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by Stephen Lindsley

There is a renaissance underway in the advertising world, according to Drive Agency founder and president Dan Curran. The younger generation – a group that represents the majority of consumer activity for products ranging from clothes to beer – does not, as a rule, respond to traditional means of advertising. These valued consumers, typically age 21 to 28, may actually avoid products that they feel are being “sold” to them through what they perceive as the manipulative media. Clearly, another way to inform and influence these consumers is needed.

The answer, says Curran, is brand marketing, mostly at the point of sale. “Studies show that 80 percent of consumer decisions are made at the point of sale,” notes Curran. “And for large, well-established companies, point-ofsale marketing is a more intimate way to connect with consumers than radio or TV spots.”

After nine years doing event marketing for some of the biggest names in the apparel industry, Curran was tired of spending his life on planes, and ready to settle down with his new family and launch a company around his own business model. The Drive Agency was founded with two designers in November 2002, and in the short time since, the company has grown to a staff of 10, with more additions planned. In fact, Curran intends to double the size of the company by the end of the year.

One of Drive’s first clients was Anheuser Busch. Most recently, Curran assembled a 60-member team that traveled to Houston to manage BudBowl 2004 for the beer giant – a major event at this year’s Superbowl that drew some of AB’s biggest clients from around the globe. Drive’s staff coordinated all of the creative themes, plus interactive games, golf and nightlife.

“Event marketing is another facet of what we do,” says Curran. “Right now it is the fastest growing segment of our business.”

Drive account manager Cory Phillips can barely contain her enthusiasm for the agency and the work she does. “After years of doing freelance event marketing, I finally found the perfect niche. Drive gives me the opportunity to capitalize on what I have learned, plus contribute to all the different aspects that come in to play on each account. The informal atmosphere and collaborative environment gives everybody here a chance to work on concepting new ideas, pitching them to clients and following through with designs and final products. This is a very competitive business, and you need to be forward-thinking and constantly evolving in order to stay ahead of the game.”

Curran agrees, noting that St. Louis is a leading center of companies that offer this new kind of “below the line” or “guerrilla” marketing. “And because of our success with this model, we’ve been attracting some of St. Louis’ brightest, most creative minds. Some have literally walked in off the street and announced that they want to work for us. That’s when you know that you’re on to something.”

“Our philosophy is that brands need a roadmap, thus the name Drive,” continues Curran. “We have developed a process that begins with lots of research and analysis, including where the brand has been, and where the client wants to take it. Only after we have done our due diligence can we begin the creative process of crafting a plan that will achieve the intended outcome. The environment we’ve created here is highly conducive to the kind of creativity it takes to stay ahead of the competition. The last, and perhaps most important component is the execution. It’s all about resonating with customers and capturing their attention.”

Drive’s capabilities include many facets of the advertising and marketing arena, from the full gamut of marketing and promotional services to interactive products such as Web site consulting and branding, interactive and emerging media and design services. Other services include incentive marketing, package design, in-store displays, sales promotions and more. Because today’s advertising environment requires creative approaches, Drive’s offerings need to be varied and comprehensive.

“Whether you’re selling pet food or women’s apparel, there are some staple formulas that remain important,” says Curran. “This is where our roadmap comes into play. We are interested in creating a plan to take our client’s products to the next level, whether that’s more units sold or more shelf space in stores. A small investment in brand marketing can have a huge impact.”

And it seems that success is also having a huge impact on Drive. With creative people seeking them out rather than the other way around, Drive’s aggressive growth curve is required to stay ahead of the demand for its services. In part, it is the synergy in Curran’s team that propels them forward. After all, what else would you expect from a company called Drive?

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