barrettSF Wins Big Star Award for Boutique Agency of the Year

Independent advertising agency barrettSF has won sfBIG’s 2017 Boutique Agency of the Year award. The honour was announced at the industry outreach group’s 2017 BIG Star Awards. The award is given to an advertising firm that has achieved excellence with a staff of 50 or fewer employees. 

In the fall of 2012, founders Jamie Barrett (ECD) and Patrick Kelly (Managing Director) had a beer at Old Ship Saloon and decided to start barrettSF. Their modest goal? To create the best advertising agency in the world. 

In 2016, barrettSF celebrated its one-year anniversary of moving into a 10K square foot space near Union Square, promoted four very deserving employees to Associate Partner, a new level of leadership, lost zero clients and pitched and won 10 new ones.  

“Our first three years were pretty amazing, but this past year things accelerated a tad,” Barrett said. “Best agency in the world is still out there, and we’re getting closer.”

barrettSF has won a slew of Addys and increased revenues 33% in the past two years, but the indie shop has always valued quality over quantity. 

“We believe in attracting talented people and making it irresistible for them to leave,” added Kelly. “We felt that if we set the right environment, growth would happen naturally along with other good things—like opportunity, professional happiness and financial success.”