Peanut butter and chocolate make for a great mix. This wasn’t that. It was more like peanut butter and salmon (which, I’m told, is excellent after a few edibles).
Nonetheless, this whole thing started with us talking to Zach Huntting, founder and CEO of Indie Agency News members Crown in Seattle. But then, a killer post from @anthpo head creative and producer Paige Nguyen made us add something extra: the legendary Timotheé Chalamet Lookalike Contest in New York.
Timotheé!
We kicked it off with, erm, Gilbert, to talk about this cultural marvel. This gold standard of grassroots creativity was super low-tech. “We hung up 100 posters, and 10,000 people showed up. I’m confident in my ability to make culture happen,” swagged Gilbert (Anthony Po—we’ll keep the ruse up, though).
The event became a cultural phenomenon, drawing media coverage from major outlets like The New York Times and GQ. It even caught the attention of the real Timotheé Chalamet, who was reportedly nearby filming. Lo and behold, the real Chalamet showed up. Did Gilbert expect this blow up? “Legally, I’ve been advised to say no… we just wanted a small community gathering.” Well played.
Gilbert’s takeaway? Simplicity and authenticity resonate deeply in a digitally saturated world. His advice to brands and agencies: “Let creatives do their thing.” With a track record of working with brands like Chipotle, Converse, and Tinder, Gilbert positioned himself as a “marketing savant,” prioritizing organic and innovative approaches over formulaic campaigns.
Then, to Seattle
The conversation transitioned (somewhat clunkily, if we’re honest) to dig into Crown’s work for Climate Pledge Arena and the Seattle Kraken. Huntting walked us through designing digital and physical signage for the newly opened venue. The project encompassed a wide range of deliverables, from massive in-arena displays to outdoor billboards.
Huntting emphasized the importance of simplicity in impactful design, particularly for large-scale projects like this. “Even though these are giant billboards, many are only 72 pixels high,” he explained. The team tackled challenges like optimizing visuals for various viewing distances and adapting to unconventional screen shapes, such as a wraparound digital wall.
The highlight? Their creative process included testing visuals on mock-ups to ensure everything resonated in the high-energy environment of a hockey game or concert. Huntting noted, “It’s always a balance—making sure it’s bold enough to grab attention but clean enough to communicate instantly.”
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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.
