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Sharp strategies.
We are a group of thinkers, planners, designers, and makers. United by the power of exploration, interrogation, collaboration, and inspiration to arrive at the insights, strategies, and actions required to allow companies and brands to become their best selves. From our experience, there’s not enough data-driven clarity and craft when it comes to creating winning strategies and executional action plans. We believe the best strategies provide the most inspiring and effective creative direction. We turn strategies into tight executional action plans, or “playbooks” in which roles, responsibilities, and intended impact are clearly spelled out to inspire, inform, and direct. These playbooks and digitally ready files can be executed with Playbook partner teams — spanning marketing programs, website development, content initiatives, etc. — or brought in-house for clients to use internally for maximum value and efficiency. We work on projects and offer retained services, typically we do a combo of both where we help to execute some of the plays we’ve designed together.
Sharp Strategies Beautifully Executed.
We are a group of thinkers, planners, designers, and makers. United by the power of exploration, interrogation, collaboration, and inspiration to arrive at the insights, strategies, and actions required to allow companies and brands to become their best selves. From our experience, there’s not enough data-driven clarity and craft when it comes to creating winning strategies and executional action plans. We believe the best strategies provide the most inspiring and effective creative direction. We turn strategies into tight executional action plans, or “playbooks” in which roles, responsibilities, and intended impact are clearly spelled out to inspire, inform, and direct. These playbooks and digitally ready files can be executed with Playbook partner teams — spanning marketing programs, website development, content initiatives, etc. — or brought in-house for clients to use internally for maximum value and efficiency. We work on projects and offer retained services, typically we do a combo of both where we help to execute some of the plays we’ve designed together.
Clients
We’ve Worked With
BEAUTY BIO
DSTLD
GILDED HORN
HAUS LABS
INTEND HEALTH
NEW RELIC
OUAI
PLANT APOTHECARY
POO~POURRI
SHANI DARDEN
SPINNAKER SUPPORT
STATESIDE
YOUNG LIVING
Downloadable Case Studies
Clients
We’ve Worked With
BEAUTY BIO
DSTLD
GILDED HORN
HAUS LABS
INTEND HEALTH
NEW RELIC
OUAI
PLANT APOTHECARY
POO~POURRI
SHANI DARDEN
SPINNAKER SUPPORT
STATESIDE
YOUNG LIVING
Downloadable Case Studies
“Playbook Studio and their partners did an exceptional job creating a brave new brand identity that breaks out of the conventional branding of most airlines today. The new identity connects us to the local cultures of our crews and where we will be flying with a connection to both our past and our future.”
“I brought Playbook Studio in to do foundational brand narrative work with our core leadership and marketing team. We were over complicating our story and weren’t clear on what we stood for and how we were relevant amidst a new landscape of competitors. Playbook Studio guided us swiftly and smoothly though their framework and got us the clarity and alignment we needed to refresh our brand across all our touchpoints. After our work together, briefing external creative partners and internal teams was a million times easier and more efficient. I highly recommend Playbook Studio.”
SVP, Global Marketing
“Playbook Studio did a beautiful job helping us refine and expand our brand. Their team had the intellect, artistry and sophistication needed to bring together our architecture practice with our Life | Style | Design offerings to formalize The DOOR by AEB Process. That process created in partnership with Playbook Studio now serves as our foundational offering and is the core business driver for the DOOR by AEB brand.”
Founder & Chief Strategist
“Working with Playbook Studio was a happy revelation to us of just how much useful work could be done, and explained simply and invitingly to others, by an open, honest, and willing group of gifted graphic artists and writers assembled and guided by the inimitably clever and courageous Graceann Bennett.”
“Graceann is a creative force of nature. Playbook Studio did a wonderful job capturing the essence of what we’re all about and translating this into how we show up visually and in words. The workshops they led were both energizing and focusing and the work product was excellent.”
“I recommend every company take the time to ensure their brand is relevant and strategically sharp before spending time and resources on execution. Our up front work with Playbook Studio was well worth it and paid huge dividends after they set us up with a foundational playbook and refreshed brand identity.”
