UFA

At Unrestricted Free Agency, we’ve listened to founder-driven small and mid-sized businesses to understand their views on the creative advertising industry. Common themes have emerged: • Perceived High Costs: Creative work from agencies often seems expensive. • Desire for Transparency and Control: Businesses want clarity on fees and more say in how their budgets are utilized. • Ownership of Brand Identity: Companies know their brands well and prefer partners who understand their vision without imposing additional “brand strategy.” • Hesitation to Relinquish Creative Control: While aware of internal team limitations, there’s reluctance to hand over creative direction to agencies unless it’s managed by top-tier talent. • Trust and Commitment Concerns: There’s skepticism about whether agencies prioritize the client’s best interests and a desire for agencies to be genuinely invested in their success. Yet, when businesses do collaborate and see the results of strategic branding and creative efforts, they often find it refreshing and valuable. Our Commitment We're addressing these concerns by: • Providing Top-Caliber Talent: We connect clients with experienced freelancers, including alumni from renowned agencies like Droga5 and Wieden+Kennedy. Our leaders are hands-on, ensuring efficient problem-solving and direction setting. • Leveraging Global Collaboration: By pairing industry-leading professionals with ambitious global teammates, we execute projects effectively without the overhead of a full-time, U.S.-based staff. This approach directs resources toward the talent you need rather than unnecessary staffing costs. • Offering Transparent, Deliverable-Based Pricing: We price our services based on specific deliverables, incentivizing efficiency and aligning our goals with yours while maintaining high-quality standards. • Embracing Flexible Production Methods: We’re adaptable and willing to be resourceful in our production approaches to meet client needs without compromising quality. Our vision is to reimagine the creative advertising industry to better serve diverse clients and talent. We believe in a future where agencies are transparent, efficient, and truly aligned with the success of the businesses they support, without overpromising unrealistic ideals. Let’s Connect Share your thoughts on these insights and let's discuss how UFA can support your brand’s strategic or creative needs.

Street Therapy E8 feat. @dmaq1 @erikscottcomedy @daviddrakecomedy #BrandStrategy #Creativity #IdeasCanBeCheap #SocialMedia #Chubbies #agency #entrepreneur #brand #strategy #growth #UFA #UnrestrictedFreeAgency

Street Therapy E7 feat. @dmaq1 @erikscottcomedy @daviddrakecomedy #DropYourPants #BrandStrategy #Creativity #IdeasCanBeCheap #wavylines #SocialMedia #Chubbies #agency #entrepreneur #brand #strategy #growth #UFA #UnrestrictedFreeAgency

Street Therapy E6 feat. @dmaq1 @daviddrakecomedy  @erikscottcomedy #BrandStrategy #Creativity #IdeasCanBeCheap #wavylines #SocialMedia #Chubbies #agency #entrepreneur #brand #strategy #growth #UFA #UnrestrictedFreeAgency

“Insert coin.” ‘Tyrannosaurus Reps’ for Chubbies. Mar 2024 As #brands develop their executional styles, it helps to think about content fidelity based on level of effort. An anthem might take five months but you only need one every year or two. Product-focused work should be less costly but still high fidelity. Social, CRM, E-Comm can vary in effort and expense. @Hippie House, an animation studio based in Buenos Aires, brought this execution to life. Chubbies has always played off of nostalgia and there was something about these Dinos that felt very SEGA Genesis. Field Day Sound #InsertCoin #TyrannosaurusReps #BrandStrategy #Creativity #IdeasCanBeCheap #SocialMedia #agency #entrepreneur #brand #strategy #growth #UFA #UnrestrictedFreeAgency

