From Poop To Gold

1. Creative Culture: People-First Approach Drives Innovation

Their systems work not because they have perfect people at Harmon Brothers; but because they have systems designed to maximize the humanity of imperfect people.

Culture of trust and freedom. Harmon Brothers fosters a unique creative culture that prioritizes its people, promoting a flexible, collaborative, and innovative environment. This culture is built on trust, allowing employees to manage themselves and contribute their best work without rigid oversight.

Emphasis on collaboration and open communication. The company's physical space, with its open layout and shared workspaces, encourages interaction and the free exchange of ideas. All voices are valued, regardless of title or position, fostering a sense of ownership and shared purpose.

Low turnover and high satisfaction. This people-first approach results in low employee turnover, a rarity in the high-stress advertising industry. By prioritizing employee well-being and creating a supportive atmosphere, Harmon Brothers attracts and retains top talent, fueling its continued success.

2. Creative Process: Balancing Freedom with Productivity

Sales first, art second.

Structured creativity. Harmon Brothers' creative process balances creative freedom with structured productivity, ensuring deadlines are met and high-quality work is produced. This involves a well-defined workflow, from initial research and scriptwriting to filming, editing, and distribution.

Emphasis on research and testing. Before any creative work begins, the team conducts thorough research to understand the client's product, target audience, and market landscape. Testing is integrated throughout the process, from pre-shoot demonstrations to post-launch ad variations, to optimize effectiveness.

Brain Trust and continuous improvement. A "Brain Trust" of diverse perspectives provides feedback and identifies potential problems, ensuring the creative vision aligns with the client's goals and resonates with the target audience. The company is always open to change and improvement, constantly refining its processes to stay ahead of the curve.

3. Creative Partnerships: Aligning with Passionate Clients

We believe world-class marketing married to world-class products is the best recipe for disrupting markets and creating household brand names.

Selective client acquisition. Harmon Brothers is highly selective about the clients they work with, prioritizing those with world-class products and a shared passion for their mission. This ensures the team is genuinely enthusiastic about the project, leading to more creative and effective advertising.

Eight-step filter process. The company uses a rigorous eight-step filter process to evaluate potential clients, assessing factors such as product quality, market differentiation, customer enthusiasm, and the client's willingness to trust Harmon Brothers' creative expertise.

Long-term relationships and shared success. By aligning with passionate clients and focusing on long-term success, Harmon Brothers creates mutually beneficial partnerships that drive significant growth and brand recognition. This approach fosters trust and collaboration, leading to more innovative and impactful advertising campaigns.

4. Hiring & Culture Fit: Finding the Right People for the Bus

When I set up a job interview with Mandy, she had done a couple ads on her own, and I already knew she was capable.

Beyond skills and experience. Harmon Brothers prioritizes culture fit and shared values over traditional qualifications when hiring. They seek individuals who align with the company's mission to "Share Better Stories" and possess a strong work ethic, a collaborative spirit, and a passion for creativity.

Life mission and storytelling. The company asks candidates about their life mission and encourages them to share personal stories, providing insights into their values, motivations, and problem-solving abilities. This helps identify individuals who can thrive in Harmon Brothers' unique culture.

Testing period and team input. Potential hires often begin as independent contractors or interns, allowing the team to assess their work ethic, cultural fit, and attitude before making a permanent offer. This ensures new team members are a good fit for the company's collaborative and self-managed environment.

5. Testing & Innovation: The Hypo Lab and Continuous Improvement

What I failed to realize is that innovating beyond where we are already at is also essential.

Hypothesis-driven innovation. Harmon Brothers fosters a culture of continuous improvement through its "Hypo Lab," a weekly meeting where employees can brainstorm and test new ideas. This encourages experimentation and challenges the status quo, ensuring the company remains at the forefront of the advertising industry.

Openness and transparency. The company openly shares its secrets and processes, challenging its team to constantly innovate and stay ahead of the competition. This transparency fosters a culture of learning and growth, empowering employees to contribute their best ideas.

Learning from mistakes. Harmon Brothers embraces failure as a learning opportunity, using setbacks to refine its strategies and improve its processes. This willingness to experiment and adapt is crucial for maintaining a competitive edge in the ever-evolving advertising landscape.

