OLSON
January 2010 // Interviewed by Drew Wood
Value of dimensions: These dimensions really start
to enact a richer discovery process for us and that
leads us to a shared belief, [which is] a value that
the company shares with a specific community. And
that informs everything from creative direction to
product design to maybe the innovation we look to
develop. –Kevin DiLorenzo, president
Creating a greater truth: A lot of times people say,
“This is the white space so we’re going to call ourselves this kind of company,” whether it’s real or they
manufacture that kind of belief. Whereas we’re really
looking into the ethos of people are people first, not
target audiences. –Erin Tait, director of brand anthropology
Shared belief: You just have to identify that commu-
nity and figure out what it is they share and then find
that overlap between what you as a company believe
and what they believe. –Erin Tait
The new focus group: If you go really deep with 10
people you learn tons. More than you’d ever learn
with five focus groups of six people each. –Erin Tait
Finding a deeper level: What [people are] realizing
is that there’s a deeper level of connection coming
from anthropology. It’s not the color or the design—
though that’s a part of it—but it’s the experience it
can help create. –Kevin DiLorenzo
Value of a deeper level: The value really is looking at
it differently and finding different insights to connect
at a deeper level, which ultimately will get you to a
better hard line on your investment. –Mark Bubula,
VP and strategy director
Minneapolis-based OLSOn runs the modern advertising gamut of services: brand strategy, advertising, interac- tive, social networking, design, public relations and media.
Pocket Hercules is a Minneapolis- based advertising agency.
Pocket
Hercules
February 2010 //
Interviewed by
Elizabeth Millard
Power of the small: In a large agency with
300 people, you don’t have the chance to
work as closely on an account, and see
all the different angles you can take with
brand development or public relations.
When you’re this small, it works easily,
you can be nimble.
–Jack Supple, partner
« tom camp,
Stephen dupont,
Jason Smith and
Jack Supple are
among the 12 in
hercules’ pocket.
Branding: We capture the heart and
soul of a brand. We tap into what makes
people passionate about a brand, and go
from there. –Jason Smith, partner
