Firstborn (digital agency)

Firstborn
Headquarters New York, NY
Area served Worldwide
Industry Advertising
Website www.firstborn.com

Overview

Firstborn is a digital creative agency headquartered in New York City’s TriBeCa neighborhood.[1] The company was co-founded in 1997 by Michael Ferdman and currently employs approximately 90 strategists, designers, producers, and technologists.[2]

History

Firstborn began serving clients in 1997 from its headquarters in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of New York City.[3] Founder Michael Ferdman had previously worked in the garment industry, and much of Firstborn’s early work was based in fashion and retail, including a website for designer Yigal Azrouël.[3] The company added to its portfolio by taking on large digital projects such as a digital companion site for the release of Madonna’s Music album, and in later years, by partnering with other agencies as a digital production partner.[4]

After adding full in-house digital capabilities, including strategy & analytics as well as live-action video production, post-production and 3D and motion graphics,[4] Firstborn shifted its business strategy to focus on direct-to-client relationships.[3]

In 2010, Dan LaCivita, who began his tenure at Firstborn as a flash developer, was named agency President,[5] and JoonYong Park, who began as a senior art director, was named Chief Creative Officer.[6]

In 2011, the agency joined the Dentsu network of companies and relocated to TriBeCa in the AT&T Long Distance building at 32 Avenue of the Americas.[2]

Clients

Firstborn recently worked on digital projects with UNIQLO,[7] Redken,[8] Morgans Hotel Group,[9] and Keds.[10] The company also partnered with PepsiCo to develop and launch a touchscreen fountain machine, Pepsi Spire.[11]

The company serves as the global agency for Japan-based All Nippon Airways[12] and digital agency-of-record for both Mountain Dew[13] and beauty conglomerate L’Oreal Luxe, which includes the Lancôme, Kiehl’s, Urban Decay, and Clarisonic brands.[14]

Previous client work includes Sony, Wrigley’s, Ford, SoBe, Puma, JetBlue, and Fidelity Investments.[15]

Awards & Recognition

2009

Firstborn was listed as #8 on Advertising Age’s Agency A-List.[5]

2010

The company was named OMMA Agency of the Year[16] and was one of Fast Company’s 50 Most Innovative Companies, along with Facebook, Amazon, and Nike.[17]

2011

Crain’s New York named Firstborn as the one of its Best Places to Work in NY.[18] Mashable.com placed Firstborn in its list of Top 5 Innovative Digital Marketing Agencies.[19]

2013

Firstborn’s Pinterest campaign for UNIQLO received a Gold Cannes Lion.[16]

2014

The UNIQLO social campaign was awarded a Grand Clio in the 2014 Clio Image Awards.[7]

Crain’s New York included Firstborn on its 2014 Best Places to Work in NY list.[20]

Advertising Age included Firstborn on its 2014 Best Places to Work in Advertising list.[21]

2015

Advertising Age named Firstborn as a 2015 Creativity Standout, an honor that recognizes a handful of agencies around the world who are delivering notable creative ideas that push the ad industry forward.[22]

References

  1. ↑ Aditham, Kiran. "Here’s an Agency Office Move Summed Up in a Hot Minute". Media Bistro. Retrieved 12 May 2014.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Rae, Haniya. "Inside the agency: Firstborn". Digiday.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Ford, Rob. "Digital Pioneers, Then and Now...". The FWA.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Digital Creative Agency Firstborn Joins Dentsu". PR Newswire. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Patel, Kunur. "Firstborn Is No. 8 on Ad Age's Agency A-List". AdAge.
  6. ↑ Diaz, Ann-Christine. "JoonYong Park Named Chief Creative Officer at Firstborn". AdAge.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Monllos, Kristina. "Wren's 'First Kiss' Is Among the Honorees at Clio Image Awards". AdWeek.
  8. ↑ Heine, Christopher. "Razorfish Nabs Masco, Firstborn Gets Redken". AdWeek.
  9. ↑ Parekh, Rupal. "Morgans Hotel Group's Homegrown Chief Marketer Preps for Global Expansion". AdAge.
  10. ↑ Rae, Haniya. "Step by step: Inside Keds’s girl-oriented social strategy". Digiday.
  11. ↑ "Meet 'Spire,' Pepsi's Answer to Coke's Freestyle Machines". Creativity.
  12. ↑ "Firstborn Flies Beyond Digital with Global Japanese Airline Win". AdAge.
  13. ↑ "Accounts on the Move". Media Post.
  14. ↑ "Firstborn Adds L'Oreal Luxury Brands to Client Roster". AdAge.
  15. ↑ "Firstborn Listing". Creativity.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 "Agency of the Year: Best Web Design and Development: Firstborn". Media Post.
  17. ↑ "MOST INNOVATIVE COMPANIES 2010". Fast Company.
  18. ↑ "Best Places to Work 2011". Crains NY.
  19. ↑ "Top 5 Innovative Digital Marketing Agencies". Mashable.
  20. ↑ Trager, Cara. "Best Places to Work 2014". www.crainsnewyork.com. Crains New York. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
  21. ↑ Ad Age Staff. "Best Places to Work 2014". www.adage.com. Advertising Age. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
  22. ↑ Ad Age Staff. "2015 Creativity Standouts". www.adage.com. Advertising Age. Retrieved 26 January 2015.