6. Compensation: Incentivizing Contribution and Teamwork

Sharing the money is smarter.

Profit-sharing and peer recognition. Harmon Brothers' unique compensation model incentivizes contribution and teamwork by sharing a significant portion of project profits with the team members involved. Peer voting determines the allocation of bonuses, recognizing individual contributions and fostering a sense of shared ownership.

Flexibility and project-based rewards. The compensation model is flexible, adapting to the varying demands of different projects and rewarding individuals based on their observed contributions, not just their anticipated roles. This encourages employees to go above and beyond, knowing their efforts will be recognized and rewarded.

Long-term incentives and client success. By aligning employee compensation with client success, Harmon Brothers ensures the team is fully invested in delivering exceptional results. This fosters a culture of collaboration and shared purpose, driving both individual and company growth.

7. Authenticity & Passion: Believing in the Product

Miracles happen when you sell something you believe in.

Genuine enthusiasm and product testing. Harmon Brothers only agrees to advertise products they genuinely believe in, requiring team members to test and endorse the product before taking on a project. This ensures the team is passionate about the product and can authentically communicate its value to the target audience.

Actors as fans and relatable storytelling. The company often casts actors who are already fans of the product, bringing a sense of authenticity and credibility to the advertising. This, combined with relatable storytelling and humor, creates a powerful connection with viewers and drives sales.

Authenticity over perfection. Harmon Brothers prioritizes authenticity over perfection, embracing the quirks and imperfections that make a product unique and relatable. This approach resonates with consumers who are increasingly skeptical of traditional advertising and seek genuine connections with brands.

8. Adaptability: Embracing Change and Evolution

There is a difference between culture as principle and culture as tradition.

Willingness to evolve and challenge assumptions. Harmon Brothers is not afraid to challenge its own traditions and adapt its culture and processes to meet the changing needs of the business. This willingness to evolve is crucial for maintaining a competitive edge and ensuring the company remains relevant in the long term.

Regular assessment and cultural audits. The company conducts regular assessment meetings to evaluate its cultural systems and identify areas for improvement. This ensures the company's culture remains aligned with its core principles and supports its mission to "Share Better Stories."

Embracing new technologies and platforms. Harmon Brothers is always experimenting with new technologies and platforms, adapting its advertising strategies to reach consumers where they are. This agility and willingness to embrace change is crucial for staying ahead of the curve in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

9. The Power of "Why": Aligning Personal and Company Missions

Instead of asking someone what they’re doing or how they’re doing it—if you really want to uncover the essence of a person—look for why they do what they do.

Discovering personal purpose. Harmon Brothers emphasizes the importance of understanding an individual's "why," or their core purpose and motivations. This helps connect the company with people who can thrive in a culture of creative freedom and trust.

Aligning personal and company missions. By aligning individual life missions with the company's mission to "Share Better Stories," Harmon Brothers creates a sense of shared purpose and empowers employees to feel like their work matters, both personally and professionally.

Creating a fulfilling work environment. This alignment of personal and company missions fosters a fulfilling work environment where employees are not just clocking in, but actively contributing to something larger than themselves. This leads to increased engagement, productivity, and overall job satisfaction.

10. The "Strong as Steel" Philosophy: Demonstrating Value Visually

We had to have a poop joke. It’s tradition.

Visual storytelling and memorable demonstrations. Harmon Brothers excels at creating visually compelling demonstrations that showcase the unique value proposition of its clients' products. This often involves pushing boundaries and taking risks, using humor and unexpected imagery to capture attention and create a lasting impression.

The "Strong as Steel" philosophy. The FiberFix campaign, with its dramatic car crash demonstration, exemplifies this approach. By visually demonstrating the product's strength and durability, Harmon Brothers created a memorable and persuasive advertisement that resonated with consumers.

Balancing risk and reward. While taking risks can be daunting, Harmon Brothers understands that it's often necessary to stand out in a crowded marketplace. By carefully weighing the potential risks and rewards, the company creates advertising campaigns that are both innovative and effective.

Last updated: April 8, 2025