Cutting through the noise with an idea made from equal parts strategy and creative may seem like no easy feat, but it’s one that New York–based ad agency Gus accomplishes again and again, having now garnered AdAge’s Small Agency of the Year award two times since being established in 2020. “We chase the brick-to-the-forehead ideas, the ones that feel inevitable once you’ve heard them,” say Gus’s cofounders Graham Douglas and Spencer LaVallee. “Those are deceptively difficult to find, but they're the ones that have the greatest chance of becoming part of culture instead of simply adding to the noise.” In their combined agency experiences, both Douglas and LaVallee felt the schism growing between conversations surrounding the creative and strategic work behind campaigns, and the execution was beginning to suffer. So, the two decided to start their own agency. “We wanted to build a different kind of partner, one that could help companies figure out who they are before deciding what they should say,” the two explain. “We believe the best work comes from long-term relationships built on trust, curiosity and a shared willingness to solve hard problems together, and that’s exactly the kind of thinking that felt like it was missing in our industry.” And those relationships have certainly been beneficial as Gus has worked with clients such as the furniture manufacturer Lovesac and Back Market, a platform for selling sustainably refurbished tech to offset the waste caused by electronics manufacturers. Advertising that takes a stand forms another core value for Gus, as LaVallee and Douglas affirm that ads act as a platform for their clients’ values. “We think advertising is at its best when it contributes something instead of interrupting,” the pair says. “Whether it’s making people laugh, creating a worthwhile experience or helping a company stand for something meaningful, our job should be to not just demand attention but add value.”