Zulu Alpha Kilo: The brand transformation agency
Ever since the agency’s first project to create Bell Canada’s new creative platform in 2008, Zulu Alpha Kilo has developed a reputation as the go-to agency for brand transformation. Zak Mroueh, chief creative officer and founder, cites the agency’s recent work for Interac as an example of the independent shop’s knack for attracting clients looking for radical change.
“Clients seem to call us at a point in their lifecycle where the brand might not be connecting with consumers or sales are down and there needs to be a major strategic and creative shift,” says Mroueh. “We love working with challenger brands or those that have a challenger mentality.”
Zulu is a multi-disciplined agency and its 70 staffers have expertise in planning, digital, social media, design and advertising. Mroueh describes Zulu as a hybrid creative agency that, from the beginning, has been set up for today’s complex media landscape. “We call it a hyper integrated culture. Every discipline sits together, works together and creates together. There are no offices, no silos, no departments. We never had to tear down walls between disciplines because we never had them to begin with.”
Mike Sutton, agency president, says clients also respect the fact that Zulu will not compromise its core values. “A really important part of what makes the agency unique is having set beliefs – and sticking with them. For example, we haven’t done spec work in nearly four years. It means we have to say no to a lot of new business pitches and our teams can stay focused on our clients’ businesses, rather than pouring ideas into a pitch situation. We’re not driven solely by financial growth. Creativity and doing world-class work always come first. We believe this is a competitive advantage for us.”
Zulu works with both global and homegrown brands and counts Audi, Bell, Cineplex Entertainment, Coca-Cola, Interac, Corona, Jack Astor’s and Workopolis among its clients. ParticipACTION and Aequitas Innovations, which is building a new Canadian stock exchange, have recently been added to the roster.
An example of the agency’s buzzworthy creativity is the Kringl Proof of Santa mobile video app created to benefit the Make-A-Wish Canada organization. Parents could bring the magic of Santa convincingly to life for their kids by recording Santa enjoying cookies and milk or checking his list – all with their own room and Christmas tree as the backdrop. Not only did it win over kids in more than 150 countries, but Kringl was also a hit with the international press and was recognized with a Webby Award. Those downloading the free app were given the option to donate to Make-A-Wish, and Kringl generated more than two videos per second on Christmas Eve and over 35 million media impressions – all with no paid media support.
Beyond apps, the approach to re-engaging consumers sometimes takes physical form. Zulu’s “Live Mas Fina” campaign reversed a sales decline for Corona and won a Cassie for advertising effectiveness. Building on this success, Zulu harnessed the power of retail as the ultimate mass consumer touchpoint by designing limited edition cans featuring Day of the Dead themed Mexican skull art.
The artwork was so popular, posters were stolen from retail locations and silkscreen prints of the designs were awarded as prizes for a social media contest. The initiative boosted sales of Corona’s cans by 109.3% versus the previous year.
Zulu’s recent rebranding of Interac employed a simple strategic insight and new rallying cry for the brand. Be In The Black inspires Canadians to use their own money by paying with Interac rather than debt-building credit cards.
Billboards reinforce using the Flash feature of Interac at retail with “Flash Your Popcorn at Cineplex” and “Flash Your McFlurry at McDonald’s.” The new brand platform launched this spring and is already producing positive results for Interac’s business.
By staying true to its core values, Zulu Alpha Kilo is helping clients re-imagine their brands and creating new success stories year after year. Not a bad for a six-year-old agency that hasn’t even hit adolescence.
