The Agency You Love

Last winter, the leadership at our agency gathered for a long working lunch of introspection. For 15 years, we’ve been helping our clients build out their brands, teasing out and articulating the mission, vision, and values that differentiate them in their market. However, we were chagrined to realize… we had never taken the time to define those foundational pillars at our own company. 

“>That working lunch was just the beginning of a journey to tell our own story — a story we all sort of understood but had never formalized — that would carry over many months, with every team member at every level making deeply felt contributions in capturing the core of what makes us, us. However, a central tenet of our brand did emerge in that initial discussion. An ambition that came out organically, conversationally, and with pure earnestness: 

the advertising agency you love to work with

As soon as it was spoken, we all knew we had our Vision. This simple statement encapsulates the essence of why we have so many long-term clients, why staff turnover here is atypically rare for the industry, and why we all have so much fun. It’s short and sweet but has layered meanings and offers versatility as a brand element — customizable for clients, capabilities, and case studies.

the advertising agency you love to work with

From there, we explored what exactly we love about working with Agency 15 and the results of this reflection are summed up in our company Values:

agency 15 advertising agency values

While these Values are internal, they foster a culture, an aura, that our clients can feel, and feel good about. The positive vibes are grounded by our Mission statement, which underlines the ROI that comes with the pleasure of our partnership:

advertising agency mission: we reinvent, standardize and amplify brands, with a business mindset, to connect with audiences and achieve meaningful results

Put together, our Vision, Values, and Mission characterize Agency 15. But what does that character look like? How do they speak? What do they doodle in the margins? It became clear that our brand no longer aligned with our truth, and it was time to evolve. We’d done it before, when 15 Fingers the shop matured into FIFTEEN the agency. Now, that agency has self-actualized. We know who we are, we know who we are not, and we know where we’re going. Reinventing our brand was the natural next step.

agency 15 brand and advertising agency branding

Fun, right? It nails our energy, our creative perspective, our blend of informality and expertise that makes us so enjoyably effective for our clients. The new headshots and illustrations capture the personalities of our distinctive weirdos who happen to be really good at what they do. It’s been a blast to develop and roll out, and we’re all feeling more comfortable draped in a style authentic to who we are. 

Oh, and the orange couch remains front and center. We started as two guys and an orange couch, and we’ll always honor our hard-earned roots. We’re more appreciative than ever of our old girl, and all of the memories, people, and ideas who have impressed upon her cushions to shape who we are today.

agency 15 orange couch

So why now? This is not an ‘It’s about time,’ situation. It’s that ‘Now is the right time.’ 2024 marks the 15th anniversary of Agency 15, though the symmetry there is more coincidence than impetus. We’ve simply grown up. We’ve been through our (admittedly, often awkward) adolescence to achieve a harmonious balance of self-awareness, humility, and poise. This harmony could only bloom from experience, from finding the right recipe of people, and from the earned trust of our clients. Now, we step into our prime.

Enjoy our new website, and get in touch if you’re inspired to discuss how we can amplify authenticity and actualization in your own business.

agency 15, the agency you love to work with

Social Dilemma

With so many new and emerging social media platforms, it can be difficult to know where your business fits in. Each platform has unique demographics, features and algorithms that are constantly changing (more on that here). Which platform(s) should you be on? Where will you have the most success? 

While there’s no magic eight ball to answer these questions, there are some considerations that will make choosing your platform(s) easier (and a lot less overwhelming). Whether you’re just getting started on social, or looking to expand your social presence, here are some crucial factors to consider:

Is my audience on Tik Tok?

YOUR AUDIENCE

Perhaps one of the most important factors in any marketing campaign, your audience will help you determine which social media platform(s) will offer you the most success. Who exactly is your audience? How old are they? Where do they live? What interests them? Are they educated? How do they use social media? These are all important questions to ask yourself before jumping onto the latest new platform. Our 2023 State of Social Report will help you discover which demographics are using which platform(s).

YOUR BUSINESS

What is your business? What types of products or services do you offer? Does your brand have a developed personality? All of these considerations will greatly influence your social platform selection. If your brand is very visual or creative, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest or Lemon8 might appeal to your content and audience. If your business is service-oriented, Facebook may be a great place to generate leads. If you sell products with an array of instructional videos, YouTube might be the best host. Many businesses may lend themselves to multiple social channels, where they can connect with their audience in different ways or showcase different facets of their business. 

YOUR COMPETITORS

Who are your competitors, and where do they live in the social space? Do a little competitor research to find out what platforms they’re using, how they’re engaging with their audience and what type of content they’re sharing. Then, look at what’s working for them, and what’s not, before deciding where it makes most sense for your business to have a presence. You’ll want to exist on the platforms they’re most successful if you want to grow your audience through social users. 

YOUR GOALS & CONTENT

Why are you hopping on (or already on) social media in the first place? Once you’ve thought about your overall social media goals and strategy, then you can decide which platforms are best for helping you reach those goals. For example, if you’re looking to your social to help promote you as a thought leader in your industry, LinkedIn or Twitter might help you achieve that better than Instagram or Pinterest with trending topics and blog shares. If customer support is a priority for you, Facebook might be a great platform to start. If capturing attention through photos and video or connecting with lifestyle influencers for product promotion is a goal for you, Instagram might be your platform. If you’re looking to social for e-commerce capability or product/service ads, Instagram or Facebook can give you a boost. 

YOUR BANDWIDTH

Effectively managing a social media account (ie. engaging with your audience on a regular basis, utilizing your social platform to its advantage, responding to users, etc.) requires a significant amount of time and energy. It’s important that you consider your team and your resources before choosing the platform(s) your business exists on. That also includes equipment and capabilities. Do you have the time and resources to edit TikTok videos or fact-check Twitter re-shares?

Do I have time to fact-check Twitter?

By the way, if you’re looking for help navigating the social world, we’re here for you!

Select One
Wanna Talk?
Fill out the form below and we’ll reach out soon.

Email Check
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Fill out the form below and we’ll reach out soon.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Fill out the form below and we’ll review your resume.

Drop files here or
Max. file size: 256 MB, Max. files: 1.
    This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
    Extra Small
    Small
    Medium
    Large
    Extra Large
    Double XL