Today we’d like to introduce you to Gabe Gordon.
Hi Gabe, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
Back in 2002, I began my career in the mailroom at William Morris Endeavor (WME) and eventually ended up in the marketing department – representing brands like General Motors, the NFL, and Anheuser-Busch. A decade later, I transitioned to Pepsi, where I was part of early creator work and what became the Pepsi Studio before founding Reach Agency. While we originally branded it as a “YouTube Agency” managing YouTube channels, Reach quickly evolved into an advertising agency focused on creator-driven content for massive global brands.
What started with managing YouTube channels and convincing brands to collaborate with influencers quickly evolved. We built our business one brand at a time, demonstrating to marketers the significant role influencers play in the marketing mix. What was once considered an afterthought has now transformed into a proven tactic for marketers. Honestly, our journey was not without its challenges – but through perseverance and innovation, we grew from serving just a few clients to partnering with some of the biggest brands like Anheuser-Busch, Hershey, and Purina. From the very start of the Creator Economy, I’ve helped brands explore the potential of influencer marketing and content-driven campaigns. My team and I have contributed with creative work that has broadened the horizons of advertising, marketing, media, and social strategy.
12 years later, I led my team to leading influencer marketing campaigns by pushing the limits and helping to define the industry for the world’s biggest companies, including Nestle, Unilever, Walmart, Microsoft, and Clorox. We’ve solidified our reputation as a trendsetter in the space through many achievements – thrilled that Reach is one of the most awarded influencer agencies. Our accomplishments with Reach Agency have not gone unnoticed, earning accolades for its industry-leading client work. Reach was recognized as Small Agency of the Year by Advertising Age, Best Video Ad Agency, or Partner by Digiday, and is ranked in lists like the Inc. 5000 and Adweek’s Top 75 Fastest-Growing Agencies.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Last year was a rebuilding year for our agency–it was a year where we turned adversity and change into opportunity. It was a pivotal chapter in our narrative as we shifted from a small-size agency to a mid-size. The shift in agency size, coupled with our commitment to scaling, presented us with several challenges that we tackled head-on. These challenges were met with creativity, resilience, and dedication to our clients’ success and satisfaction–leading to one of our most successful years in which we produced some of our greatest work to date.
We strengthened our operational team by appointing a new Chief of Staff to support the rapid expansion of our staff, experiencing a notable 22% growth. Concurrently, we increased and reconfigured our executive team and strategically merged our strategy and creative teams. This transition wasn’t merely about size and revenue; it marked an evolution in mindset, strategy, and vision for our agency. Our ability to adapt and surpass expectations in a rebuilding year speaks to the team’s strengths and underscores our commitment to pushing creative boundaries and setting new industry standards.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I’m proud to say that our Creator-centric AOR model was ahead of its time; elsewhere in the industry, social video and influencer partnerships were a nice-to-have for brands willing to take risks. Today’s prioritization of Creators and social media confirms that we were heading in the right direction over a decade ago. We tapped into all things influencers and creators “before it was cool.”
By putting Creators front and center within brand campaigns—and even applying social trends to how we promote product lines—we’ve been leading a seismic shift within the industry. We partnered Nexxus with Alix Earle before she became the It Girl to help launch their TikTok-inspired capsule collection. We convinced Carnation Milk (a 125-year-old brand) to reinvest in its TikTok presence for the first time in five years with a cheeky grandma who had gone viral on the platform. And we persuaded Chicken of the Sea to collaborate with Jessica Simpson 20 years after the brand’s culture-defining moment on MTV’s The Newlyweds.
Creators are the driving force behind Reach Agency’s success, at the forefront of every piece of creative we develop. Instead of relying on creative directors, we tap into our Creator partners during development to help guide the work. Content creation is their expertise—they know what resonates with their following—so to us, it’s only natural that we truly collaborate to make the most engaging and authentic work possible.
Our agency’s stakeholders have been frequently quoted, and our campaigns have been featured in AdAge, Adweek, Campaign US, The Drum, Insider, MUSE By Clio, The Wrap, Billboard, Hollywood Reporter, Variety, Deadline, Tubefilter, WWD, Glossy, and Digiday. Our work has won a bevy of awards – Shorty Awards, Digiday Content Marketing Awards, The Drum Awards for Social Media and Content, Streamy Awards, and Clios Awards. We’ve taken the stage at Adweek’s Social Media Week, Brand Storytelling at SXSW and Sundance, VIDCON, Advertising Week New York, and LATAM, and delivered workshops to the members of the Association of National Advertisers.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
The COVID-19 crisis highlighted the significance of the Creator economy, especially as traditional TV productions stopped due to the lockdown. With film and television content slowing down due to halted production and a vast majority at home, people were hungry for entertainment. Influencers, already adept at remote production, filled the content gap – demonstrating their value as people turned to platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels to get their entertainment. I believe the pandemic accelerated this trend, validating the role of influencers in keeping audiences engaged when other forms of media were unavailable. Additionally, in a recession, influencers offer cost-efficient content creation and recommendations, making them essential for brands to maintain authenticity and drive consumer decisions. This period served as an unexpected confirmation of the significant value influencers bring to the entertainment landscape, something we had recognized long before the pandemic.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://reach.agency/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reachagency/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/reachagencyla/
Image Credits
Reach Agency
