Indie Agency News members had extra reason to celebrate this week with the release of our 2025 Top 40 Weirdos, Misfits & Underdogs — the agencies and people who proudly wear their independence as a badge of honor. From GYK at #6 and 270B’s Lynn Bossange at #22, to Blurr Bureau running NY-Melbourne ops and Vacation operating on “98% vibes, 2% talent and chutzpah” at #40, the list captures what happens when conviction matters more than consensus.
Several members celebrated on social, which fits the broader theme this week: navigating the interesting tension between celebrating hard-won industry recognition and simultaneously publishing survival guides for the C-suite executives who write their checks.
There’s also a surprisingly compelling argument being made for comedy as a business strategy, some genuinely useful research on what makes customers stick around, and the kind of conference wisdom that makes you wonder if anyone’s saying this stuff when they get back to their desks. Let’s get into it.
🏆 Recognition That Cuts Through the Noise
When the shortlist says more than the trophy
Mischief @ No Fixed Address landed Adweek’s 2025 Agency of the Year shortlist in both Independent Agency and U.S. Agency categories. Their submission apparently featured an exploding cat — “not like it was hidden or hard to find, given the exploding part,” they noted with characteristic self-awareness.
GYK claimed the #6 spot on Indie Agency News’ Top 40 list, proudly embracing their “weirdo” status as agencies that operate “a little left of center.” They’re leaning into it: “operating a little ‘left of center’ is just how we roll.”
Chemistry saw two leaders take home Ragan’s Top Women in Marketing awards — Krysten Casabielle and Daniela G. won in the Agency Leaders and Marketers to Watch categories for “redefining what’s possible in marketing.” The Slack channels were reportedly full of applause emojis.
💰 The CMO Pressure Cooker
Budget season brings the existential questions
Dotted Line Agency published what might be the most direct piece of C-suite advice this week: if your brand can’t prove revenue impact, it’s on the chopping block. Their thesis: “Brand isn’t fluff. It’s a hard asset that drives growth.” Boards are skeptical, CFOs are slicing budgets, and CMOs are being told to show ROI or lose funding. Their solution? The most future-ready companies integrate brand with sales, product, and finance to drive measurable revenue outcomes.
Lewis took a more pointed approach at the ANA Masters conference, noting the gap between conference transformation talk and daily survival mode. “At ANA, everyone’s talking about transformation. When they get back to their desks, they’re just trying to survive.” They’re offering what they call an “honest conversation” for those tired of the disconnect.
VaynerMedia had Chief Business Officer Kaylen McNamara break down the 5 mandates for next-gen marketing leaders at the Future CMO event: Be a practitioner of PAC (Platforms, Algorithms, Culture), build relevance factories not campaigns, trade consistency for context, earn attention before buying it, and design for speed and culture. The thesis: “Brand strength today comes from adaptability, not uniformity.”
😂 The Comedy Business Case
When laughter becomes a competitive advantage
Party Land made the argument that comedy is its competitive moat in a conversation on “The Immortal Life of Agencies” podcast. Haley Hunter explained how their claim “Comedy’s Greatest Ad Agency” has evolved from bold positioning to a genuine business advantage that clients seek out. Making people laugh creates an immediate feedback loop on whether you’ve hit the mark, which turns out to be a pretty effective way to prove creative effectiveness.
The insight: specialization doesn’t limit you, it sets you free. Conviction matters more than consensus.
🔄 The Loyalty Research Others Are Missing
$100 billion industries have lessons to teach
Cactus highlighted that the lottery industry generates over $100 billion in annual U.S. sales — right on par with the U.S. beauty and personal care market. Account Director Danielle Deats wrote for La Fleur’s Magazine about how the lottery’s approach to omnichannel loyalty offers crucial lessons for all marketers aiming for real retention and growth. The insight: industries we don’t typically study often have the most refined retention mechanics.
Joybyte made the case for multi-platform influencer campaigns, noting that audiences aren’t loyal to one app and strategies shouldn’t be either. A TikTok stops the scroll, an Instagram Story deepens connection, and a long-form YouTube video becomes the full-funnel clincher. Their data point: multi-platform equals more reach, engagement, and conversions.
🎙️ The Podcast Intelligence Drop
Conversations worth embedding
Model B featured two noteworthy “Beyond the Brief” conversations this week. Paul Roehrig from Ascendion discussed leading with humanity and why “culture eats code for breakfast.” Adam Brown from Dualboot Partners explored emotional connections in B2B marketing and the value of strong client-agency relationships.
VaynerMedia also announced the book launch event for “Be Yourself at Work” by Chief Heart Officer Claude Silver, scheduled for October 29th. Gary Vaynerchuk refers to the Chief Heart Officer role as “the second most important role in the company,” which says something about how VaynerX thinks about culture infrastructure.
🎨 The Creative Work That Landed
Executions with specific details
Barrett Hofherr designed a Data Renaissance activation for VideoAmp at Cannes — steeped in Klein Blue, wrapped in velvet, with just the right amount of glitch. The visual language: renaissance meets digital age.
Alto created the Life360 Pet GPS campaign built around the insight: “Life360 is a family safety app for those you love. And Life360 Pet GPS is for those you love a little bit more.” Directed by Steve Ayson at MJZ with animation by Feral Child Animation.
Planit won Gold at AMA Baltimore’s MX Awards for their Kiddie Academy campaign showing how parents and educators work together to influence the formation of foundational life skills.
🤖 The AI Perspective Shift
From hype to operational reality
McKinney Executive Director of Strategy Anita Schillhorn van Veen shared insights on OpenAI’s Sora 2 and how it’s changing the creator economy. Her take: “The app allows anyone to create, share, and comment on high-quality AI video, generating platform-specific behaviors like video remixes and AI memes. Expect Sora-specific creators to find niches and build audiences around their inventive use of the channel.”
David&Goliath CSO Brendan Robertson’s biggest takeaway from ThinkLA Creative Summit: “Curiosity and learning are what drive progress, and we should harness that same mentality when thinking about AI.” The framing suggests we need the same exploratory mindset we apply to creativity.
🎯 The Conference Circuit Insights
What’s being said on stages
Mower Agency sent President & CEO Stephanie Crockett and Chief Creative Officer Doug Kamp to The Indie Summit in London, hosted by thenetworkone. Their message: in a supersonic industry like marketing, intentional creativity and leadership aren’t optional — they’re everything.
Yes& Agency is sponsoring, exhibiting, and speaking at the 2025 AMA Symposium for the Marketing of Higher Education in November, leading two sessions: “Redefining Value: What Gen Z Wants After High School” and “Beyond the Acronyms: Evolving Inclusion in Higher Ed Marketing.”
Lewis continued their food & beverage focus with a piece on how brands can turn fleeting moments into lasting demand. Their observation: “Everyone’s chasing the next flavor, drop, or collab. But the brands that win? They turn fleeting moments into lasting demand.”
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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.
