Campbell Ewald
/ Overview
Reengineering a 100-year-old agency’s identity to attract modern culture and diverse talent.
Group Design Director: Michael Ceraulo
Designers: Andres Lombardo, Thao Le, Wes Eramo
Executive Creative Director: Nat Resende
Chief Creative Officer: Silmo Bonomi, Clarence Bradley
Motion: Rise New York
The Setup
After a decade of shifting internal culture, Campbell Ewald needed a visual identity that matched its new reality. Our CCO tasked us with shedding the agency's establishment reputation. To stay competitive with modern CMOs and attract a new generation of talent, we had to move past the comfort of our legacy and signal something bolder.
The Objective
Our goal was to modernize the brand to reflect the agency's new culture and expanded capabilities. The system needed to feel experimental enough to attract non-traditional accounts, while proving to internal stakeholders that there was more value in where we were going than where we had been.
The pivot began with an act of "ego death": dropping the "Since 1911" subline and condensing the visual identity to a punchy, experimental "CE." This signaled a radical departure from industrial rigidity toward a risk-taking agency culture. We then built a design language centered on our coastal-spanning network, highlighting the intersection of perspectives from Detroit to LA and NYC.
To capture the agency's humanity, we defined a photography style that was intentionally candid and "imperfect," reflecting the look of modern youth culture. We unified the visuals through a signature "X" composition, layering digital textures and micrographics over regional landmarks: the lowrider and surf scenes of LA, the industrial grit of Detroit.
This system was fully integrated into the experiential design of our satellite offices, from motion graphics on lobby screens to onboarding kits and RFP submissions, creating a cohesive, immersive brand story that finally convinced even the most veteran stakeholders that it was time to look forward.
And of course, lots of agency swag.
Campbell Ewald
Increase in Diverse Talent Recruitment
Pitch Invitation Volume
Total Agency Diversity