Why We Started this Agency
When we started Bradley and Montgomery at the end of 1999, we felt most agencies at the time were bloated and that they assigned too many layers of people to an account. We believed their creatives were not keeping up with new media and developing the skills needed to produce ideas efficiently.
We focused our business on keeping up with all the core knowledge needed to design and produce engaging creative and built a purposely lean and an unlayered structure to remain affordable, yet large enough to service our clients.
Our mission was to give our clients creative that not only works but enhances their image for having run it.
That mission hasn’t changed.
Today we work with brands that realize they need a firm – us – that can help them engage with their audiences, stay relevant and beloved in all the places they spend time watching, playing, and sharing. One that understands their brands’ inherent strengths and why their fans are fans.
Herron School of Art Class of 1986
The Sandwich Summit
Mark Bradley and Scott Montgomery were just teenagers when they arrived at Herron School of Art in Indianapolis in the fall of 1982, and within days, they each realized two things.
First, each believed that the other one was, while talented, kind of a jerk.
Second, they both wanted to date the same girl. A girl who had the good sense to reject them both.
Probably for being jerks.
So, in an uncharacteristically un-jerklike move, Scott decided to invite Mark to his apartment for a ham sandwich to get to know the guy. It turned out they liked a lot of the same designers, writers, photographers. Had a lot of the same heroes. They discovered they had a complementary sense of humor. And they really didn‘t need to be jerks.
The event was thereafter called “The Sandwich Summit.”
After graduation, Mark and Scott worked as a creative team together at several companies until 1999 when they started Bradley and Montgomery, or as their clients began to call them, “BaM.”
Our Service Promise
Displayed on the wall in our office as a reminder that doing the work is not enough. We believe great work should come from people who are great to work with. It takes creativity and skill to make breakthrough marketing, but we don’t believe that is enough. Our people also have to be humble and understanding. Our job is to make our clients’ lives easier. We will do what it takes to help them succeed.
We Don't Need To Be An AOR
We’ve grown our business doing projects and campaigns without needing a year-long retainer and AOR designation. We keep our model flexible so we can work with clients in a manner that works best for their needs, not ours. 82% of big brands have an in-house agency but our model lets them work with us when their in-house team is at capacity or if they need fresh ideas. Our project model often turns into long-lasting partnerships – we’ve been working consistently with Chase for over 21 years and with Microsoft for over 16 years. Whether you call us an AOR or not, you’ll get the same quality teams, strategic thinking, and creative excellence.
We’re Independent
Bradley and Montgomery isn’t part of a holding company. Our energy is spent making you successful.
We Believe Creativity Matters
We believe creativity drives business success and brands who want to stay ahead, foster innovation and stand out in a competitive marketplace need creativity to fuel their business forward.