the year will need new business to offset some client hesitance as a result of economic uncertainty (though we’re not seeing that yet).

In fact, new business activity seems better than it has been. Q1 has us in a few projects and pitches of note with Chipotle, the new Jacksonville USL pro soccer team, creative AOR for FirstLeaf (online wine curation/subscription) and creative AOR for Benefytt (insurance marketplace) as well as a few smaller projects. That said, none of those represent the additional “tent pole” account(s) we seek and need to be confident in the year.

Our focus right now is creating a compelling value proposition for St. John. Where Nectar Studios (production) and Store By Store (restaurant/retail consulting) have specific reasons to be, the general market, integrated business seems like it needs a stronger point-of-difference that is not category specific. So many prospects come to us for a strategic and/or creative exploratory, but then do much of the activation/implementation internally. We need to define a compelling story to attract more sustaining work.

In a bit of ironic exploration, after writing the paragraphs above I asked ChatGPT to predict the future of independent ad agencies. The response: “Overall, the future of independent ad agencies will likely depend on their ability to adapt to changing technologies and consumer preferences, as well as their ability to differentiate themselves from larger competitors. Those that can offer unique value propositions, specialized expertise, and exceptional customer service may be able to thrive in a rapidly changing industry.” So at least “the future” agrees with what’s required in the present.

OUR STAFF

We entered 2023 with 20% of our staff working remotely and our Jacksonville staff working in the office on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. We continue to discuss how we will work long-term and how we can best engage our staff permanently based in other states.

In November, we brought the entire staff into Jacksonville for two days of meetings we called “Here For It,” with content designed around demographic and industry trends and dedicated time for pod and team meetings. It was a great opportunity to have everyone in one place and working together on strengthening the agency and their individual skill sets.

As part of the lead-up to Here For It, we divided the agency into groups of six and assigned them what we called the Pitch Perfect Challenge, a competition where each team randomly selected a brand, an audience demo, an audience driver and a pitch type (from a previous training session we did on Daniel Pink’s Masterclass on “persuasion”). Each team had eight minutes and fewer than eight slides to make a compelling pitch. The winning team randomly drew Marcus, Married Boomers, vanity and the rhyming pitch, which led to an engaging presentation of the evolution of Boomers from hippies to financial security sung to the tune of “My Favorite Things.”

Competitions like Pitch Perfect and one’s we’ve done previously — “The :30/:15/:06 Film Festival” and “Seven Sins in Sin City” — have proven to create energy and camaraderie, encouraging our staff to spend time with different people and in different ways than their day-to-day work experience.

Our content/production studio continues to be a successful part of our business. Currently 80% of Nectar’s business derives from agency client relationships, and the 2023 goal is to grow the Nectar client portfolio to reduce agency business to 40% of revenue.

The Nectar new business focus remains direct to in-house creative services groups and tier two brands where “brand” is important to success.

As referenced in the last MAGNET Matters, SxS is a consulting brand that works with restaurant brands to mine local store and location data to build “store back” marketing strategies on a local, co-op or systemwide basis.

We created SxS distinct from the St. John brand as an alternative path into the restaurant category in which we have experience but can’t always get an opportunity through the “full service” door. We’ve recently completed projects for Perkins/Huddle House and have proposals currently at Papa Johns and Firehouse Subs/Restaurant Brands International.

So far, through Social, LinkedIn and email, SxS has opened doors. Clients are slower to commit than we would like, but we’ve learned that they respond to data services they can “see” — place-based and time-spent data and, this year, we plan to incorporate additional white label services around observed consumer behavior and wrap SxS with creative or field services offerings when relevant.

Looking forward to the content and camaraderie in Park City.

Jeff

End HIV Oregon photo shoot

MAGNET