Product & Customer Marketing
“Playbook Studio did important deep work on our brand that gave us clarity and understanding we needed to drive compelling and coherent messaging, marketing, brand experiences and thought leadership. Graceann’s big win was getting our entire leadership team aligned around a focused brand narrative. Playbook Studio continues to ve a valued partner as we apply and integrate their foundational work to our continued growth efforts.”
“We had an incredible experience working with Playbook Studio and case on our rebranding. They were true collaborators, both strategically and creatively, with a strong grasp of who our current customer is and who she could be. They were a pleasure to work with, and we couldn't be happier with the result.”
Capabilities
Research & Insights
Everything starts with data and insights. Whether we do the research, or extract the insights from existing information, our focus is on helping teams collect what is required to arrive at sharp, actionable strategies.
Playbooks
Mapping out who needs to be involved where and when for strategy to be turned into game ready action plans. This comes after the workshop, and is arrived at through working with delivery teams in mapping actions to key strategic priorities. Groups then reconvene in follow-up studio sessions to tune and integrate playbooks prior to action.
Brand Identity & Design
Once we craft your brand narrative and foundational playbook we often work with clients on translating this into a new or refreshed visual and verbal identity that can be applied across all touchpoints — website, case studies, presentation templates, physical spaces, thought leadership, content and more. We can take care of the execution for you or brief internal teams and/or outside executional partners to bring your brand into alignment.
Thought Leadership
Culturally relevant, well researched and thought provoking content with a point of view designed to help brands make their mark, set the agenda and ultimately own the conversation.
Storytelling & Pitches
We are experienced in the art & science of winning. We can help you win a new piece of business, your next round of funding, sell internal teams on a new initiative, or anything that requires persuasive storytelling. We ground your story strategically and creatively bring it to life in a way where the only answer is “yes.”
Product Development
Playbook Studio is built on a proven model for unlocking the best ideas and then locking down a tight narrative and strategies for action. Just like we’ve productized our approach and offerings, we can do the same for you and your organization.
Capabilities
Research & Insights
Everything starts with data and insights. Whether we do the research, or extract the insights from existing information, our focus is on helping teams collect what is required to arrive at sharp, actionable strategies.
Playbooks
Mapping out who needs to be involved where and when for strategy to be turned into game ready action plans. This comes after the workshop, and is arrived at through working with delivery teams in mapping actions to key strategic priorities. Groups then reconvene in follow-up studio sessions to tune and integrate playbooks prior to action.
Brand Identity & Design
Once we craft your brand narrative and foundational playbook we often work with clients on translating this into a new or refreshed visual and verbal identity that can be applied across all touchpoints — website, case studies, presentation templates, physical spaces, thought leadership, content and more. We can take care of the execution for you or brief internal teams and/or outside executional partners to bring your brand into alignment.
Thought Leadership
Culturally relevant, well researched and thought provoking content with a point of view designed to help brands make their mark, set the agenda and ultimately own the conversation.
Storytelling & Pitches
We are experienced in the art & science of winning. We can help you win a new piece of business, your next round of funding, sell internal teams on a new initiative, or anything that requires persuasive storytelling. We ground your story strategically and creatively bring it to life in a way where the only answer is “yes.”
Product Development
Playbook Studio is built on a proven model for unlocking the best ideas and then locking down a tight narrative and strategies for action. Just like we’ve productized our approach and offerings, we can do the same for you and your organization.
Experience
Our experience spans virtually every vertical, every category and every continent (except Antarctica).
Founder
Graceann’s career has placed her on the forefront of brand building, product development and organizational transformation. She brings a strong track record of partnering with CEOs and CMOs to drive significant increases in shareholder value for numerous Fortune 500 companies as well as helping younger brands and startups crystalize their brand positioning to accelerate growth.
Graceann Bennett was most recently the Chief Solutions Officer for Dow Jones. There she was responsible for harnessing the influence, intelligence and perspective from across the company to solve problems in innovative ways and unlock new value for clients. Before Dow Jones, she was a founder of Omnicom Group’s We Are Unlimited, the first of its kind, collaborative agency model that has inspired an industry-wide shift in agency structuring. In that role, she pioneered a new approach to brand strategy based on real-time, data-driven insights shaped by experts across digital, social, retail, and human behavior.
