Agency Evolution

Bret Evolves and Transforms
as Agency Evolution Continues

Bret produced a 74% win-rate for 2008 and 67% win-rate for 2007: Bret led the imc2 teams of writers and art directors on all new business pitches - and, in the process, beat out some of the top interactive creative teams in the world. For the 2007 DietCoke win alone, Bret's strategic and creative leadership beat out 18 other agencies.

Bret Stout's experience extends beyond the traditional career path of an "ad guy".

Stoyboard Illustrator, Writer, Art Director and then, Powerful and Effective Leader -
Beginning his career 29 years ago, Bret has worked as both a writer and an art director independently and combined for different large agencies. This multi-tiered experience has made him an effective leader and mentor to those he leads. His direction has helped build brands and change how some of the top companies in the world do business.

Thought Leadership
Bret has shared his insight with client and agency teams on topics including:
The Art of Storytelling
Strategic Sort and Simplify
Retail vs. Online Consumer Experience
The Evolution of the Ad Agency Model
The Evolution of Marketing
The Evolution of the Web
Target Audience and Consumer Insights
Concepting The Big Idea
Media Spending Trends

animation studio - Bret Stout was brought in to lead the strategy and creative of an animation studio specifically tasked to transform output from 3D photoreal animated product demos to highly conceptual campaign-based capabilities. For the past two years, Bret has creatively and strategically led the motion graphics and animation, 3D photoreal, user experience and documentation teams to think bigger and to better understand the key role they can play in reinventing the future of the agency model.

digital agency - Beginning in 2006, Bret Stout was brought in to lead imc2's Business Development User Experience team of writers and art directors in the delivery of exceptional work that elevated brands and won business – a lot of business (2006 through 2008). In just Q4 of '07 and Q1 of '08, Bret's leadership brought in over 43 million in new revenue with win-rates of 74% for 2008 and 67% for 2007 - a significant achievement with the industry win-rate average at 10 to 12%.

integrated agency - Prior to imc2, Bret served as the Group Creative Director for Huge Advertising, leading teams in the building of brands - on both the online and traditional side of the agency. Through his leadership, he increased agency growth and revenue by 327%.

interactive agency - When Temerlin McClain formed their digital arm (t:m interactive) back in the late 1990s, they brought Bret over from the traditional side of the agency as the only writer/designer - and he was key in building t:m interactive from a staff of 6 to 60 in less than a year. His team became the pioneers in the interactive space and set the bar for rich media. He is recognized as the one who turned American Airlines' More Room campaign into a true 'brand experience', created the very first 'Online Insurance Quote' for Nationwide Insurance and changed the way Texas Instruments (TI) reached their audience with the 'TI eStore'.

And it is at this time what was always know as the "ad agency" became referred to as the "traditional agency".

ad agency - Temerlin McClain
(now TM Advertising) - With TM, Bret began as a freelance writer/art director/designer and quickly made an impact - he wrote and designed the 'R U Ready' direct mail campaign for Subaru which resulted in the award of all relationship marketing work to Temerlin McClain. He is recognized as the sole writer and designer for 'Now You Can' campaign for Verizon - their very first campaign following the giant telecommunications merger of Bell and GTE. He also designed the award-winning agency website - which led to his move over to the new digital arm.

ad agency - Chiat\Day - What do you do when the agency you are vying for does not have a senior level writer position available? Switch sides, of course. In a hyper-uncommon agency career path, Bret makes the successful switch over to the visual side - earning a Sr. Art Director role at Chiat\Day moving from Chicago back home to Los Angeles. Bret took this opportunity to explore the visual-only perfect ad.

ad agency - Leo Burnett - Bret began his career in advertising in 1981 and has extensive experience in television, print and radio. As a storyboard illustrator for Leo Burnett, he was awarded a coveted Senior Writer position in 1983 when he concepted the campaign, on the spot, for Southwestern Bell "E.T. Phones Home on Weekends and Saves 30%" - closing with the tagline "Reach Out and Touch Someone" with E.T.'s hand reaching out and lighting up. This campaign won more advertising awards than any other to date at that time. Bret was 21. As a senior writer, Bret set the goal of creating the perfect words-only ad.

Clients Include:

HP
Sony
Blackberry
Under Armour
Motorola
Compaq
Dreamworks
MTV
Pro-Mark
Kinetics

Verticals Include:

Consumer Electronics
Consumer Products
Entertainment
Healthcare/Pharma
Energy

imc2 Wins Include:

Freeman Online
My M&Ms
Samsung Mobile
TAG Body Spray
Nestles Icecream
DietCoke
Pfizer Lipitor
Opti-Free
Norwegian Cruise Line
Olay Ribbons
P&G Fabric Care (Gain)
EES Bariatrics
Express Scripts
Brown-Mackie University
Vesicare

Verticals Include:

Consumer Electronics
Consumer Products
Consumer Goods
Retail/Ecommerce
Financial Services/Business
Education
Healthcare/Pharma
Health and Beauty
Pet Care
Travel and Leisure

Clients Include:

American Airlines
Able Planet
Chrysler
GTE
Harley-Davidson
Leeza Gibbons
Mercedes
Subaru
Texas Instruments
Verizon

Vertical Includes:

Automotive
Consumer Electronics
Consumer Products
Financial Services/Accounting
Healthcare/Pharma
Health and Beauty
Law Firms
Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery
Real Estate - Commercial and Residential
Travel and Leisure

"Agencies who deliver exactly what the Client asks for will rarely win. It's the agency who delivers the unexpected - that big idea that creates 'corporate chaos' ."

"The key to winning is to avoid the easy trap of second-guessing your work - strategy or creative.
Creative is highly subjective. Can it be better? Absolutely. But you have to work within the timeline you are given. You're racing the clock - If you stop and change strategy midway through the race
you're dead."

"Never underestimate the power of a big idea. Solid brand strategy only works with supporting analytics, consumer insight and creative that 'changes the game'."

"The key to producing great creative is to start by getting your team excited about the opportunity - and then knowing how to utilize the talents you have within a specific team to orchestrate their efforts to meet tight deadlines. The right enthusiasm, the right strategy, combined with the right talent, can completely unflatten a brand."