Continuing in our partnership with The Denver Egotist, the network’s Minneapolis scribes bring us up to speed on the Twin Cities agency scene and breaks things down shop-by-shop. Take it away, folks.
Minneapolis is just now starting to see some movement after the layoffs and lock down that was 2009. Linkedin profiles are updating. Job boards are posting. Recruiters are calling. It’s still not like it was, but it’s the best it’s been in the last couple years. Not to mention, the local shops are producing work worth touting, making our job at The Minneapolis Egotist a whole lot easier.
The buzz has been fueled by a few big wins. From Chrysler to Cadillac to H&R Block–thank you, Fallon–Naked & Izze juice, MSNBC (and a handful of local accounts switching between local shops) it’s just a matter of time before your TVs, billboards, banners and bus sides are graced with new work produced right here in flyover country.
But it’s not all good news. Ad giants Martin Williams and Campbell Mithun have seen better days. And without Subaru, Carmichael Lynch would still be writing Harley headlines while resting on their laurels (and the shoulders of the Jack Link’s Sasquatch.)
Mono, Colle+McVoy, Olson and Fallon are undoubtedly getting the biggest piece of the new biz pie. If you were considering a move to Minneapolis (or maybe just a snowstorm-inspired layover) they’d be the shops to hound. Bring your portfolio.
Mono
It wasn’t that long ago when mono was just a handful of super-creatives giving it a go. Then came monoface and following that, a bigger, better office in Uptown, the Blu Dot REALGOOD experiment, Apple, Mrs Myer’s “Clean Day” soap and now MSNBC. And, just a few weeks ago, AdAge named them Small Agency of the Year (11-75 employees.)
Colle+McVoy
It’s just a matter of time before these guys hit it big. A few years back, they were in the ‘burbs hawking fertilizer to farmers, but with their move to the warehouse district came some serious mojo and new biz momentum. The Chief Creative Insurgent himself spoke there just before “retirement.” (Safe to say, they’re on MDC’s radar as a high-potential shop.) And rumor has it, there’s a huge new biz announcement brewing. Stay tuned.
Olson
A few weeks back, Olson bought a direct marketing firm to beef up their capabilities. Now, they’re up over 300 butts. We’re not sure they can lose a pitch. Everybody knows somebody that “just went to Olson.” Some recent local wins, plus national accounts like Target, Nike Bauer, Naked & Izze juice make them a major player in the Minneapolis Ad scene.
Fallon
We all feared the mighty Fallon had fallen. Then they cleaned up at the local awards show, won Chrysler, traded it in for Cadillac and scooped up H&R Block with no pitch. It’s safe to say Fallon is back.
The Minneapolis Egotist features the best creative from flyover country and is one of several Egotist sites reporting on the local ad scene for Agency Spy. Need more Ego? There’s plenty to go around at www.theMPLSegotist.com.