Mirimar is growing up — and making its mark.
After being named ADWEEK’s Breakthrough Agency of the Year in 2024, the Venice, Calif.-based shop spent 2025 proving that momentum wasn’t a fluke.
With both revenue and organic growth up 50% year-over-year, Mirimar doubled headcount while retaining 91% of staff and 95% of clients. The agency added five new brand partners in 2025, including Poppi, Netflix, and BJ’s Restaurant as AORs, and expanded its relationship with Mammoth Brands’ Mando, Flamingo, and Lume.
“We’ve clearly shifted in the way we’re seen by clients,” co-founder and CEO Luke McKelvey said. “A few years ago, we were often brought in as the independent outsider on certain pitches or briefs. Now, we’re viewed as a trusted partner for some of the world’s most ambitious brands.”
Mirimar’s commitment to “big ambition and big work” while maintaining a small team and intimate collaboration is resonating, leading it to win ADWEEK’s 2025 Small Agency of the Year award.
‘Make It Worth It’
This year, Mirimar codified the ethos quietly guiding its decisions: “Make It Worth It” — for its team, for clients, and for the people engaging with its work. “All good ideas should feel obvious and simple,” said co-founder and CCO John McKelvey.
As a result, Mirimar’s growth was driven by a discipline and focus that led to more agency of record relationships with larger brands. Poppi in particular was a big moment for the agency. “A few years back, it was majority project-based revenue. We’ve been intentional about shifting the business,” Luke McKelvey added.
But as Mirimar grows, it is also intentional about preserving what’s been working so far. “We’ve always been good at not instinctively grabbing onto the wrong thing that could make us grow too quick or change our culture completely,” John McKelvey said.
Blurred lines
Mirimar’s differentiator lies in its ability to blur lines between agency and brand teams. Clients “don’t want an agency that keeps them at arm’s length,” Luke McKelvey said. “They want a partner that’s committed to being in everything with them.”
That foundation led to standout work from Mirimar this year. A signature moment was Rocket’s “Own the Dream” Super Bowl campaign, a brand platform launch punctuated by a world-first stadium singalong.
Rocket CMO Peter Giorgi described the partnership as “innovative, ambitious, and honest,” adding: “Creativity is a craft, and Mirimar is tireless in pursuing it.”
For Beats, Mirimar pitted NFL players against Saturday Night Live talent to promote Powerbeats Fit and orchestrated the “Kim vs. Jim” showdown, featuring Kim Kardashian and Jimmy Fallon.
Across categories, the throughline is the same: “that desire to be bigger than just advertising formats is the consistent thread,” Luke McKelvey said.
High ambition, low ego
Mirimar’s approach to talent mirrors its approach to business: selective and intentional.
“Our job is to create the environment for both our clients and our team to do the best work of their careers,” Luke McKelvey said. “What I’m most proud of is we’ve got a very good team with a very low ego.”
This year brought new leaders to Mirimar, including the promotions of Stephanie Thiel to managing director and Zach Foster to chief strategy officer. The agency also hired Jared Elms as group creative director and Chelsea St. Clair as strategy director, and moved into a new headquarters in Venice.
“The physical space now matches the environment we’ve been trying to build culturally,” Luke McKelvey said. “It’s much more conducive to bringing people together.”
In true Mirimar fashion, the next chapter is about staying the course. While the agency has brought on bigger brands, count on its DNA remaining the same.
Stats
Key wins: Poppi, BJ’s Restaurant, Netflix, Mando, Flamingo, Lume. Mirimar also grew remits with Rocket and Beats.
Revenue: 50% year-over-year revenue growth, fueled by doubling its client roster and increasing its team size by 50%.
Strategic moves: Mirimar established “Make It Worth It” as its core philosophy, expanded its entertainment capabilities through a joint venture with iGeneration Studios and SquareZero Films to co-develop original IP, and integrated AI into its creative process.
DEI: One-third of Mirimar’s team identifies as BIPOC and a majority are women; 60% of this year’s new hires were women.
The Work
Rocket | “Own the Dream”
To launch Rocket’s new brand platform, Mirimar created a world-first Super Bowl moment: a TV spot with a reimagined version of “Take Me Home, Country Roads” that sparked a live in-stadium singalong. The work reframed homeownership as something Americans could believe in again.
Beats | “NFL vs. SNL”
To launch the Powerbeats Fit earbuds, Mirimar cast NFL stars Saquon Barkley, Justin Jefferson, and Jayden Daniels in a film that treats them as spokespeople as much as athletes. Directed by Tom Kuntz and featuring SNL’s John Higgins as their agent, the work blends sports, comedy, and pop culture to position Beats as the most entertaining brand in the category.
Beats | “Kim vs. Jim”
For the global launch of Kim Kardashian’s Beats headphones, Mirimar scripted a showdown between Kardashian and Jimmy Fallon across social media, press, and The Tonight Show. The story culminated in a live on-air reveal of Kardashian winning the campaign, turning a product launch into a culture-dominating event.
This story appeared in the Dec. 9, 2025 issue of ADWEEK magazine. Click here to subscribe.
This story appeared in the Dec. 9, 2025 issue of ADWEEK magazine. Click here to subscribe.
