Specs
Who CCO Casey McGrath (l.) and CEO Elliott Phear
What Creative content agency
Where New York

When Elliott Phear and Casey McGrath co-founded Phear Creative 10 years ago, they were both advertising outsiders. Phear's history as a producer for the likes of MTV's TRL, mixed with McGrath's experience as a music video director, put them in a unique spot to translate brands' cultural DNA into meaningful stories. The agency counts the likes of Jameson, Lancôme and Kings of Leon as clients. In June, Phear's "Drinking Buddies" campaign for 236-year-old whiskey maker Jameson invited five craft brewers from around the U.S. to the Jameson whiskey distillery in Ireland. Each brewer created limited-edition beers aged in Jameson whiskey barrels. "We're a creative-content agency that helps brands establish cultural relevance for younger consumers," Phear said. Since enlisting Phear, Jameson's U.S. Facebook audience has grown by 12 percent, its U.S. Twitter audience by 1,800 percent and its U.S. Instagram audience by nearly 500 percent, proving that a centuries-old brand is more relevant than ever.

Jameson Drinking Buddies - Episode 1 from Phear Creative on Vimeo.

This story first appeared in the Jan. 18 issue of Adweek magazine. Click here to subscribe.