Dedication to her craft as well as the culture, talent and diversity of her teams is core to Graceann’s success. With decades of experience she has remained relevant and tapped into trends and is well connected to a vibrant network of the best resources needed for businesses to succeed today.
Graceann is a revered speaker and thought leader who has presented her work at SXSW, Sustainable Brands, NYU Stern School of Business, Cannes Advertising Festival, GreenBiz Forum, TEDxHarvard and the United Nations Foundation for Social Change. She has been a featured expert for media outlets including Fortune, The New York Times, Ad Age, CNN and NPR. Graceann has served on the advisory board of Attivio, a global business intelligence company and as Global Ambassador for The SmartWoman Project — a venture using mobile technology to empower women with education and social connectivity.
Founder
Graceann’s career has placed her on the forefront of brand building, product development and organizational transformation. She brings a strong track record of partnering with CEOs and CMOs to drive significant increases in shareholder value for numerous Fortune 500 companies as well as helping younger brands and startups crystalize their brand positioning to accelerate growth.
Graceann Bennett was most recently the Chief Solutions Officer for Dow Jones. There she was responsible for harnessing the influence, intelligence and perspective from across the company to solve problems in innovative ways and unlock new value for clients. Before Dow Jones, she was a founder of Omnicom Group’s We Are Unlimited, the first of its kind, collaborative agency model that has inspired an industry-wide shift in agency structuring. In that role, she pioneered a new approach to brand strategy based on real-time, data-driven insights shaped by experts across digital, social, retail, and human behavior.
Dedication to her craft as well as the culture, talent and diversity of her teams is core to Graceann’s success. With decades of experience she has remained relevant and tapped into trends and is well connected to a vibrant network of the best resources needed for businesses to succeed today.
Graceann is a revered speaker and thought leader who has presented her work at SXSW, Sustainable Brands, NYU Stern School of Business, Cannes Advertising Festival, GreenBiz Forum, TEDxHarvard and the United Nations Foundation for Social Change. She has been a featured expert for media outlets including Fortune, The New York Times, Ad Age, CNN and NPR. Graceann has served on the advisory board of Attivio, a global business intelligence company and as Global Ambassador for The SmartWoman Project — a venture using mobile technology to empower women with education and social connectivity.
Partner Agencies
Playbook Studio is designed to be efficient and flexible giving you high caliber brand strategy with the ability to execute with a range of experienced creative partners and individuals. This model is designed for maximum impact shaving time, money and bureaucracy out of the process.
Collaborators
Amanda Creighton
Production Design
Bill Heater
Writing, Creative Direction
Caneel Eddy
Research & Strategy
Carl Robert Nelson
Strategy & Content
Carolyn Rhee
Design
Devin Larsen
Strategy & Content
James Waldron
Media Design
Jeffrey Williamson
Brand Identity
Kimberly Rose
Naming
Marc Klien
Art Direction
Richard Hart
Brand Identity & Design
Sage Bennett
Photography & Film
Susan MacPhee
Web Design
Suzy Meriwether
Product Marketing & Go-To Market Strategy
Partner Agencies
Playbook Studio is designed to be efficient and flexible giving you high caliber brand strategy with the ability to execute with a range of experienced creative partners and individuals. This model is designed for maximum impact shaving time, money and bureaucracy out of the process.
Collaborators
Amanda Creighton
Production Design
Caneel Eddy
Research & Strategy
Carl Robert Nelson
Strategy & Content
Carolyn Rhee
Design
Devin Larsen
Content Development
James Waldron
Media Design
Jeffrey Williamson
Brand Identity
Kimberly Rose
Naming
Richard Hart
Brand Identity, Design
Sage Bennett
Photography & Film
Susan MacPhee
Web Design
Suzy Meriwether
Product Marketing & Go-To Market Strategy
Play By Play
This is behind the scenes play area for our ideas and case studies, so you can get to know us in a more casual way, kind of like a cocktail party conversation
