Andrew Graff, CEO of A&G, has been with the agency since 1995—but the Boston-based shop dates back even further, celebrating 40 years in 2025. Founded by Paul Allen and Peter Gerritsen, the agency was originally rooted in B2B and tech startups before making a pivotal pivot during the dot-com boom, zagging into consumer brand work with clients like HomeGoods.
That instinct to bet on long-term growth over short-term flash has defined A&G’s trajectory. Today, the agency partners with brands like Dunkin’ and Meet Boston, operating out of offices in Boston and Philadelphia. “We’ve helped brands accelerate growth by being absolutely, positively unignorable to their audiences,” Graff says. It’s a philosophy that’s kept A&G indie, evolving—and fully in its element.
Watch the interview
Forty years of zagging
A&G started in 1985, originally known as Allen & Gerritsen. In the early days, the agency served as an outsourced marketing arm for tech startups. When the dot-com wave hit, they made a counterintuitive move: shifting into consumer brand work. “We stayed focused on brands while the world chased .com,” says Graff. That clarity led to big wins like launching HomeGoods nationally and eventually expanding via acquisition into Philadelphia. With one founder departing in 2002, the agency leaned harder into the A&G shorthand—keeping the equity, losing the law-firm vibe.
Make it unignorable
Ask what A&G is best known for and Graff answers fast: shaping markets, shifting behaviors, and supercharging growth. Their formula combines cultural relevance with deep audience understanding, letting them navigate cycles of uncertainty and success. “We’ve always lived at the cross-section of obsession with target audiences and culture,” he says. That’s translated into work across clean energy, travel, retail, higher ed, and more—always with an eye toward what’s next.
The ampersand mindset
A&G’s strengths go beyond client categories. First, there’s the “and then what?” culture—the agency uses the ampersand as a philosophical engine. “The quality of a great idea should never stop short,” says Graff. Second, they specialize in distilling insight from data: “Clients are data-rich but insight-poor—we help move markets.” Third, they foster internal collaboration and eliminate silos, with staff encouraged to connect dots across clients and disciplines. The result is a team that’s always building forward.
Rooted in independence
For A&G, being indie is more than a business model—it’s baked into their geography and ethos. “We’re in Boston and Philadelphia. That’s where American independence was born,” says Graff. Their Boston office overlooks the Tea Party ship; their Philly space peers out at the Liberty Bell. “It’s not about being apart—it’s about doing what’s right for each other, our community, and our clients.” That spirit also extends to other indies in the city: “If it’s not us, let it be one of them.”
Why brands choose A&G
A&G works with challenger brands, companies that want to do better—and be better. Clients come for the ideas but stay for the connective tissue. “The ampersand reminds us the work doesn’t stop with communications—it extends to intelligence, experience, and action,” says Graff. And while independence offers flexibility and consistency, the biggest draw might just be their people. “You get the same team. You get the same commitment. That’s the difference.”
A third space for real connection
A&G’s post-pandemic Boston space isn’t an office—it’s a “third space.” Built with hospitality in mind, it’s designed for community, programming, and purposeful collaboration. “You can sit at a desk at home,” says Graff. “We wanted to build something you wanted to come to.” That same intentionality extends to their culture, which encourages people to flex their superpowers across the agency, not stay stuck in lanes. “We’re not about the return to office—we’re about the return to community.”
So… weirdos, misfits, or underdogs?
“We’re underdogs,” Graff says. “We thrive working with challenger brands. But there are definitely days we’re weirdos and misfits too.”
A hello to one CMO
“My next client,” says Graff with a grin. But until then, shoutout to the teams at Dunkin’ and Meet Boston.
Agency Site
Social
Agency LinkedIn: Allen & Gerritsen
Instagram: @a_and_g
Guests
Contact
info@aandg.com
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
Doug Zanger is the founder and editor-in-chief of Indie Agency News. He is also the founder of the Creative Bohemian consultancy, lives in the Pacific Northwest and is insufferable about it.
