Brothers John and Luke McKelvey went “all-in” when they opened the doors of Los Angeles-based Mirimar in October 2019, just before the COVID-19 crisis. Propelled by the success of the shuttered JohnXHannes—their former agency and Ad Age's 2020 Small Agency of the Year—they set out to form a new West Coast company that delivered what they do best: attention-getting brand messages at the intersection of advertising and entertainment.
Special Report: Small Agency Conference and Awards
Mirimar blurs the boundary between entertainment and marketing
Mirimar wins Ad Age's Small Agency of the Year, West, Gold
West Coast agency knows how to deliver attention-getting brand messages at the intersection of advertising and entertainment.
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GoPuff
Things seemed off to a good start when the company secured a Netflix show—that soon disappeared once the pandemic hit. The agency, however, carried on and in its first year ushered multibillion-dollar fintech brand Klarna into the U.S. with an absurd campaign embracing the company’s Swedish roots. Mirimar went on to deliver efforts promoting the launch of Apple TV+ originals including “The Mosquito Coast” and “Mythic Quest.”
Despite the rocky start, the company soared and saw 2021 revenue hit $9.43 million, a 57% percent increase from $6 million in 2020. The agency projects revenue will jump to $15.8 million this year.
In January, Mirimar cleverly brought delivery platform GoPuff to the Super Bowl with a “Quarter-Time Show” led by Lil Dicky, star of FXX’s “Dave.” Contrasting with the Big Game’s blockbuster halftime show starring five rap and hip-hop legends, GoPuff’s event streamed on Lil Dicky’s social channels between the first and second quarters of the game. It was the most successful campaign in the brand’s history and led to a 53.5% increase in revenue and a doubling of new app downloads, with a nearly fivefold increase in brand engagement.
To promote the second season of the Apple TV+ video game-themed show “Mythic Quest,” Mirimar brokered a clever partnership with Grubhub centered on a social media-only storyline about the company’s Grubhub corporate card that is leaked to the masses. The mishap exasperated the character David Brittlesbee, Mythic Quest manager and financial controller, but delighted real-world fans, who took advantage of the screwup to score free IRL meals on the delivery platform.
