Meet an Indie Agency: Portal A

From YouTube Rewind to tons of great work for brands

We caught up with Britanni Kagan, Partner and Head of Talent Partnerships, and Aditi Rajvanshi, Director of Strategy, from Portal A, an indie agency founded over a decade ago in San Francisco. We revisited when they were founded in 2010, discussing their most iconic creations (looking at you, YouTube Rewind) and what the company’s roots are made of.

Portal A’s DNA consists of independence, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to project success, as seen in their awards. This year, Portal A was named Brand Entertainment Agency of the Year by Campaign, and several of the indies within this indie agency have been recognized as the best in their field.

The discussion navigated through the agency’s distinctive strengths, highlighting its ability to foster brand/agency partnerships and cultivate a vibrant creator ecosystem.

Watch the interview

Agency Stats

Founded: 2010
San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles and beyond

Best-known for

Portal A is best known for creating Youtube Rewind from 2011 through 2019. Being in the game for over a decade has made Portal A establish itself as an impactful brand that knows what it means to create quality content.

Why the agency loves being indie

Destiny is in their hands. Being able to work with a small team not only speeds up any process, but it also creates a trusting and tight knit community. Decisions are made based on what’s best for Portal A and their partners rather than a large holding company.

Why brands should work with this agency

Established work and a community that has been built for over 10 years. Portal A is a company of makers who have a history working with some of the most inspiring content creators and brands, which gives them motivation to continuously set high standards for their projects.

Why talent should put this agency on their list

Everyone has the ability to be a creative and a strategist. Working with this agency means being involved in conversations ranging from strategy behind platform operations to creative ideations from start until production. With this mindset around teamwork and being capable of wearing multiple hats, Portal A has some of the best in the biz.

Marketer shout out

“I can’t think of one specific CMO we want to say hi to, but we want clients who want to do great work and tell stories and take creative big swings. So hopefully that applies to many people, and they’ll come knocking on our door.”
Britanni Kagan