TWIST Creative had been adverse the word "agency" for many years, as the term represented something the Cleveland-based branding firm was not. That all changed eight months ago when TWIST shifted its strategy to target bigger clients, spurring a period of growth that has led to a flurry of new hires as well as new customers.
That's four new hires and about 20 new clients to be exact, says Michael Ozan, TWIST's president and chief creative officer, who in 2000 founded the firm with wife Connie. Add promotions and an overall company realignment to that list and TWIST has had a very busy 2012.
"We looked at our market position and decided to turn in the direction of being an agency," says Ozan. "We needed more people [on hand] to make that change."
In September, TWIST hired a new director of media relations, an art director and two designers. The agency also named marketing director Josh Taylor as its new director of strategy and development, while lead senior designer Chris Oldham is now director of design operations.
To its burgeoning client portfolio TWIST added 20 new brands, including big-name consumer product companies Hoover Vacuum and Hinkley Lighting; aerospace industry manufacturer Voss Industries; and multi-market restaurateur Paladar.
This was an exciting year, but one also full of difficult changes, says design director Connie Ozan. Although the former boutique is now a full-service brand agency, the challenge for TWIST looking ahead is to continue to grow its position within the market.
"There's been lots of energy over the last eight months," she says. "It will take awhile for the new team to gel, but 2013 is going to be a great year."
SOURCE: Michael Ozan, Connie Ozan
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth