Mis Favoritos Son! →
Lately I’ve been thinking a ton about US ad shops that really get me excited from both a creative & cultural perspective. So I decided 2 throw down a top ten of my own. It’s a mixed bag of tricks & I would love 2 hear your thoughts. If your not familar w/ any of these shops I would suggest checkin them out. Obviously this is very subjective & I encourage thoughts & comments. Don’t be shy!
$ The Barbarian Group http://barbariangroup.com/
Their mix of creative spirt & unrivaled passion 4 their craft make them tops in my book! I thought the CNN headline T-Shirt idea was a genius brand solution.
$ Droga5 http://droga5.com/
Overall I think it’s been hard 4 some shops in the boutique category 2 gain traction in the last few years. Having said that D5 has proved that a small creative shop can make big waves. Plus their eye 4 talent is top notch.
$ Goodby http://www.goodbysilverstein.com
They’re one of the most loyal & committed agency’s in the world. A truly integrated shop that doesn’t seem 2 let their creative ego get in the way of what’s in the best interest of their client.
$ Wieden+Kennedy http://www.wk.com/
Where art meets soul W+K represents what is truly @ the core of emotive storytelling. Powerful human stories supported by images that speak more than a thousand words. Craftsmanship @ it’s finest.
$ Wexley School 4 Girls http://wexley.com/
I don’t even feel like I can begin 2 explain what Wexley brings 2 the ad landscape but if I had 2 try…Imagine if your Creative Directors were Steve Martin & Richard Pryor & you may end up w/ a Wexley original. Small agency that doesn’t seem 2 have any fear. I love it.
$ Crispin http://cpbgroup.com/
Whatever anyone says or thinks about Crispin they have truly changed the way advertising efx both brands & the everyday consumer. I don’t know if anyone pushes their people farther than crispin 2 make a consumer impact on their brands. Who knows where we would be w/o them 2day.
$ Campfire Media http://campfirenyc.com
Small but powerful storytelling agency that understands how how 2 use technology & the internet 2 create emotive brand campaigns. I was real impressed w/ their campaign 4 the HBO show True Blood last year.
$ 72 & Sunny http://72andsunny.com/
First, being a Cali-Kid I just love the name & the imagery that the shop evokes. Second they craft killer integrated work w/ a range of dynamic voices. From brands like Nike, Zune, & the Discovery Channel they seem 2 get deep into the brand & amplify the voice naturally.
$ POKE NY http://pokenewyork.com/
The NYC digital shop grew from the base of it’s quality parent agency in London. They also have a brother - sister relationship going on w/ Mother NY. The reason that I’ve become partial 2 POKE NY is because of their quality mix of digital strategy & interactive prowess. They seem 2 be super passionate about their jobs & have supreme fun doing it, if you don’t believe me check out their blog & office webcam.
$ La Comunidad http://www.lacomu.com
I have 2 say that I don’t know as much as I would like 2 about La Comunidad but maybe that’s part of my love affair, the mystery. I do know that instead of a traditional office in Miami they work out of a house which has a pool. I feel like that is a good representation of why they appeal 2 me. They seem 2 have a very non-traditional approach 2 building brands not 2 mention a strong family atmosphere. The Molla bros, Jose & Joaquin, seem 2 inspire & support creative work from str8 out the gates.
** Of course as I look back over this list of 10 shops I can think of a handful more that I didn’t mention. Which is why I’ve decided 2 drop a 2nd volume in the not so distant future so stay tuned & please let me know your thoughts. Bottom line is that we have some quality agencies in this business & I just hope that both talent & brands alike find the one that fits them best. ** Peace
