Today we’d like to introduce you to Rob Rankin.
Hi Rob, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
CCF is a strategically-driven creative agency that drives positive behavior change for established mid-market local and regional brands, primarily in the healthcare and financial services categories, though not exclusively.
As for myself, I started as an intern at BBDO Worldwide here in Minneapolis. After 8 years there — rising to Account Supervisor — I moved to Clarity Coverdale Fury (CCF) to run the Johnsonville business. My move to CCF was driven by their reputation for strategically-driven creative work.
In 2001, CCF began working in public health, and specifically in tobacco control, and we quickly became one of the leading strategic creative services agencies in that space. Today, we continue that work and have expanded our healthcare expertise to what we refer to as “healthcare from all angles:” payor, provider, manufacturing and public health. From the Mayo Clinic and Medtronic to UnitedHealth Group and Minnesota Department of Health, we have a very big footprint in the space.
In 2014, a few colleagues and I purchased the agency from the founding partners as they retired. Today, we continue to honor their legacy of strategic-focused work while adapting and leading in so many changing areas of the business.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There are always challenges. That’s just a part of life. Through my tenure, I’ve seen the advent of the internet and social media, the rise of performance marketing and the trade desk, and now, AI and how its changing and strengthening how we work. With change, you just need to lean into things and be willing to fail. Willing to learn new things. Willing to recalibrate in an ever-changing world.
Your failures provide lessons that lead to success. And doing nothing or ignoring change will only make your challenges bigger. I remember listening to a Creative Director from Deutch, LA at a conference say, “embrace the beast” in a reference to client requests that, in the moment, felt unreasonable. Change and challenges are ever-present. Embrace them. They’re not going away.
As you know, we’re big fans of Clarity Coverdale Fury – CCF. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
We believe strongly in the power of connecting emotionally with audiences and lead our strategy from a communications perspective with an emotional touchstone which we refer to as an “Emotional Catalyst.” We’ve long believed that consumers think with their heads but buy with their hearts. Connecting emotionally demonstrates to them that you really understand what matters to them. And that is what builds trust and loyalty.
This emotional intelligence also bleeds over into relationships with our clients. We believe in being candid, collaborative and respectful. No room for arrogance or ivory tower marketing in our world. And this philosophy pays off. I’m proud of our strong client relationships and employee tenure. And we are often asked to speak or present as subject matter experts at out conferences. Sometimes even alongside our clients.
What’s next?
I absolutely love seeing others I’ve met succeed, whether that be clients, colleagues or former colleagues. We have a lot of former CCF team members who are crushing it in their careers and it puts a smile on my face to see that each and every time. In fact, just last month a colleague told me that one of our former interns is now the CMO at Circle K. Circle K! It was a moment that brought me tremendous joy.
On the personal side, any time with my family is absolute gold. Whether hiking, biking traveling or just some time in our backyard, it really is time I treasure. In my younger days, I loved playing rugby and while I don’t lace them up (much) anymore, I do still maintain those relationships. My teammates are some of my best friends, and we keep in close touch. In fact, just this fall, 35 of us met in Chicago to see the New Zealand All Blacks play Ireland at Soldier Field. We had guys in their 40s, 50s and 60s there, as well as some of their kids who also played. It really was a special moment.
Pricing:
- We are very open about pricing with our clients. And welcome incentive based compensation too. We always want to make sure they understand we are a business too but that we understand the pressure they face. For us it’s not about size, but rather the right fit and if we have shared values and are we both in it for the right reasons.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ccf-ideas.com
- Instagram: @ccf_ideas
- Facebook: CCF Facebook
- LinkedIn: Rankin LinkedIn
- Other: CCF LinkedIn
