Top Agencies: Sullivan

Major 2011 campaigns: American Express, “Business Insights,” print, online, events; Columbia Management, “A Way of Working That Works,” print, online; Liquidnet, “On a Different Scale,” print, online, events, direct mail

Comments: Grew overall agency revenue by 43% and b2b revenue by more than 60%; added new clients, including BlackRock Inc., Broadridge, Deutsche Bank, Liquidnet, Merrill Lynch, Oppenheimer; b2b comprises 95% of total business.

Sullivan, New York, had an impressive year in 2011, growing its total revenue by 43% and its b2b revenue by more than 60%. It did this by picking up a record 18 new clients, 14 of which are b2b, and by expanding work with existing clients such as American Express Co. and Columbia Management.

“2011 was really a game-changing year for us in every area of our business,” said Barbara Sullivan, managing partner. “We launched an initiative to diversify our industry expertise in high tech and higher education, and we had significant wins in both of these categories.”

The agency won higher education accounts New York University Stern School of Business and University of California-Berkeley Haas School of Business, as well as high-tech accounts Broadridge, Liquidnet and TOA Technologies. In addition, the agency expanded its client roster in the financial services category with new clients Blackrock Inc., Deutsche Bank, Merrill Lynch and Oppenheimer.

“Our whole positioning is around brand engagement and making brands come to life across all channels,” Sullivan said.

For AmEx, which has been a client since the agency was launched in 1990, Sullivan developed brand strategy and a communications program for American Express Business Insights, a new unit that specializes in business information and analytics based on a database of billions of purchases a year.

Sullivan created an integrated marketing program for American Express Business Insights, including print, online, events and sales collateral, communicating the message “Insights that transform real transaction data into a real business advantage.” The campaign also featured a microsite aimed at key verticals such as professional services, restaurants, retail and travel.

For Columbia Management, an asset management company, Sullivan was charged with creating brand strategy and an integrated marketing program to raise awareness of Columbia Management among financial advisers, institutional investors and consultants. The agency created print and online advertising, a microsite and “Manager's Desk”—an online resource for financial advisers that contains information about fund managers' strategies, not just fund information.

The campaign showcased Columbia Management's strategy, highlighting its rigorous research, discipline and willingness to question established ways of thinking. The effort resulted in increases in brand awareness and brand consideration over the previous year.

For new client Liquidnet, an electronic equities trading platform, Sullivan developed brand identity, brand positioning, creative, customer segmentation, and traditional and digital communications. “We started with a completely blank slate to help them architect an integrated marketing program,” Sullivan said.

The agency began with in-depth qualitative and quantitative research among Liquidnet's target audience of financial traders. “They sell to traders, but in trading companies there are traders, managers at trading desks, technology officers, etc.,” Sullivan said, pointing to the need for audience segmentation.

The agency created the tagline “On a different scale” with tailored messages to five customer segments, using print, online, events and sales collateral. The campaign launched in the fourth quarter, but Liquidnet already is reporting increased usage of its product and improved employee morale.

Also last year, Sullivan entered into a joint venture with mobile experience company Two Bulls, New York, to expand its digital capabilities and expertise. —K.M.

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