The Speed of Culture: Inside Mint’s Mission to Keep Creativity Fresh

“If it feels like an ad, it doesn’t feel Mint”.

On the one hand, that might read like something of a bold statement for a creative marketing agency. On the other, it’s a perfect encapsulation of Mint’s idiosyncratic approach to creativity - one which prioritises experience above convention.

As CEO and co-founder Jordan Fogle goes on to explain, the concept of ‘experience’ has always been entwined with Mint’s DNA. “Our foundation was rooted in events, with an emphasis on 360 experiences”, he tells LBB. “So it was a natural step for us to evolve into a full-service creative agency as digital, social, and content became an integral part of brand strategies. Now we live out our mission of building brands to make a positive impact on culture and the future - firstly by creating the right story, and then identifying effective channels to activate within”.

All of which feeds into the agency’s north star: the concept of ‘brand love’. According to Jordan, any brand in the world, across any category, can win ‘love’ from its audience - provided they know what they’re doing. “Figuring out how people fall in love with a brand is a million dollar question, and there’s no one specific answer to make it happen”, he explains.

“But, somewhere out there, there will be an answer for any given brand. I know that, for me personally, I fall in love with brands that get me at my core, brands that can be a little cheeky but also care about what matters. On the flip side, I also love brands that don’t pretend to be everything to everyone”.

For Jordan and Mint, it’s about crafting a unique voice for a brand which resonates. “At Mint we are inspired by humanity, and telling creative stories to a specific audience, community or subculture. By doing so, we are being purposeful in our message and who it will resonate with most”, he says.

It’s another area where the agency’s ‘experience’ DNA can be felt. By treating any given campaign as its own event, the agency fosters a sense of authenticity which is integral to clear and meaningful communication. When asked to reflect on the campaigns which stand out in his memory from across Mint’s journey so far, that philosophy begins to take a clear shape.

Letting The Work Talk

Above: Over the course of Mint’s work for the Toronto International Film Festival, the agency has coordinated events featuring the likes of Emma Watson, Selena Gomez, Joseph Gordon Levitt and near-countless others.

Perhaps most obviously, Mint’s longstanding relationship with the Toronto International Film Festival is a testament to the impact of events-based marketing. But it was in 2008 that, for Jordan, the penny dropped in relation to the connection between the energy of events, and its potential impact on marketing. “TIFF 2008 proved to be my first ‘aha’ moment in terms of what the agency was really good at”, he recalls. “Creating money-can’t-buy experiences, working with amazing talent, and participating in culture in a big way. It was the perfect blend of experience marketing and PR, and it marked the start of our agency moving from events to integrated marketing”.

A decade on from 2008, that approach had evolved considerably. Take Mint’s much-publicised ‘Wage Against the Machine’ campaign for Bumble, for example. The idea was to illustrate the disparity between men and women’s pay in support of Bumble’s business-facing offering. “We created a campaign for International Pay Equity Day, and rolled up to Parliament Hill in Ottawa in our branded coffee truck selling a cup of joe”, says Jordan. “But the kicker was we charged men $1.00, and women $0.88, to illustrate how women made 88 cents on the dollar on average”.

Above: Wage Against the Machine was a simultaneously playful and hard-hitting way for Mint to communicate Bumble’s values of standing up for women.

And, last year, Mint was tapped to help launch YouTube Shorts. “YouTube is one of those iconic brands that naturally fits into every culture”, says Jordan. “And it was a big moment for Mint, as it gave us permission to help shape culture. From working with over 50 creators to collaborating with Grammy-nominated producer Wondagurl, the work was smart, effective and hella creative”.

Above: Mint’s work in helping to launch YouTube Shorts in Canada delivered fantastic results, including a total of 34 million views.

Today, Jordan and the team at Mint find themselves looking forward to new ways to create and influence culture. “An unforgettable experience with a brand will always reign supreme”, he says. “That’s true if it happens at-home, out in the world, online, or maybe even in the metaverse”.

Perhaps one of the most meaningful takeaways for creatives from the pandemic was that, through the likes of Travis Scott in Fortnite and countless other innovative events, there’s no one way to forge a powerful connection with a brand. “The metaverse offers yet another unique way for brands to create experiences for people - for now, consider it a place to embrace trial and error”, says Jordan. “I’d wager a bet that there isn’t a brand out there that has their role in the metaverse entirely figured out yet. We should take peace in that and be brave, experimental, and optimistic in this new frontier. There may be some false starts along the way, but that’s ok. Every piloting step can get your brand closer to understanding how to design an unforgettable experience for your audience”.

And, for Jordan, it’s that spirit of playful experimentation that will guide Mint into the next chapter in their story. “As much as I love a good planning and forecast session, if the past few years taught me anything, it’s that you really never know where the world will take you”, he acknowledges. “I do know we’ll continue to evolve with the market and move at the speed of culture, because through all of our iterations that was always the constant. And I like to  think we’ll continue to build this business with partners and clients who trust and believe in our mission and appreciate our approach to building brands”.

Ultimately, that speaks to the defining characteristics from Mint’s journey as an agency so far. Whilst the future of creativity and marketing may be uncertain, Mint’s success shows how it can be impactful, memorable, and fun. And, if it feels fun, that’s when it feels Mint.