Special projects

Projects are focused engagements for moments when something important is forming, breaking, or asking to be re-designed.

They are designed to create clarity, alignment, and forward motion when a team knows something isn’t working, but hasn’t yet named what needs to change.

This work is best suited for organizations and leaders who need depth and direction around a specific challenge, without committing to an ongoing engagement. Projects are scoped, intentional, and designed to reduce noise so better decisions can be made.

Projects often support teams navigating growth, transition, or complexity; leadership groups preparing for launches or structural change; and brands that need clearer insight before action. If you’re seeking clarity before committing resources or energy, this work is designed to meet you there.

How projects work

Each project is customized to the situation at hand, but typically includes a combination of discovery, synthesis, and facilitated alignment. The goal is not volume, but insight that can be acted on. Projects may include:

Custom qualitative or quantitative research.

Review of existing materials, data, and inputs. Synthesis of insights and patterns.

Development of clear, usable artifacts.

Facilitated working or alignment sessions.

Projects generally run from 2 to 8 weeks, depending on scope and complexity. (When timing matters, special situations can be met with focused, accelerated support. Occasionally, things are on fire.)

Let's Chat!

Jackie Salway Executive Creative Director, Figure 8 Studio

Carly Presho-Dunne from Wieden+Kennedy

Kimberly Barta from Columbia and Doc Martens

Project focus areas

AUDITS:
Audits provide a fresh perspective on existing work, metrics, research, and decision frameworks to clarify what’s working, what’s missing, and what matters most.

AHA'S:
Research & Analysis explores customers, teams, or markets through tailored research designed to surface insight rather than overwhelm.

ARTIFACTS:
Artifacts translate insight into action through briefs, frameworks, summaries, and tools teams continue to use after the project ends.

ALIGNMENT:
Alignment ensures insights lead to shared understanding, clear agreements, and movement forward through facilitated discussion and decision-making.

project results

Well-designed project work creates relief.

Clients typically leave with clearer direction, shared language, reduced friction, and stronger confidence in the decisions ahead.

APOTHIC:
A wine brand innovation from E&J Gallo that met its 5 year goals in 6 months. A category audit was conducted to identify an unmet position in the market.
Qualitative research was done to identify the ideal personality, name and label design. Research was also done to pressure test advertising and line extensions/naming. The artifacts included a presentation deck of insights and a creative brief.
Alignment sessions during the process brought in stakeholders at key times without having too many people in every meeting.

TRAVEL PORTLAND / OREGON:
This was a joint-effort across two agencies. Research was needed to understand drivers and obstacles to visiting Oregon (repeatedly) and ensuring visitors included a Portland visit in their plans. Ideas were developed to allow people to react to raw stimuli and reveal an emotional reaction.
An insight from the discussions became the strategy and ultimately a campaign: “The Closest Place You Can Get Far Away.” W+K submitted this case for an Effie. See Carly’s testimonial video for her thoughts.