Curiosity Maintains 100% Close Rate With Brooks Running As Social Media AOR

Brooks Running, the Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary, is naming Curiosity as social media agency of record following a competitive review, representing the 13th new client the Cincinnati agency has secured since the pandemic began, all remotely. The shops touts a 100% close rate. As a result of these recent string of wins, the agency will hire more than 10 new positions across multiple departments. This growth is the culmination of many earlier strategic decisions made by agency leaders, most notably, rejiggering its new business department. “We killed the idea of pitch teams,” Ashley Walters, chief development officer and partner, Curiosity said. “Instead, we look at the agency as one pitch team, because BD is everyone’s responsibility. Gone are the days of rehearsed, senior executive pitch teams. 2020 required a more authentic and nimble approach. Every single person at Curiosity was trained on the new pursuit process. In fact, a deep dive into our pursuit process is now part of onboarding. You cannot be a Curiosity employee without understanding how we run a pursuit.” This resurgence has been driven by three new co-owners announced in January 2021, Trey Harness, Jeff Warman and Walters. Together, they continue to make company culture a priority, even when all employees worked remotely for the past year and a half. Question everything “Question everything,” Walters said. “Nothing is off-limits. Question yourselves, your processes, how you hire. And question your prospects and clients. That’s how you get to a differentiated strategy and creative solution.” Another revision has been through its strategic planning, called CQ Sessions. “Instead of reserving it just for clients, we found a way to weave it into our pursuit process,” Walters said. “Part therapy, part chemistry, part gamification, it’s a deep dive exploration into a brand's business. The good, the bad and the opportunities. It builds immediate chemistry and offers brand leaders a sneak peek into what it’s like to work with our team. Two important factors in selecting an AOR.“ "Location is no longer a disadvantage. Before 2020, it was harder for a midwest agency to land clients, particularly on the west coast," Walters said. “I think 2020 proved that a brand and agency can have a relationship regardless of geography. Most clients are not located in the midwest.” Attracting the bigger players It’s no secret that brands are adapting to new consumer behavior post-pandemic. As part of this evolution, organic social media content is playing a vital role in brand success. “Winning this Brooks account was a huge step building on the momentum to attracting bigger players and the focus on organic social because we understand there is an intimacy that you have a direct link to consumers in a way most media doesn’t have,” Jeff Warman, chief creative officer and partner, Curiosity said. “That world is incredibly important to companies like Brooks. Their whole purpose is to inspire all runners on their path.” The agency also recently launched “TokTest,” a TikTok pilot program leveraging its in-house production studio, Curio. “Our strategy and media teams closely monitor TikTok trends and we’ll be able to execute brand content in real-time,” Warman said. “Ultimately, it’s just about bringing our clients into these worlds in smart, engaging ways to see if or how they fit there.” The Brooks account will be a top-five national account for the agency, Walters said. As the social media AOR, the Cincinnati-based agency will manage organic content strategy, creative concepting, production and copywriting across Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Strava and TikTok, working with creative AOR Huge. Curiosity will also leverage its own in-house production studio, Curio, to help develop content across all platforms. “We are doing more super shoots where we are on set shooting a couple of 30s and 15s, but we are 100 other pieces of content assets based on that one single shoot,” Walters said. Requiring the perfect pitch Ultimately, the key to winning Brooks, in particular, “required the perfect pitch,” said Walters. “We had to nail the strategy, the execution and the chemistry. And that’s exactly what we did.” As for Brooks, the agency brought “creative ideas and strategies that will play a vital role in retaining, connecting and fostering relationships with the running community.” Melanie Allen, chief marketing officer at Brooks Running said. Last year more than 28% of the U.S. population introduced or increased their outdoor exercise habits, adding running into their routine to stay active, soak up the fresh air and manage stress. Thanks to the resurgence, a record number of runners gravitated towards the Brooks brand. Brooks ended 2020 with a personal record, as global revenue reached nearly $850 million, an increase of 27 percent year over year, Allen said. independent agencies see Influx of Holding company applicants