In this episode of Meet an Indie Agency, IAN heads to the Rocky Mountains (well, virtually) to speak with Cactus Founder and CEO Joe Conrad, President and CCO Norm Shearer and President and CMO Jeff Graham about the shop’s rock-solid foothold in Denver’s rich agency history and its place as one of the proverbial anchors in the market.
The team also gives us a glimpse into why they’ve been listed as Outdoor Magazine’s “Best Place to Work” two years in a row, dive into their groundbreaking work with Man Therapy, talk about making the work work even when the budget is tight, and discuss why tackling men’s mental health was and continues to be so important.
Since this was recorded early in the playoff season, there was also an unfortunate prediction about the Nuggets winning back-to-back NBA championships, but aside from that and the uni trash talk, it’s another banger from Zanger–so give it a listen and get to know this Denver-based darling that has stayed indie strong for three decades and counting!
Watch the interview
Agency stats
- Founded: 1990
- Location: Denver, CO
What the agency is best known for
From a case study perspective, Cactus is best known for their Man Therapy campaign promoting men’s mental health and bringing the mental health awareness conversation to the forefront during a time when people still silently suffered. The campaign led to over 1 million visitors to the dedicated website and over 375,000 “head inspections.”
What the agency’s core strengths are
The agency’s core strengths are strategy, strong creative ideation and execution, and a scrappy mindset in teams of how they approach strategic communications – an example of which being the Man Therapy campaign, which they achieved on a shoestring budget.
Why the agency loves being indie
Being “in control of their own destiny” is crucial at Cactus, as is being able to serve clients exclusively in ways that “help people thrive in their lives and make the world a better place – and use that as the primary filter [for how they operate].”
Why brands should work with this agency
Brands looking to get “tremendous value” on their investment and top-notch production will find an ideal partner in Cactus. “I think when we go all in with a client, we are just tireless in our pursuit of bringing their story to life,” says Conrad, who added, “we have a really authentic, committed approach to the work that we do, and you know you’re going to be ensured that, you know, you have an agency that’s going to come in and really find what makes your brand special and unique and bring that story to life in a really compelling way.”
Why talent should put this agency on their list
While being able to boast getting listed as a “best place to work” by Outside Magazine two years in a row and doing client work on brands “your mom has heard of” can be considered a huge flex, the team is most proud of the way they prioritize being a place where talent can do their best work and achieve an optimal work-life balance. Unlimited PTO, a hybrid office and client-affiliated perks such as ski passes, and tickets to Denver Nuggets basketball games and Colorado Avalanche hockey games also don’t hurt.
Marketer shout out
- Rebecca Leipert, Vice President, Global Marketing Planning & Operations, Burton Snowboards
- Tim Ellis, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, NFL
- Lisa Materazzo, Global Chief Marketing Officer, Ford Motor Company
- Andy Pearson, Vice President of Creative, Liquid Death
- Terence Reilly, President, Hey Dude
Learn more
- Find Cactus Here
- Find Careers at Cactus Here
- Cactus on Instagram
- Cactus on LinkedIn
- Joe Conrad on LinkedIn
- Norm Shearer on LinkedIn
- Jeff Graham on LinkedIn
Contact
- Info@CactusInc.com
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