Why Short-Term Marketing Strategies Can’t Carry You Forever 🚨 Relying too heavily on short-term marketing strategies—like paid search, direct-response ads or discounts and flash sales—might bring a quick boost, but they can’t support long-term growth. Here’s why: 1. There’s a finite number of people who know you today: But a nearly infinite or at least much larger pool of potential consumers that haven’t heard of you yet. Plus, only about 5% are actually shopping for your product at any given moment. To win over the long run, start raising awareness and familiarity among the masses. 2. You’re attracting the wrong customers: Discounts might get people through the door, but often they’re price-sensitive shoppers, not loyal customers who stick around. It’s tricky because they may actually love your brand. But the strongest brands have strong margins. Do the work that’s necessary to win over your optimal customer. 3. No company can compete on functional benefits alone: If your strategy is built on winning at the point of sale, you’re relying on your functional benefits to win. Fine if you’re small and niche. Not sustainable if your business is expanding what you sell or where you sell. Build emotional and functional benefits to win hearts and minds. 4. There’s more to the customer journey than conversions: Most of your target market isn’t “in the market” to buy right now. Focusing only on immediate sales means you miss the chance to build meaningful brand associations for when they are ready. 5. You’ll struggle to stand out long-term: Neutral emotion is the enemy. If no one cares - for or against - then you’re wallpaper... milquetoast. Say something that matters. Sometimes that takes risk. Embrace it. Start standing out. To thrive, you need to balance your short-term tactics with brand building that establishes trust and loyalty over time. Think beyond today’s sale—create a brand your customers will remember tomorrow. #BrandBuilding #LongTermGrowth #MarketingStrategy #CustomerLoyalty #GrowthStage #UFA

Stand in the fire. It’s okay to disagree. Embrace difficult conversations—debate the concept, the message, the execution. Create space for these discussions, and don’t shy away from them. The work will only get better. 🔥 #Leadership #CreativeProcess #Growth

Respect the creative process. Culture eats strategy—if your culture breeds complacency, new ideas won’t survive. Good ideas challenge norms. Keep an open mind, encourage different perspectives, and create a safe space for disruptive thinking. 💡 #CreativeLeadership #Innovation

“Are they...” ‘Moonshadows’ for Chubbies. Jul 2024. Titmouse Field Day Sound Animation Director: @lordspew Animator: @cornwallcomics Creatives: @jasonkreher @msorrell @brockkirby Producers: @brendanofosho @n00bzilla How do you tell a story about three wavy lines? Animation removed all the constraints of where this story could go. Really fun one. #StoryTelling #Animation #BrandStrategy #Creativity #IdeasCanBeCheap #wavylines #SocialMedia #art #agency #entrepreneur #brand #strategy #growth #UFA #UnrestrictedFreeAgency

Here’s a checklist to know if your company is ready for an integrated marketing strategy that combines brand building with conversion optimization: 1. You’re hitting $50MM+ in revenue: As your business scales into this range, it’s typically time to start investing in brand equity while maintaining strong conversion tactics. Conversion-only strategies can’t carry you forever—brand building becomes critical for scaling as it expands your audience, increases trust and improves retargeting efforts. 2. Your target audience is well-defined: Knowing your ideal customer and building emotional connections with them is essential for long-term success. Integrated marketing ensures you’re reaching them at the right touch points, whether through paid ads, email, or organic content. 3. You’re expanding into new channels or markets: If you’re expanding your product portfolio, or expanding into new sales channels or markets, then you need to invest in raising your profile with a broader pool of shoppers. Functional messaging is easy to forget. Brand builds emotional connection that prospects are more likely to remember when they go to make a purchase in the future. 4. Your brand positioning is clear: You can’t expect great conversion rates if your website or offer is confusing. Integrated strategies amplify your strengths but can’t fix underlying weakness. Make sure your brand and your business strategy are aligned against future goals. 5. You’ve got strong short-term sales channels in place: If conversion campaigns (like Google Ads or paid social) are already driving profitable traffic, you’re ready to add a brand-building layer. Retarget high-intent customers with messaging that builds your brand for the long run, exposes them to new products or increases your association with the use cases that drive consumption. 6. You’re in a highly competitive category: If competitors are crowding your space with innovation or lower prices, integrated marketing helps you stand apart, establishing trust and credibility. Let’s face it, not every SKU in your portfolio is market leading. Savvy marketers leverage emotional brand communications to increase preference and irrational loyalty. Growth stage brands that evolve their approach to balance long and short term objectives are primed to benefit from a balanced, integrated strategy. It’s about winning today’s sale and tomorrow’s favorability. #BrandBuilding #ConversionOptimization #IntegratedMarketing #GrowthStage #ScalingUp #UFA