Launching DOBBINO: An Agency Origin Story

Three years ago, we started something. It’s taken us some time to tell our story, not because we dislike the fanfare of launching something new, but because we refused to fall into the smoke-and-mirrors trap that often plagues our industry.

Don’t get me wrong, we know how to hustle. At times, we’ve even boxed out of our weight class. But before telling people how great we are, we needed proof. We had to build more than a team; we had to build a culture. We had to not only win clients but make them love us. We had to learn from the speed bumps of building a startup, establish trust within our network, and create work we could be proud of. We needed more than a vision; we needed a working plan.

Allow me to introduce DOBBINO. Yes, I realize it’s hard to say, and you might be thinking about an extra-thick, cheesy pizza crust right now. But there’s a good story behind the name.

DOBBINO was born from BBDO, the strategic and creative powerhouse famous for building some of the world’s most iconic brands. In true BBDO fashion, the agency is always innovating, not just for the brands it serves, but for itself. With the rise of social media, platform-first thinking, the booming creator economy, and pressure from pure player social agencies, the time was right.

We decided to establish a creator-led, platform-first company. But rather than a branded department or a masquerading center of excellence run by a committee, we started a new, wholly-owned subsidiary of BBDO. Our goal is to provide best-in-class, platform-first strategy and content for our network’s remarkable brands.
DOBBINO is an anagram of BBDO and Innovation. Today, much of that innovation happens on the small screen, which is where we spend our time. A “Dobbin” in old English is also a workhorse, harkening to our roll-up-your-sleeves, creator-maker mindset of producing content at the speed and scale of culture. And Dobbins is an Air Force base in our hometown of Atlanta, a city chosen for its multicultural influence, reflecting our role as part of a larger network, ready to be deployed with a team of specialists wherever needed.

I’ve always been a fan of Simon Sinek’s Start With Why. Our WHY couldn’t be a pithy phrase etched on a boardroom wall; it needed to be in our DNA. Therefore, we embedded it in our name. For us, it all starts with DO. We are a team of doers with a hands-on camera-at-the-ready, get-it-done attitude. DO is the belief that when we bring our true selves to work every day, we can do anything. DO is a collective mission because it’s easier and more fun to do things together as a team. Even as we’ve grown and bolstered our offering with strategic and creative rigor, we have not lost sight of that simple idea. We DO big things on small screens.

Our logo received the same careful consideration. Working with our dear friend David Cuesta, we wanted a design that reflected our spirit while tying back to BBDO. The practice of branding livestock is about laying claim; we rather wanted to reflect the culture, community, and clients we serve. The mark was designed as the opposite of a brand, its negative space acting like a mirror to take on the shape of the platforms, people, and brands we seek to connect with.

When I first presented the mark, people were perplexed. “If it has no color, what will the branding look like in the office?” they asked. I answered, “A mirror.” That way, when our team or our clients look at it, they see themselves in our brand. I think that sold it.

After defining our purpose, we needed to understand our HOW. After doom-scrolling through TikTok one day, it dawned on me as my FYP served up its powerfully curated feed: the era of social media is dead.

Twenty years ago, social media was designed for connection. You followed friends from high school and college until they started having babies and doing yoga, and if you didn’t care for babies or yoga, you took a break. Then TikTok came along, and its algorithm delivered a hyper-curated feed designed exclusively for your interests. Brands were interrupting this carefully curated, interest-first experience.

Okay, you’re probably thinking that’s not groundbreaking. Advertisers have been connecting with people through their passions for ages. The difference now is that our audience can sniff out a brand and swipe past it in the blink of an eye. To earn the 15 seconds needed to tell a story, it had better be interesting and designed for their feed, not the brand’s. Too many brands obsess over how their Instagram grid looks, but news flash: brands are the only ones looking at their own grid. People see content in their own curated feeds, and when a post doesn’t fit their vibe, it’s gone.

This brings us to our WHAT: We create platform-first content by hiring creators and makers directly from the platforms and interest verticals that best connect with our brands. For example, Max Mayer, one of our first creative hires, came from TikTok’s growth team. Kirsten Beach, our community engagement lead on Neutrogena, is an active lifestyle and beauty influencer on Instagram. They don’t have to research culture or chase trends; their algorithm obsession and connection to culture help inform what’s next.

To power this model, we’ve upended the traditional ‘account management’ structure. Our teams are strategically led by experts like social strategist Jen Copeland, whose work has shaped the social voice of iconic brands like Coca-Cola and Papa John’s. She is joined by Tzatzil LeMair, our multicultural champion with a deep history of building brand trust in the complex pharma and CPG industries, and Clayton McLaughlin, our specialist in media, performance, and AI-driven innovation, trusted by brands like LVMH, DISH and GM, ensures our creative work is both intelligent and impactful. At the same time, we recognize that breakthrough creative requires more than just a viral video. That’s why our creative is guided by Daniel Cobb, who brings a rich, cross-category background having led social creative for a diverse mix of brands, from consumer favorites like Coca-Cola and Carl’s Jr. to specialized leaders like Alka-Seltzer and DEKALB.

To sum up:

– Our WHY: To DO big things on small screens.

– Our HOW: Through Interest Media.

– Our WHAT: Creating platform-first content for brands.

DOBBINO has its hub in Atlanta and team members in New York, Chicago, Austin, Colombia, and South Africa, working on some impressive brands.

We have come a long way in three years, but we are only truly “launching” now because this is just the beginning.

We are DOBBINO. We do big things on small screens.

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Brad Jansen is an innovative marketing leader who’s helped global brands like Coca-Cola, Disney, Louis Vuitton, and Microsoft connect with audiences at the intersection of fandom and feeds. Now CEO of Dobbino, he leads teams building real connections in an algorithm-driven world. A lifelong sports fan, golfer, and sports photographer (@homegrownatl), Brad is South African-born, married with two kids, a student athlete son at Syracuse, a daughter in high school travel softball, and now lives the American dream with a red Mustang and border collie named Spot.