clarkmcdowall

I would like to send a BIG THANK YOU to all the clients, cm'ers and friends of cm that have made this incredible 25 years possible. It's quite overwhelming to look back at all the challenges, wins, leaps of faith, relationships, fun times and hard work. I'm still processing. Today was also the start of my new consultancy with an amazing team and a bold vision - I'll post on this very soon, for now I'd love to mark the close of an era for clarkmcdowall!

After 25 years in business, it is time for something new. Though it was not easy, we have made a careful and collaborative decision to close the clarkmcdowall chapter of our lives and pursue new paths. As we reflect, we find ourselves embracing a mix of bittersweet emotions. From our beginnings in a gritty East Village studio in the late 90s, to becoming a flourishing, nationwide hybrid agency, we are deeply proud of the many accomplishments and memories we have made. Over the years, we have learned greatly from one another, our talented team, our ambitious clients, and our vibrant community. Problem solving, pushing boundaries, and reaching a common vision were our core. We are forever grateful for the clients who took a chance on us when we were just starting out, and the clients who helped us stretch—to think and work differently. We know today that it’s not the brands but the people behind the world’s most beloved brands who make the magic happen. To our employees—past and present—thank you for the passion, creativity, thoughtfulness, and imagination you brought to both the work and our culture. We take immense pride in a strong female leadership team that consistently demonstrated intelligence and relentless dedication. Now, it's time to embark on new adventures and embrace the opportunities that change brings. Catherine has started a new strategic brand consultancy, joined by several key cm’ers who are boldly stepping into this next adventure. More to come on this shortly, stay tuned! Paul will be tapping into his 30+ years of branding experience with some inspiring new collaborations while continuing to follow his passion for creative thinking. Here’s to new beginnings. We wish nothing but success and happiness for one other, our team, and our clients. Until next time,

How do you build a global brand campaign with purpose? A good campaign isn’t just about selling your products and services; instead, it’s a vehicle to connect with your audience on a deeper level and provoke brand feeling through storytelling and experience. The Global Produce & Floral Show is more than a trade show. It's an iconic industry event synonymous with the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA). "The Joy Of Fresh” experience plays a critical role in their business and advocacy efforts. Having branded to IFPA in 2021, the new strategic vision needed to come to life through the brand ecosystem. A reimagined 360° brand campaign, "The Joy of Fresh" would not only capture interest and drive relevance for IFPA’s key audiences, but also reinforce their new brand purpose, brand expression, and brand character in a distinct and visceral way. In collaboration with IFPA’s Creative Team, we built the campaign off a theme of vibrant boldness with a contemporary view on the role veggies and floral play in our lives. We reinvented industry standard language to be disruptive and genuine. From the 2022-2023 campaign, IFPA has grown in new ways: better communicating their purpose and engaging industry members, press, and change-makers globally. As we look to 2024 and beyond, we are honored to continue evolving "The Joy of Fresh'' campaign — inviting people into IFPA’s world to experience their values and further build a community with like-minded individuals. #JoyofFresh

How do you build a global brand campaign with purpose? A good campaign isn’t just about selling your products and services; instead, it’s a vehicle to connect with your audience on a deeper level and provoke brand feeling through storytelling and experience. The Global Produce & Floral Show is more than a trade show. It's an iconic industry event synonymous with the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA). "The Joy Of Fresh” experience plays a critical role in their business and advocacy efforts. Having branded to IFPA in 2021, the new strategic vision needed to come to life through the brand ecosystem. A reimagined 360° brand campaign, "The Joy of Fresh" would not only capture interest and drive relevance for IFPA’s key audiences, but also reinforce their new brand purpose, brand expression, and brand character in a distinct and visceral way. In collaboration with IFPA’s Creative Team, we built the campaign off a theme of vibrant boldness with a contemporary view on the role veggies and floral play in our lives. We reinvented industry standard language to be disruptive and genuine. From the 2022-2023 campaign, IFPA has grown in new ways: better communicating their purpose and engaging industry members, press, and change-makers globally. As we look to 2024 and beyond, we are honored to continue evolving "The Joy of Fresh'' campaign — inviting people into IFPA’s world to experience their values and further build a community with like-minded individuals. #JoyofFresh

Architecting a 360° Brand Experience Great brands make people feel. We architect brands to have a flow, a purpose, to push the boundaries of design, and to ultimately enhance the world around them. Meridol is a Swiss-German brand with a rich history in gum health. Having recently gone through a visual identity update, they needed to build on their solid structural brand foundation and establish a more holistic brand experience that could elevate their purpose across markets. Understanding their legacy as well as semiotics, we helped architect the missing building blocks, including brand character, expression principles, a visual language, and messaging. The goal? To inspire and educate the population on the importance of healthy gums, and to demonstrate how Meridol is the brand to help achieve that. “Our partnership with the Meridol brand and design team inspired us to iterate and create a holistic brand experience grounded in strategic design thinking and execution. We feel proud to say we’ve helped put the brand on its way toward success.” - Adrienne Muken, Creative Director All of this wouldn't have been possible without an outstanding partnership with our Meridol clients, GAETANO RUSSO, Bruce Hannant, Rob Wilson, Nur Kaya, Nicole Schinazi, Irina Laura Chivu-Garip, and THOM JUTTE 🙌

🌟 We’re reflecting on the past year with gratitude. 🙏 ✨ The journey we went on with our team and amazing client partners in 2023 was filled with immense growth, learning, and resilience. 🚀 As we set out on the new year, we’re excited about what lies ahead. Ready to embrace fresh challenges, make big leaps, nurture collaboration, and continue innovating for a better world. Together, we can achieve greatness! 💪

We are thrilled to announce that Cara Rosenberg has been promoted to Senior Manager on our Client Success Team. Cara continues to echo our values of optimism, problem-solving, and ideas over egos — providing the best experience for our client partners. Way to go, Cara!