The agency emphasizes, though, that it doesn’t make a huge distinction between the two types of work anyway.
“Even though we’re expanding our range, all the work still has two elements we want to have in everything, which is that they’re smart and unexpected,” said Kevin Mulroy, executive creative director. “In the beginning, we were known for buzzy, provocative work that gets PR. But we try to infuse any work we do with those same elements that make them sticky.”
“If there’s a Mischief style or Mischief solution, it’s this combination of surprise and a feeling of inevitability,” Hahn said. “It’s like, ‘Of course that’s the solution, but I never would have thought of that.’ It seems obvious, but only once you see it.”
Work for Chili’s, Outback, eos and Peet’s Coffee
This talent for building brand and buzz was evident in Mischief’s 2023 work for other brands, such as Tubi (covered in the A-List story), Chili’s, Outback Steakhouse, eos and Peet’s Coffee.
The Chili’s work was quite varied.
In May, Mischief moved quickly after a TikTok went viral in which a bride revealed she bought Chili’s takeout for her 99 wedding guests—for just $1,950. Mischief’s response—which went from brief to live activation in three business days—offered catered weddings to the first three couples to propose at a Chili’s.
Other Chili’s work included comic ads about how adults deserve Chicken Crispers more than kids do, and a spot with Boyz II Men resurrecting the “I want my baby back, baby back, baby back” jingle.