When Laughlin Constable invited DECA students from Port Washington High School for an agency tour, they probably expected wide-eyed enthusiasm. What they got instead was the kind of unvarnished feedback that focus groups charge thousands for — turns out teenagers are remarkably honest about what they think of agency life, and their assessments hit different when they’re not trying to land an internship. (For the uninitiated, DECA prepares high school students for careers in marketing and business, which apparently includes teaching them to spot workplace absurdity.)
This collection from Indie Agency News members catches agencies in rare moments of honesty: from Special’s Grand Prix-winning utility that actually solves problems to Sturgis trying to convince Gen Z that motorcycles are cool again. It’s the kind of week where practical innovation beats flashy disruption, and high schoolers deliver better insights than most consultants.
🍺 The Problem-Solving Practicum
Where real utility beats imaginary innovation
Special and DB Breweries broke through with their Export Ultra campaign, revealing The Cold Call Back Service that earned them Grand Prix honors. Alice L. at Contagious got the team to crack through the surface ice and explain this valuable utility that’s not about drinking beer, but about the beer itself — and apparently saving many. The specifics remain intriguingly vague, which is probably why it won.
FUSE Create examined Canada’s maple leaf fatigue, with Rita Steinberg exploring how brands can express Canadian identity beyond the obvious. As patriotic packaging shows no signs of retreating, the challenge becomes expressing national pride without resorting to lazy symbolism.
BarkleyOKRP helped Red Lobster navigate choppy waters to win the Crisis Response & Critical Pivot category at the Effies. The agency proved that turning the tide happens “one shrimp at a time”, though we suspect the real magic was in helping a seafood chain stay afloat during turbulent times.
🏃♂️ The Hyper-Specific Territory Grab
Where being first requires increasingly elaborate modifiers
Planit snagged Speedland, self-proclaimed “world’s first hyper-performance trail running footwear brand”. The agency is genuinely hyped to get their hands (and shoes) dirty, though the category creation makes us wonder: what were all those other trail running shoes doing if not performing hyper-ly?
Corner Table Creative created CTV work for ResortPass, offering day passes to luxury hotels for those who want the poolside without the overnight. It’s solving the very modern problem of wanting luxury experiences without luxury commitments — or prices.
Hatch collected two Telly Awards for their MountainOne storybook video, noting that while “they say the book is always better,” their video might prove otherwise. The team of self-described G.O.A.T.s behind the project suggests farm animals played a starring role, though hooves to say for certain?
👨🎓 The Truth-Telling Teenagers
Where Gen Z delivers unfiltered agency assessments
Laughlin Constable hosted DECA students from Port Washington High School, providing a standard agency tour and receiving in return their unvarnished assessment of agency life. The business and marketing students’ honest feedback might be the most useful agency review of 2025, and definitely more actionable than most client feedback.
Partners + Napier facilitated a 4As NYS Council transformational leadership workshop in Rochester, featuring bestselling author Bonnie Wan discussing The Life Brief. Because even agencies occasionally need reminding about transformation — usually right before a pitch.
Portland State University – School of Business hosted Fulbright Scholar James Pérez from Colombia, who presented research on innovative, inclusive models that reduce inequality. The international perspective adds weight to discussions about business responsibility.
🏍️ The Demographics Denial Division
Where wishful repositioning meets market reality
Karsh Hagan tackled Sturgis Motorcycle Rally’s image problem, declaring “this ain’t your grandpa’s Sturgis” in an effort to attract younger riders to the 85th annual event. The campaign attempts to move beyond middle-aged suburbanites and Harley devotees, though convincing Gen Z that leather vests are cool again might require more than messaging.
Silverado worked with Pereira O’Dell on a campaign featured in Lürzer’s Archive, with Creative Director Ricky Lu discussing the AI partnership. Even truck brands are finding ways to incorporate artificial intelligence, though hopefully not in the actual driving.
⏰ The Time Compression Chronicles
Where six months becomes six minutes and patience becomes extinct
LBRB Collective reflected on pitch evolution since “the old days—circa 2022,” when processes stretched over six months. The waiting, following up, and more waiting that once defined new business has compressed into something more immediate, though whether that’s progress remains debatable.
Davis+Gilbert LLP addressed digital visibility decline with an upcoming webinar, noting that if customers can’t find you online, demand disappears. The law firm brings legal perspective to marketing fundamentals, because sometimes you need attorneys to state the obvious.
St. John dispensed hook-writing wisdom, arguing that good hooks “earn the stop” rather than just starting stories. They’re sharing scroll-stopping formulas, apparently unbothered by giving away competitive advantages.
🏆 The Synchronized Success Stories
Where timing aligns with thematic perfection
Public Inc. watched their #CareToAsk campaign with The Mental Health Coalition win Bronze at the Telly Awards — conveniently timed for Mental Health Awareness month’s finale. The synchronicity feels almost suspiciously perfect.
Lafayette American celebrated Lunch Reads turning 8, with readers allegedly clicking through all links in issue 394 at lunch “or perhaps another more convenient time.” The flexibility around actual lunchtime consumption acknowledges modern eating habits have evolved beyond traditional schedules.
Worldwide Partners, Inc. gathered regional marketers for intimate discussions about industry challenges at a Campaign Asia-Pacific event. Small settings apparently encourage the kind of honesty that evaporates in larger forums.
🎬 The Long Game Players
Where patience still occasionally pays off
Xpedition showcased their two-year Matillion partnership, transforming product stories from vision to broadcast. The extended collaboration proves some creative relationships benefit from actual relationship building.
Cactus concluded their Frame of Mind series with ECD Brian Watson conducting vulnerable conversations with The Defensive Line founders. Chris and Martha Thomas discussed loss and their son’s commitment to tackle youth suicide — bringing unexpected depth to what could have been just another content series.
Portland State University – School of Business celebrated Dr. Yazhen Xiao’s promotion to Associate Professor with indefinite tenure. The achievement recognizes years of research and student development, suggesting academia still values the long view even as everyone else compresses timelines.
Want your agency’s practical innovations featured? Join Indie Agency News for inclusion in future editions of The Indie Spin. Because sometimes the best ideas come from agencies brave enough to let teenagers tell them the truth.
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