We believe in getting naked with our clients.
Figuratively. Emotionally. Professionally. Metaphorically. Not physically. Just to be clear.
The idea comes from Patrick Lencioni and The Table Group, and it’s about transparency. Radical honesty. Zero pretense. No marketing theater. No decks designed to impress but not inform.
It’s the only way we know how to work.
Because when you trust someone with your brand, your reputation, and your voice, you should know exactly what kind of people are on the other end of that relationship.
What does “getting naked” look like?
Here are a couple of recent examples.
A bank asked us to help them come up with a new name.
And we’re all, “Heck yeah. Let’s give it a shot.”
We didn’t pretend we were some mythical naming consultancy with Latin roots and a $200k fee. We told them it would take collaboration. It would be iterative. And we might need a few rounds to get it right. Because naming is hard, emotional, and extremely human.
So we showed up with a process, a blank notebook, and no ego. And together, we found the right name.
Another client needed to pitch their brand direction to their board.
They had several strong creative concepts to choose from. Honestly, all of them were solid.
But instead of choosing one in a vacuum, we recommended focus groups. Not because we’re obsessed with research, but because we’re obsessed with clarity. We learned things we didn’t expect. The audience surprised us. We pivoted.
The final concept didn’t come from defending our favorite idea. It came from listening. And adjusting. And telling the truth about what worked.
Language can get weird.
We know agency language can get jumbled up faster than 280 on a Friday afternoon. Some words just lose their meaning altogether: term like activation, alignment, low-hanging fruit. It’s easy to start sounding like a TED Talk that forgot its point.
We try hard not to do that.
We use real words. We tell you where things stand. We say we’re learning when we’re learning. We say this went sideways when something goes sideways. And then we fix it.
Call us crazy. We just think you’d rather hear honest talk than slick reasoning.
We also use Workamajig for transparent time and project tracking. We automate reports, so our clients can see what’s happening without needing to squint at mystery invoices or chase us for updates. Budget? Timeline? Status? It’s all there.
And here’s the part we’re most proud of…
While we’ve been learning how to make this work, we’re honored that several of our client partners have been patient and loving enough to keep us around for over a decade.
That doesn’t happen by accident. You don’t stay with an agency because they nailed one campaign ten years ago. You stay because of trust. And trust is a byproduct of listening, learning and telling the truth.
That’s what getting naked really means to us. You see us for who we are, and we think that’s a good thing.
It gives us room to be creative. To strike out sometimes. But in doing that, we’ll hit some singles and doubles. And once in a while, knock in a creative grand slam that brings it all home and helps our clients get the promotion and look like the heroes they really are.
It’s not a gimmick. It’s just how long-term partnerships are built.
So yes, we get naked with our clients.
Figuratively.
Please put your pants back on.