Owen Mack and Jesse Buckley started making videos together in 2002: unauthorized documentary "ads" for Schlitz beer and PUMA which received national attention. They now head coBRANDiT, a social media and marketing agency and consultancy which specializes in web video for online communities and opt-in environments. The coBRANDiT story includes brand hi-jacking, market research, viral video, and the launching of the world's first open-source ad agency.
Owen's marketing interest began with his adolescent involvement in the family retail business, a 70 year old venture he now owns that generates extensive WOM. Studies at Washington University in St. Louis fused his interest in vernacular design, art events, and math. His annoyance with conventional ads led to an epiphany: advertising ought to be about real people in real places discussing real product.
Jesse’s relationship with visual documentation began with photography and evolved into documentary video; his award winning anthropology thesis film "Shiva" led him from UC Berkeley into editing, broadcast engineering, and the production of two other films. Jesse has worked for WGBH, Frontline, Errol Morris, Harvard University, Cambridge Television Productions, and others producing a variety web, broadcast, and digital content. He is coBRANDiT’s primary videographer and editor.
Our work is predicated on the belief that 1) Consumers are interested in seeing their peers interact with brands and products in real life environments and situations, 2) Consumers are interested in behind-the-scenes information relating to brands and activities they care about, and 3) Consumers want to participate in the creation and marketing of great products and brands.
coBRANDiT has been featured in various publications including Inc. magazine and Dentsu-ho (the Japanese AdAge), and is a frequent presenter at conferences including WOMMA’s Summit 2 and WOMBAT 3, the New Communications Forum and PodCamp Boston, and at BlogOn 2005 was recognized as a Social Media Innovator. In 2007 we received an Excellence in New Communications Award: Corporate Video Category from the Society for New Communications Research recognizing our work for Flying Dog Ales.
Recent coBRANDiT projects include video production, platform development, and consulting work for Communispace, General Motors, Weber Shandwick, MS&L, Fizz, Flying Dog Brewery, WOMMA, Treehugger, fashion.psfk, ihaveanidea, and PUMA Running.
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