(5) Sensis

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Sensis

Downtown Los Angeles

Business: Independent minority-owned advertising agency

specializing in digital media

Founded: 1998

Two-Year Growth Rate: 406%

2008 Revenue: $6.9 million

Chief Executive Jose Villa believes that traditional and new media will merge, so his digital agency is moving into TV, radio, print and other forms of advertising.

Secret to Success? Sensis has leveraged two significant market shifts. The first has been a rapid shift in the advertising industry toward digital marketing, where we were ahead of the curve with expertise and experience. The second has been the increasing diversity of the consumer and business marketplaces, which has created new demand for advertising services that reach multicultural audiences.

Long-Term Strategy? We are basically ignoring the economic situation and going full steam ahead. Earlier this year, Sensis opened an office in Washington, D.C., to capitalize on the federal government’s new interest in digital communications. Since opening the office, Sensis has already signed a major advertising contract with E-Verify (the government’s employee immigration status Web site). The agency is also looking to expand into different industries, particularly entertainment and financial services. Finally, based on our belief that digital and traditional agencies will combine in the future, Sensis is taking the necessary steps toward expanding into traditional advertising: television, print, radio and out-of-home.

Growth Potential? Sensis has a three-year business plan with the aggressive goal of 30 percent average annual revenue growth through 2012.

Los Angeles Forever? Sensis strongly believes Los Angeles is a vibrant, powerful and diverse city that aligns well with our corporate culture, and we have no intention of moving the agency’s headquarters. However, the company is planning to open an office in Mexico by early 2011.

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