WHAT’S BEST FOR US = WHAT’S BEST FOR OUR CLIENTS.

We tackle all of our projects with a sense of wonder, because they’re all special to us. Because all of our work is project based, we constantly put ourselves on the hook to do great work. Our clients appreciate this and we love the challenge. It’s our hope that we never have to edit our portfolio. With the various clients we serve and their particular needs, all types of work crops up. To address their unique questions, we keep our toolbox well-stocked. Some of our capabilities include:

Strategy development // Positioning development // Insight development // Creative evaluation
Outsourced planning // Workshop planning and facilitation // Target profiles // Connection planning
Messaging development // Brand books and materials // Brief creation // Online anthropology
Qualitative research // Consumer focus groups // Ethnographic research // Brand development
New product development // Brand architecture // Naming

We back up these capabilities with a host of techniques. We often maintain a palette of traditional research techniques and more experimental ones that we invent ourselves. We don’t believe there is a silver bullet technique for research, except to say that one should not employ a silver bullet approach. We believe a blend of techniques serves our clients best when it comes to unearthing new insights and making them actionable:

Non-traditional focus groups // Online surveys // Simmons analyses // Online anthropology
Ethnographies // Expert interviews // Segmentations // Consumer journals // Semiotic research
Co-creation panels // Insight bounty hunting // Contradiction search // Storytellers assignment
Dollar decides test // Equity mining // Culture plunges // Deprivation study // Role playing

Speaking of unearthing new insights and making them actionable, check out a few case studies of our work below.

A FEW OF OUR BEST CASE STUDIES. SO FAR.

We like to think that some of these cases represent some of our best work. Of course, these are just the ones that we can share with you now. Think of these as a taste of how we think, and the type of projects that interest us.

SCHLITZ

Once the country’s number one beer brand, Schlitz fell out of favor with the American public. Pabst Brewing acquired the brand and pledged to restore it by returning to its original formula and reintroducing the brand. The first attempt at relaunch sputtered and failed to gain traction. PARAGRAPH was hired to help develop a new approach. [Click title to read more]

PROFESSIONAL BOWLING ASSOCIATION

After hitting its peak in the 1970’s, the PBA spent almost three decades in a tailspin. Sponsors and advertisers lost faith in the league. ABC followed suit by deciding to drop the PBA. With empty wallets and no broadcast partner, the league needed a savior. Fortunately, three Microsoft executives bought the league and worked out a broadcasting arrangement with ESPN. The PBA were still faced with a critical problem. They needed to broaden the appeal of the brand without alienating their small, aging niche of loyal fans. [Click title to read more]

HAPPIKINS

We’re all familiar with school lunch time from when we were kids. Brown bag, plastic baggie for a sandwich, maybe some chips and a piece of fruit. Pretty boring, and to be honest, pretty wasteful. We saw an opportunity to rethink how we pack lunch and add a huge dose of fun to it in the process. [Click title to read more]

GOOGLE MAPS

To set it apart from run-of-the-mill mapping websites, Google needed to show that Google Maps is more than just about finding directions. We were asked to develop a profile for a unique set of consumers and develop a plan for connecting with them in a powerful way. [Click title to read more]

COPPER MOUNTAIN

Copper Mountain resort in Colorado needed to increase sales amidst a category-wide decline in leisure travel. While the recession had somewhat slowed the sales of lift tickets to locals, it really took a toll on the number of bookings from out-of-state guests. Our agency friends asked us to figure out the best way to launch their campaign on a modest budget. [Click title to read more]

JUST BARE CHICKEN

Once considered premium, Gold ‘n Plump was being de-positioned by new, organic and natural competitors. As a result, Gold ‘n Plump was relegated in the minds of consumers and retailers to commodity status. This downward pressure on price led to Gold ‘n Plump being consistently ranked in the bottom quartile of chicken companies in terms of profitability. [Click title to read more]