thought leadership
Welcome to our blog …a space designed for Fifteen4 news, advice, commentary, storytelling, and well, how our entire team of leaders think. Here is where we keep all the content that gives you a clearer picture of who we are, what we do, how we think [about the industry we love] and the many ways to tell a brand story, without resorting to buzzwords like “data-driven paradigm shift” or “brand story.”
Why the Smartest Work at First Round NYC Had Nothing to Do with Headcount.
At First Round NYC 2025, what struck me wasn’t how different each agency was in scale, but how remarkably aligned they were in their pursuit of clarity, originality, and strategy-led branding. From global agencies like Collins and Wolff Ollins to nimble shops like...
Why the Smartest Work at First Round NYC Had Nothing to Do with Headcount.
At First Round NYC 2025, what struck me wasn’t how different each agency was in scale, but how remarkably aligned they were in their pursuit of clarity, originality, and strategy-led branding. From global agencies like Collins and Wolff Ollins to nimble shops like...
5 Corporate Video Trends That Actually Matter (Unlike Those Other Lists)
A new year is nearly upon us, and that means prediction and prognostication will be filling our LinkedIn feeds for the next few weeks. It’s a tired format but it works because in marketing, and life, we’re fundamentally terrified of being caught off guard by...
Communication & Effective Project Management
The Impact, the Importance, the Implications – of clear and effective communication in the vendor/client relationship for project management! How do you get the most out of your creative agency partner? When managing projects between vendors and clients, effective...
UX: The Human Experience
AI, AI, AI!!! In the age of AI, how do we keep designing experiences that are effective and, yes, enjoyable for humans? Why does effective UX still matter so much when you, the client, are designing a new website, web app, or interactive journey? The truth is as AI...
20 Years! Twenty years! Veinte Años!
November 9, 2024 marked twenty years since Fifteen4 was officially incorporated as a business in the state of Maryland. Founded by my brother Steve and a young Howard County native named Kurt Dutra, Fifteen Four LLC was Baltimore’s first video production company...
Two Decades of Fifteen4 and The Five Dysfunctions
There was a time, fairly long ago, when I worked at a large organization that did not foster teamwork (for the sake of protecting the innocent I am not going to name the organization and you are not allowed to seek it out on my LinkedIn profile). There were great...
Fifteen4: The Origin Story
Fifteen4 is 20 years old! And while we don’t want to make you too sick of hearing this, we are going to celebrate for more than a minute. Many clients over the years have asked us where the name came from and what it means. In 2004, our family lived in a row-house in...
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thought leadership
Thoughts, opinions, education...things that will make your professional life better.
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podcast
Every episode of the branding world's greatest podcast: The Design of Experience.
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news
The latest happenings within and around the agency.
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culture
Employee and office musings. Usually humorous, always feel-good.