The most rewarding campaign/TV production that I’ve been a part of was when we reconcepted a kidney transplant campaign that was originally bid per a $600k budget. Our client said he loved the idea but the budget could only be $100k max, so we got creative - went on a NJ/NYC roadtrip with our iPhones and filmed 20 patients ourselves. Their stories were beyond moving, and the campaign was also extremely effective!
Jordan McIninch
Account Supervisor
I've worked on a lot of emotional, powerful and fun campaigns, each rewarding in its own way. Although that work speaks for itself, truly the most gratifying and fruitful moments I've had were because of the tight-knit relationship I have with my teammate, Caitlin. People have said we have our own language, and I suppose it's true. After spending years working side by side (either physically or, in more recent years, virtually) it's like we share one big brain. The agency world loves to talk about the bond between creative partners but account team partnerships are equally as important, and every day I come to work grateful for mine.
Rachel Cerchiati
Interactive Art Director
A rewarding moment in my career that comes to mind happened one late night after a long day of shooting for the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics. We were getting ready to wrap when the athletes came over to say hello. They told us how thankful they were to be involved, how they were so happy to be there, and how excited they were to see the work. Getting the chance to highlight these amazing people and all the work they put in to get to that global stage was so inspiring, and it made the long days worth it.
Bill Cutter
Creative Director
One of the most rewarding experiences in my career was teaching a beginning concepting class at the Creative Circus in Atlanta. We paired up the students in teams of writers and art directors, emulating the real world. I'm proud to say that for the first time in the school's history, first-year students were honored in the annual creative competition. And it's been great seeing them flourish in agencies all over the world.
Shawn Huddleston
Associate Creative Director
Having expressed myself artistically on a few freight trains in my artistic youth (statute of limitations long expired btw), it was a fun moment in my career to be inside one during a client visit and operate it down the track for 200 yards. To be fair, I didn’t have to make any awesome or risky decisions or anything and I just sat in the seat and put my hand on a thing, but it was cool to have that duality of experiences with the ol’ iron horse.
Michael Kinkopf
Production Designer
While this isn't necessarily the best professional experience I've had, it might be the most instructive. I was late to a photo shoot one day at my local college, where I worked in the photo lab. As I came in and explained to my boss why I was late, he stopped me and said, “The client does not care why you are late or about any excuses you may have. They paid for a job; all that matters is the result, the deadline, and that you respect their time." That has stuck with me through the years. No matter the time or resource constraints, make the job happen. People pay designers not just for their actual creativity and design work but also for their creative problem-solving. We are solution makers.
Lisa Biskin
Creative Director
Many years ago, my mother happened to be staying with my brother and his wife, and I happened to come by to visit, and we happened to be watching TV when one of my first big brand spots, part of a huge campaign, happened to hit the screen as though I’d planned it. We saw the spot spontaneously and simultaneously, and it was tremendously satisfying to be able to share my work without having to make a show of it.
Hank Smith
Director of Strategy
A moment that stood out in my career was driving to a shoot with a client in downtown LA. They said to me: 'There’s always a friend to hang out with, a party to go to, or a video game to play — but there’s only ever one test, presentation, or meeting.' It taught me the value of living in the moment, my respect for other people's time, and deadlines. Not a day has gone by when I didn’t give everything my ALL. Hell, there’s a YouTube video to make you an expert in anything these days… right?
Trisha Pierce
President
One of my best moments in the ad biz was watching our team on hands and knees at Children’s National Hospital. We were cleaning and preparing hundreds of plastic Dr. Bears at midnight for a morning launch of one of the coolest campaigns we’ve ever been a part of. Each person cared personally about the success of the campaign far beyond what could have been expected of them.
Matt Smith
Owner
I was scouting for a TV spot when I threw up on a client and it changed the way I see client relationships. While walking around the location, a hospital ironically enough, I started walking like a drunken sailor. My client, known for her bluntness, was the first to notice. As I emptied my stomach on her shoes, she got a wheelchair and pushed me to the ER, where I had just been scouting. She quickly got hold of the right people. And a barf bag. Any concerns about business decorum flew out the window, along with the protective shields we all carried as agency and client. It was a beautiful example of compassion and authenticity. (BTW, my diagnosis was vertigo due to nose spray. Go figure.)
Passion, talent, emotion.
Three ingredients that can't be commoditized.
At first blush, one agency looks the same as a thousand other agencies. We have art directors; they have art directors. We have strategic leadership; they have strategic leadership. We have a pool table; who doesn’t have a pool table? That's where the similarities end. We couldn't be like any other agency if we tried.
Summer Fridays Every Friday off Jun-Aug. For real. Flex Fridays Unless something’s on absolute fire, consider it “you time.” Remote Studios We’ve become Zoom Masters, but see each other once a month. Matt Smith-isms Advertising gold. Every day. Whether you want it or not. Free Lunches We know how to hook up a sammich. And salads! Dogs out the ass Don’t bring your cat.
