Creative Agency Exchange Model

Mike Cessario shares how Liquid Death partners with creative agencies to produce unique marketing initiatives while keeping costs manageable through a mutually beneficial arrangement.

Key Points:

• Agency Partnership Structure:

  • Work primarily with small creative agencies run by industry connections
  • Agencies offer favorable rates because they want portfolio-worthy creative work
  • Use the work to attract bigger clients like Nestle later

• Value Exchange Model:

  • Agencies get:
    • Creative freedom to try unconventional ideas
    • Portfolio pieces to attract larger clients
    • Real project experience with an innovative brand
  • Brand gets:
    • Access to top creative talent at reasonable rates
    • Fresh ideas from multiple creative sources
    • High-quality creative work without enterprise pricing

• Project Approach:

  • Focus on unique, attention-grabbing initiatives
  • Prioritize cost-efficient ways to generate buzz
  • Evaluate marketing spend based on attention/eyeball cost
  • Look for unconventional opportunities that generate more attention for less spend than traditional advertising

• Team Structure:

  • CEO remains focused on creative and brand direction
  • External creative partners contribute ideas and execution
  • Internal team handles operations and supply chain