Content That Connects, Episode 4 - Maverick Studios on Creativity Inspired by Collaboration

Little Black Book (LBB) and AdFusion™ from Comcast Technology Solutions (CTS) return with the fourth episode of ‘Content that Connects’. Gathering the brightest minds and voices in the industry, the production-focused series tackles topics such as purpose-marketing, in-housing strategies, and sustainability within the production landscape.

In this episode, LBB’s Americas reporter Ben Conway meets some of the team at Maverick Studios: VP and managing director Chris Phillips, associate creative director Laura Frisvold, director of client relations Natalie Garvey, and head of production at The Content Kitchen, Lauren Breen. 

Kicking off with some background into the history of Maverick Studios, Chris shares that the idea was conceptualised as two brands, Arby’s and Buffalo Wild Wings, came together to form ‘Inspire Brands’ in February 2018. From the offset, Chris recounts that “There was an idea tossed around of ‘what would it look like to centralise creative content and creative production in a true in-house agency?’” 

Now a team of almost 60, Maverick Studios has an international presence which includes a satellite office based in Hyderabad, serving as an extension of the in-house team whilst helping to drive efficiency, optimise workflows, and encourage collaboration and shared culture across timezones. 

Maverick Studios is structured in a way that allows it to work with brands inside and out of the Inspire Brands’ portfolio, which includes Arby’s, SONIC, Dunkin’ and Jimmy John’s. It allows for opportunities for exciting creative delivered at scale encompassing production, live events, merchandising and more. 

Embedded within the Inspire Brands structure, Laura notes that a factor that makes Maverick studios so unique compared to other agency partners is that it understands the “main goals” of the wider organisation too. Maverick Studio’s agency partners, however, are often vital collaborators in helping to bring work to life, with Natalie describing external client ambassadors as its “biggest cheerleaders”, as they’ve watched the in-house agency grow into what it is today.

The conversation delves into the capabilities of Maverick Studios, which include its state-of-the-art production space, aptly named The Content Kitchen. Overseen by head of production Lauren Breen, the digital-first production space lies at the heart of Inspire Brand’s innovation centre. Created with the goal of being “adaptable and efficient”, Lauren explains that the studio can become any location or restaurant, allowing for flexible production solutions and cross-departmental collaboration with the Maverick Studios’ creative team. 

Coming back to the topic of ‘Content that Connects’, the team reflects on some of the most rewarding aspects of ‘connection’ that it experiences. From its relationship with franchisees, to its understanding of its consumers and clients, Chris states, “We’re in this together for the betterment of all of our brands, and therefore Inspire.”