Five smooth stones

I keep five rounded granite stones in the center of my conference room table to remind me of two important things.

These stones came from the rocky beach next to the mile-long breakwater at Rockland Harbor, on the coast of Maine. I gathered them a few years ago when I was there to bury my parents in the place where they had grown up. These stones remind me of happy vacations and of my family’s love.

More to the point of branding, these little round rocks remind me of a young shepherd boy who overcame a heavily armed giant warrior by taking only five smooth river stones and a sling to battle. Maybe you’ve heard the story of David and Goliath.

These stones represent our firm’s cultural affinity for the challenger brands over lumbering behemoth brands. We embrace the small (and not so small), scrappy brands with the firm conviction that intelligence, creativity and agility can overcome the prodigious budgets and sheer mass of that giant over there.