A Q1 2024 Retrospective
Steady and sturdy, the humble three-legged stool is an image of stability, whether used physically to hold up bar patrons or metaphorically to support organizational structure. But a three-legged stool that’s missing one of its legs isn’t any good for anyone.
At a recent agency-wide connection session, Brian Barrus, Stoke’s Chief Design Officer, adapted the idea of the three-legged stool to share a really simple but incredibly useful way to think about how we approach our partnerships with clients and one another.
Brian outlined how we can produce exceptional work for our clients and connect with each other by emphasizing the three legs of our stool: high-quality deliverables, on-time execution, and fulfilling relationships. We talked about how missing any one of these important pillars disrupts the stability of everything we’re able to create and how innovative we can be — but also how, when all three of the legs underpin and uphold the work we do together, magic happens.
The past three months at Stoke have been filled with work that’s truly top-shelf — the kind you might need a three-legged stool to reach. It includes exciting bids for new projects, awe-inspiring production for existing clients, and impressive internal developments. Teams across our agency, from editorial to video to design, have shown that Stoke continues to be filled with inventive, resourceful, and forward-thinking creatives.
The first quarter of 2024 proved that over and over again. We launched online webinar campaigns for clients like RingCentral; planned and executed strategy for long-standing partners CPG Digital and Zuora; continued to work closely with Adobe across a range of projects, including the generative AI tool Firefly, and much, much more. We couldn’t be happier about where we are and where we’re headed.
Our own Stoke marketing efforts have produced creative ways to engage with our communities, including a feature on Black artists we admire and at-your-desk yoga cards to make remote work more invigorating.
The focus on wellness is part of an ongoing priority to ensure our teams can hold a healthy balance between the work they do and their lives outside the agency. We’re excited to explore that and a lot more at our upcoming Stoke Conference. Employees from across the country are convening for a jam-packed few days in downtown Salt Lake City, where we’ll collaborate on projects, amaze each other with our creative talents, and find even more meaningful ways to connect.
We’ll be back after the conference with updates about what we’ve learned and where we’re headed as we keep working to reinforce the three legs of our Stoke stool and improve what we do best: creating beautifully designed strategic content that delivers results for our clients and achieving success built on the highest quality, the best execution, and the strongest relationships.
— David Acheson & Laurie Lohner, Managing Directors