XYZ, the creative production agency taking charge of the world’s most beloved brands, spent the past handful of months setting up for a brighter future, including a new ownership group, business positioning, and corporate look.
“It’s been a year-long process that’s prepared us for the decades to come,” remarks new XYZ CEO Charlie Boyle. “Our creative, production, business, and sales teams are aligned to provide greater service to our existing and future clients.”
A Change in Ownership
XYZ was born in the ashes of the 2001 dot com bust, founded by CEO Steve Waterloo and COO Sean McGlynn.
Seventeen years later, Waterloo felt it was time to move on. An internal sale made the most sense to him and McGlynn. Charlie Boyle, who had come to XYZ in 2007, purchased the available shares and assumed the CEO role. The buyout was complete in August of 2021.
“It made sense to all of us,” Boyle says, “and I’m thrilled to be able to step up with this company. I have complete faith and confidence in our team, and we see a bright future as we continue to grow our business.”
New Business Approach
Watchers of the creative production industry have seen the end of the “agency of record” model as brands continue to grow internal marketing and communications departments and the exodus of top-notch creative, account, and production quickens.
Those trends caused XYZ to adjust and sharpen its focus.
“Our goal is to position XYZ as more than a vendor to our clients,” Boyle says. “Our decades of experience enable us to be a partner where we can collaborate and guide. We don’t have a take-it or leave-it mentality. We have a toolbox of services that can supplement what our clients might have internally.
“We’re open to having relationships where our clients use us for their needs,” he continues. “We are here to help our clients get more products on the shelves and help sell more products and services.”
That philosophy continues to work as XYZ adds more and more companies from the Fortune 100, including Google, Amazon, Meta, Ring, Jiro, Nest, Walmart, and more.
A New Look
Hand in hand with the company’s business refocus, it felt time to refresh the XYZ look and feel. XYZ Creative Director Joanna Fox led the corporate rebrand along with agency staffers and management.
“We chose a modern palette that was dynamic and bold,” Fox says. “aiming for a look that is clean, elegant, refined.”
At the same time, ensuring that XYZ’s clients are the star is most important. “It is crucial to us that we let our work speak for itself. ,” says Fox. “Our goal is to partner with our clients, to understand the story they are trying to tell and elevate the brand with iconic imagery.”
As with all great rebrands, the new logo says more than it appears. The box containing the XYZ wordmark portrays a sandbox where the agency’s team plays to bring client work to life.
“Much like our new corporate positioning, we feel this new look sets us up for the future,” Fox adds. “We’re distinguished from the competition and aimed at letting our client work stand out. That’s the heart of the new XYZ.”