May 28, 2024

“Do It Together”

Author: Chris Copacino

Our Executive Director of Account Management, John Line, has described Copacino Fujikado as a “Do it together” agency. Narrowly, the phrase describes how we work collaboratively with clients. It’s an ethic that has led to a 26-year run of successful client relationships and results. However, implicitly “Do it together” drives much of how we work in all facets. Of course yes, with clients, but also our emphasis on working well with each other internally. And last, but certainly not least, the external partners that play an integral part in the work we do.

As an independent, integrated agency we need great partners to be successful in adding to our agency capabilities, helping us scale, providing specialized expertise, bringing ideas to life with high craft and quality; or to ensure we efficiently and effectively distribute content to our audience, while showing measurable results in doing so.

Recently we brought back an annual tradition at the agency: The Partner Party.

Pre-pandemic, every year we would invite the partners who play an instrumental role in making us successful to the agency for a cocktail party of gratitude and appreciation. The Partner Party is an example of the industry connection and community that was disrupted by COVID. We had to shelve the tradition through the Pandemic and its aftermath. And now, with the pandemic thoroughly in our rearview mirror, it would have been easy to sunset the Partner Party, save the money, and chalk it up to a tradition of yesteryear.

But, in an industry that has become overly transactional–with human connection often relegated in favor of getting what we need, when we need it, and at the damned lowest cost we can drive–we thought it was important to push against this negative trend and reinstate the Partner Party.

It was a fun night. People came and reveled. Upwards of 150 partners across media, production, freelance, technical and administration descended on our office for wine, beer, a gourmet hot dog cart, along with a lot of laughs, good conversation and a healthy dose of human connection.

One big theme pervaded the party: Gratitude. Our partners expressed their thanks in being seen, celebrated, and invited into our office outside of the auspices of a business dealings. Apparently, it’s unique and refreshing for an agency to do this. For us, it’s just an intentional acknowledgement that we truly can’t do it alone.

“Give love to get love” is a phrase our CEO Scott Foreman likes to say–a human truth and a powerful partner ethic. And a sentiment that drives our core belief and guiding principle of being a true “Do it together” agency.