“We know. It’s a lot of a lot of syllables,” says Seattle advertising firm Copacino & Fujikado in its awards submission. “But we may just be the best agency you’ve never heard of.”

Co-owned by Betti Fujikado, the granddaughter of Japanese immigrants, the agency has demonstrated a commitment to diversity and equality, it says, since “long before 3 percent was a rallying cry.” 

Fujikado, along with Çhief Creative Officer Jim Copacino, has strived to attract women and people of color to leadership roles within the advertising world and offers internships year-round, reserving at least one for a first-generation college student.

The shop is turning out colorful work, too. For Intrinsic Wine, the shop created an app that animates wine labels and outdoor ads. When used, the woman in an exotic red dress begins dancing. The push allowed the brand to crack the top 5 in market share for cabernets and reds in its price point.

Partnering with the Seattle Mariners, C&F created “True to the Blue.” Prior to the start of the 2019 baseball season, the Mariners traded some of their most well-known stars away, leaving the agency with a challenge: how to get fans to connect with and embrace new faces. Calling True to the Blue “part rallying cry, part badge of honor,” C&F produced a series of lighthearted spots highlighting the Mariners’ newest personalities, all while increasing the team’s net sentiment by 55 percent.