OOH Agency Today — DASH TWO
Making media buying both simple and powerful
by Will Farmer
OOH Today
Media and Communications Manager
DASH TWO formed in April 2009 — yep, smack in the middle of the recession. Most people probably wouldn’t choose that as the time to start a new business, but when you have an idea you believe in, there’s no reason to wait. Good ideas trump economic chaos.
Their founder, Gino Sesto, worked in media for years, including a long stint at the Gary Group. Over time, he recognized something missing at too many big agencies — a desire to help the client. He made that the focus of his new effort.
Sesto knew he could offer better service, better support and better insights to clients with a leaner, more client-focused operation. He also knew that if you have the will to launch in the middle of a recession and it works out, that indicates a bright future. And so DASH TWO began. Since opening, DASH TWO has added satellite offices in Nashville and Pakistan.
We had the opportunity to interview Gino Sesto. Here is what he had to say about DASH TWO:
Will Farmer: Please tell us about DASH TWO. How long have you been in business? Staffing? Size? Specialties? Billing? Regional Offices?
Gino Sesto: DASH TWO is a full-service advertising agency focused on outdoor and digital advertising, though we also buy other media. We started in April 2009, which, as people always point out, was right in the middle of the Great Recession. We succeeded because we had a clear vision of what we wanted to be: A small agency that really cares about helping the client. That commitment drives everything we do.
We have more than 20 employees now. We’re based in the Los Angeles area (Culver City), with regional offices in Pakistan and Nashville.
WF: What would you like the OOH Industry to know about your shop?
GS: We stay lean for a reason. We offer better service to our clients with a staff that focuses on what they need. We skip all the industry BS that too often keeps agencies from acting in clients’ best interests—and that sets us apart. We give straight answers. We don’t tell our clients what they want to hear. Instead, we tell them what they need to hear, and then we help them find solutions.
We’re very numbers driven. We base our recommendations on what the numbers tell us, and we work hard to get the return on investment our clients deserve. Clients often praise our customer service and ability to meet tight deadlines.
We’re fun to work with, too. We take our jobs seriously, but we’re not self-serious. Our clients like us.
WF: Do you work with clients directly and/or through agencies? What is the percentage breakdown?
GS: We get a lot of white label business from the bigger agencies and a lot of direct buys. Direct buys are our bigger piece of business, however about 25% of our Outdoor business is from larger agencies.
WF: Any comments or suggestions for OOH reps in approaching or working with your company?
GS: Just start a conversation with us. We love to talk about the industry. We feel passionately about the power of out of home advertising, and you can see that from our work and what we share on our blog.
WF: How do you obtain new business? Please share new business contact information.
GS: Word of mouth, referrals, SEO, connecting online … it comes from all over.
Get in touch through our website or call us at (310) 439-2356.
WF: Discuss some OOH campaigns by DASH TWO. Any memorable or particularly interesting campaigns you could share?
GS: So, so many. A couple of our most recent favorites:
Klarna Smooth Shopping: Our client, Klarna, discovered that many of its customers are dog owners, so we created an attention-grabbing pink mural with hundreds of dog toys attached to it. Located outside a Brooklyn dog park, the mural attracted lots of attention from those on four legs and their owners on two, helping Klarna spread the word about its shopping payments app. We won a Gold OBIE for this one. The client loved it.
Interscope Records: To promote the highly anticipated new single from Lady Gaga, we coordinated a billboard reveal of the new song, timed to the exact moment when the popular singer announced “Stupid Love” to her more than 81 million Twitter followers and almost 40 million Instagram followers. The board featured giant pair of lips and a picture of Lady Gaga with pink hair and a pink bustier. “Stupid Love” bowed atop the charts, and the billboard got a huge reception and many shares across social media sites.
Website
https://www.dashtwo.com
Industry
Marketing & Advertising
Company size
11-50 employees
Headquarters
Culver City, CA
Type
Privately Held
Founded
2009
Specialties
Media Buying, Digital Advertising, Creative Services, Outdoor Advertising, Social Media Advertising, TV Advertising, Radio Advertising, Print Advertising, Wild Posting, Out of Home Advertising, and Bus Bench Ads
