As a 40+ year old agency, we’ve experienced our fair share of pivotal moments that have changed our trajectory in big and small ways. And the past 5 years held a LOT of them.
In 2019, Simantel was hitting its prime, mid-thirties stride. We had a longer than average agency-client tenure, a growing roster of 60+ employees calling our Water Street office home and we were overall living our best, full-service industrial marketing firm life.
Then came 2020. A year that rocked the world we as humans collectively knew it. Our carefully constructed work-life boundaries were demolished, as priorities from all areas of our lives came to a head at the same table. We were navigating ocean after ocean of unchartered territory – and before we could even get our bearings – the world would yank us in yet another scary, or dicey or divisive direction. Businesses were shutting down while our social walls were going way up. And before we knew it, we found ourselves in a world not just in crisis – but in crises.
But as they say, the only constant is change. New limitations we were all facing soon led to new expectations, even new opportunities – and eventually, a path was paved toward our elusive “new normal.” And it all came with a new set of responsibilities…to do more, to be more, to reach a higher bar. Everyone could feel it.
Bringing it back to today – Simantel has evolved. We’re a different agency than we were 5 years ago. We’ve embraced remote culture hard – expanding into 23 states and adding almost 100 new employees. And in response to these fundamental shifts in society and within our agency (along with a milestone 40th anniversary celebration) we began to reflect. On where Simantel started – and how we’ve evolved. On the value we’ve long delivered for our clients – and the new landscape of opportunities to do more. On who we’ve always been at our core – and who we’ve become, over time, through the trusting, loyal, authentic relationships we’ve built with our clients.
What resulted was the alignment of a belief Simantel has always held true – our commitment to building long-term, results-focused relationships with our clients – and embracing our clients’ growing needs for innovative solutions that would carry them and their businesses into the future.
Meaningful. Hard-working. Pushing boundaries. Achieving more. Doing it together.
The unique combination of things that make Simantel, the agency of and.TM
Finding Agency in ‘And’
While we could all feel a change bubbling up – to articulate our new brand positioning took some work. We interviewed our clients. We surveyed our employees. We opened our history books and we examined our current practices.
We explored Jim Simantel’s earliest vision for the agency – to be not only what our clients needed us to be, but to also help them shine.
“If our clients shine, then we shine too.” — Jim Simantel, Founder of Simantel
We zeroed in on our intense love of collaboration – that our reason for being is solving problems together, and there is a real thrill in it that keeps us walking in the door.
We recognized that as we’ve grown, our values and high standards have remained – and yet we feel more validated in our belief that work and life can coexist; more empowered to create a culture of inclusivity and diversity of thoughts and ideas; more prone to build one another up and to build on one another’s ideas.
In all of these conversations, we noticed an element of duality was present. That yin-and-yang effect that had always felt central to our being. A characteristic formed over time from our growth and longevity – already so deeply woven into the partnership philosophies we’ve developed from serving long-standing clients.
And one day in conversation, someone mentioned, “it’s kind of like a ‘yes, and.’”
“It’s kind of like the power of and,” added another.
And finally, “What if it’s actually being…the agency of and.”
What’s in the Agency of And?
We couldn’t possibly use one of the most common words in the English language to sum up what we do at Simantel, could we? Well, we did. To be honest, no other word hit the same. It’s the power and versatility of this little word that best tells the story of who we are. So, we figured we’d go for it and unpack the tiny but loaded word to fit our mold.
At Simantel, we use the word ‘and’ to…
Bridge — a commitment to listen to others and make connections
Build — a passion for adding value and surpassing expectations
Become — a focus on aspiring for something more
Belong — a dedication to finding the best fit for the long-term
And while Simantel is a service org by trade, of course, we quickly realized the word ‘agency’ fit into the duality we spoke about, too. As an intervention that produces a particular effect and – maybe even more aptly – the capacity to influence your own life – to have faith in your ability to handle a range of situations. A personal sense of stability, yet flexible in the face of conflict or change…
The agency of and.
Yeah, that feels like us.
And so, a new brand position was born.
“Simantel is a strategic marketing agency – but what we really do is bring people together to solve business problems, building long-term relationships between brands and the people they serve.”
What Does This Look Like in Action (What’s Changing)?
We’re so glad you asked! You’ve probably noticed our new look (and website) that we feel aligns our external image with the evolution of who we are. But not all good things have to come to an end. To break it down:
We’re still Simantel. Our name and logo aren’t changing. Neither are our core brand values or our agency ‘personality.’ We’ve still got that same dedication, passion for digging in and relentlessly asking all the tough questions. We’re simply responding to the state of the world saying “We get it. We hear you. And we’re giving back to you.”
Our value has evolved. 40+ years as an agency has earned us some street cred. It’s given us a foundation and a springboard to keep doing what we love. And it’s allowed us to have a clear point of view to offer others, through the following differentiators we bring our clients:
We get you more. Over the course of a partnership, we build genuine relationships with stakeholders and gain an expert-level knowledge of client’s business.
We give you more. Relying on a deep understanding of our clients, as well as our close relationships, we’re able to deliver what’s asked for and always offer more.
We’re in it for the long haul. Our ongoing relationships are all about trust — we provide open-door access to executive directors and always act as conscientious stewards for your marketing budgets.
We can make fast, easy. Using established working knowledge and our own expertise, as well as proven methods of working together, helps us create momentum quickly in fast-paced industries.
We can make complicated, simple. Our experience with highly matrixed organizations and distribution systems means we’re well-equipped to work with complex brands and companies.
Our values have also evolved. It was important that our brand values reflected who we are today. That they tell our clients how much we care in an authentic, meaningful way. That they empower our teams to understand and delight our clients on a deep level. And, just as we’ve always said – that they’re more than just words on a page – but the mechanisms that shape our work philosophy day in and day out.
Understanding: We listen, stay curious and find connections.
Contribution: We engage, validate and support one another.
Growth: We embrace change, actively learn and inspire evolution.
Collaboration: We create space, lean in authentically and foster transparency.
Accountability and Flexibility: We work hard, meet commitments and allow work + life to coexist.
And most importantly, we’re ready to deliver more. More innovation, research and meaning – such as an annual Vision + Values survey to assess what’s important to our clients’ key decision-makers (pressure checked against our own unique point of view). Or further defining a collaborative customer experience through our planning & satisfaction workshops. Some of these conversations have already begun, and we’re excited to continue to build on them. You can hold us to it.
And is in Our DNA
As it turns out, who we are now has been in our roots all along. And has always been in our DNA, as we’ve come to say.
From the days when there were just a few of us and Jim Simantel said we were designers and consultants. To when Kevin and Susie proved we were both creative and strategic. To when Maggie, Tim and Misty came pushing for innovation, digital and growth.
It’s all about pulling people together in a world of extremes. Providing stability and guidance while helping our clients confidently pave a path forward.
It’s giving our clients what they’re asking for and finding opportunities to surprise and delight. Providing comprehensive and flexible solutions while maintaining the strong relationships that are a hallmark of our agency. It’s strategy that’s creative and creative that’s strategic.
It’s showing up authentically with our clients – not behind closed doors, or in a ‘throw it over the wall’ and we’ll figure it out kind of way. It’s being in the mess figuring it out together. As an extension of each other – as our own ‘ands.’
Because if our clients shine, we do too.
The ‘ands’ are endless… but they all lead to amazing outcomes.
Thanks to Jim Simantel for the vision, to the Simantelites past and present who have shared their passions and, most of all, thanks to the clients who’ve enabled us to get this far.
– From all of us at Simantel
