The-AAR-Review-Dec-2020

A four-time Ad Age
agency of the year
Humans are remarkably capable apes.
We make decisions based on emotional
response. Then post-rationalize the reasons
for those decisions. Neuroscience (not to
mention anthropology) lays it bare: we just
don’t think as much as we think we think.
(Sorry, Descartes.)
At DC, reaching people at that critical gut level is
our business. Carving emotional connection out
of data. And living, breathing concepts out of noise.
To bond consumers to brands in deeper, more
durable ways. Your target may tell you they want
the facts, but what they really want is the feeling.
Capture the feeling and carry the day.
“DC has all the
benefits of a small
shop with big-time
strategy and creative.
Their work drove
the needle with
double-digit growth
making Kona a top ten
craft beer in America.”
Ken Kunze, CMO
Craft Brew Alliance
The facts
Full service advertising agency
Independent since 1990
Offices in San Francisco
and Los Angeles
90+ employees working
collaboratively across:
strategy, creative, media,
social/experiential, design,
and data/technology.
Kona Brewing
We helped Kona stand out from the zillions of craft breweries
while taking on lifestyle megaliths like Corona by bringing to
life the island viewpoint to life in the form of two Hawaiian
brothers who are bemused, and often amused, by the ways of
the mainlanders. Our ads pointed to an underlying emotional
truth—that our “always on” work culture distracts us from the
more meaningful substance of our lives.
e.l.f. Cosmetics
We developed and executed a sophisticated, emotionally
oriented social program that empowers their community
to speak to e.l.f.’s unique brand of providing inclusive,
premium-quality, and trend-setting products to the masses
at unbelievable prices. Our program engages influencers via
custom content, social media campaigns, events and even
viral TikTok challenges. In the last two years alone, we’ve
generated over $15 million in earned media—positioning
them as a leader in the mass cosmetics category.
SweeTARTS
We reintroduced the iconic SweeTARTS brand and its
growing portfolio of treats to a new generation of candy-lovers.
Our strategy was to embrace the reality that Gen Z does not
want to be forced to pick a side. Instead, our strategy was to
celebrate choice. Why not be both? Since launching ‘Be Both’
in 2019, the SweeTARTS brand increased brand sales nearly
10% and had a 24% increase in sales for their hero product.
Covered California
‘This Way to Health Insurance’ is our first campaign for Covered
California as part of a five-year, $400 million engagement to
drive behavioral change among Californians who believe health
insurance is not for them, or too expensive to secure. At a
time when the pandemic is driving unemployment, financial
strain and mental health challenges, five new TV spots directed
by academy-award winning director Errol Morris aim to show
Californians that Covered California is here to help.
Noel Johnson Director Client Engagement njohnson@duncanchannon.com