Street level views of marketing & advertising in Idaho
Yeah, I went there…
Drake Cooper recently announced that Patrick Hoopes has joined the team as their newest Creative Director.
Hoopes began his career as a copywriter at Sponge in Chicago, and rose through the ranks to become Associate Creative Director before jumping to GTB, formerly Team Detroit. He then ventured client-side for a stint before returning to the agency world, as a Creative Director at 90Octane in Denver.
Several months ago we shared that Drake Cooper was looking for a Creative Director.
It appears they found the right candidate inside their own four walls, so to speak.
Continue reading “The call came from inside”People in the agency business come and go on a regular basis. For any number of reasons. While the trends may not be as pronounced locally as they are at a national level, it certainly happens.
But every once in a while there’s a departure that makes us stand up and take notice. In recent months, there have been two.
In late November, Marc Cowlin exited his role as VP of Content and Digital Marketing at Duft Watterson, and in doing so effectively shuttered the shop’s San Francisco presence. A little digging around LinkedIn in the weeks that followed revealed that he is now with BlueOwl, a San Francisco-based technology company.
Separately, in late December Jeremy Chase left Drake Cooper (again), this time to take on the role of VP of Business Development at Salt Lake City-based Love Communications. The update came a couple weeks after Drake Cooper’s announcement that agency ownership had been converted to an ESOP structure.
I do not presume to know the reasons behind either of these departures, as there’s always more to the story than what may be shared publicly.
I’ve known both Jeremy and Marc for many years, and wish them nothing but the best in their respective new roles.
Earlier today, Boise Dev broke the news that Drake Cooper has been sold.
To its employees.
As noted in the Boise Dev story, the company converted to an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) structure, according to former majority owner and CEO Jamie Cooper. That means about 50 of the company’s current employees now make up the ownership of the company.
There are 42 privately-held ESOP companies in Idaho, and only a handful that are 100% employee owned. Perhaps the most well known locally and regionally is the nation’s third-largest — WinCo Foods — with 20,000 employee-owners. Drake Cooper now joins approximately 3% of marketing and advertising firms nationwide that are employee owned.
In becoming an ESOP, Drake Cooper preserves local ownership and its independent advertising agency status. The agency’s management team and Cooper’s role as CEO will remain the same through 2022. During that time, they will focus on building a stronger board of directors with advertising industry expertise, and creating a new role for a GM/President to help guide Drake Cooper and its employee-owners into the future.
Read more about the announcement at Boise Dev, or see the full release, swag box contents, and more at Drake Cooper’s reverb on Medium.
Speaking of programs for nonprofits…
Drake Cooper is accepting nominations through November 30th for their Dream Big program. What is it, you ask? Well, I’ll let the DC folks explain it to you in their own words:
Each year we’re inspired by the nonprofit applicants that come through our office. The entire agency gets a say in who we choose, and it’s a process we take very seriously. Not only do we look for inspiring causes, but how well the organizations express their needs. It could be as direct as a website and new branding, or it’s a problem that needs to be solved, like an increase in membership or awareness.
So, why do we do this?
We are devoted to building a better community where everyone shares the responsibility of making it a better place to work and live. Ultimately, we hope that our joint work will increase awareness and understanding while inspiring those to take action around a meaningful cause.
Curious to see if you or a nonprofit you love qualifies?
We want to hear from applicants who are proactive, full of swagger, and ready to kick ass and take shit to the next level. We’re also looking for applicants who are trying to make a positive, more inclusive impact on the world. This project is rooted in having fun and making a difference. Applicants must be an IRS designated 501(c)(3) organization with a charitable cause.
Applications can be submitted here, or you can get in touch with Drake Cooper with any questions you might have.