• 7 Agency Founders Explain Their Top Strategic Decisions

    7 Agency Founders Explain Their Top Strategic Decisions

    Adweek’s shortlisted shops for Breakthrough Agency of the Year spill their secrets. Emily Siegel: From day one, it’s been all about investing [in] our people. Something we’re thinking a ton about is what we do at the end of the year: Do we have profits that we can invest back in the organization? It’s top of mind right now that we’re really trying to put as much as we can—just like we always have done—back into our team, because if they feel fulfilled, if they feel like they’re part of the story, if they feel supported, then they [can] do the best work. They want to show up every day with energy and they want to come back. Our retention rate is super high. The results have been clear. We have a fantastic culture that we just continue investing in, and that’s been key to our success.

    Adweek, 01/04/2023

  • Adweek

    Adweek's 2022 Breakthrough Agency of the Year Shortlist

    Lafayette makes the shortlist for Adweek's Breakthrough agency of the year 2022. See the 7 agencies considered for the award.

    Adweek, 11/28/2022

  • Adweek

    Adweek's 2022 Fastest Growing Agencies - Lafayette American

    Adweek's award for the Fastest Growing Agencies in 2022. Founded in 2018, Lafayette American targets the intersection of logic and emotion to create “highest common denominator” advertising with its strategy, creative, design and media. The agency works on both project-based assignments and retainers, with sensitivity to economic shifts and long-term planning, allowing Lafayette American to hire carefully and manage costs. Among Lafayette American’s clients are Amazon, Chewy and Netflix. —M.W.

    Adweek, 10/24/2022

  • 2022 Campaign US BIG Awards shortlist revealed | Campaign US

    2022 Campaign US BIG Awards shortlist revealed | Campaign US

    Our work with PERIOD. has made the Campaign US BIG awards shortlist. The shortlist was selected by a jury of up-and-coming creative talent. Winners will be honored at a live event in New York City on November 17.. From Campaign US

    Campaign US, 09/20/2022

  • 9 of the best workplaces for innovators in the U.S.

    9 of the best workplaces for innovators in the U.S.

    Lafayette American - Detroit, Michigan - The advertising agency isn’t shy about its unconventional approach to business, hosting daily stand-ups that resemble talk shows more than meetings to keep morale high throughout the pandemic and the Great Resignation.

    Fast Company, 08/02/2022

Client Start Year End Year
Carhartt 2022 Current
Chewy 2022 Current
Crypton 2022 Current
Deel 2023 Current
McClures Pickles 2019 Current
Owens Corning 2019 Current
Rocket Central 2022 Current
Stellantis 2021 Current
Sysco 2022 Current
Toledo Museum of Art 2022 Current

Lafayette American is a creative marketing agency built to drive ambitious brands forward.

In a world where industries are being upended, global systems are fragile, and generational shifts are well underway, brands need to move forward, with urgency. So we built a strategic, creative, and design agency pairing the speed and flexibility of a seven-person shop with the depth and expertise of a thousand person holding company.

We partner with ambitious brands because we're a team, not a tugboat. We can reach our maximum potential only with partners that desire reinvention, scale, and impact. Our clients rely on us as a strategic partner to keep their brand and their business moving in the right direction. With deep commitment to creativity and innovation, we collaborate with small and impactful companies and Fortune 500s alike.

We are the agency partner for clients that have ambitious ideas for a better world.

  • Toby Barlow

    Toby Barlow

    Chief Creative Officer / CEO

    Toby has worked as a writer and creative director in San Francisco, NY, and Detroit. From 2006 to 2017 he was Global Chief Creative Officer on the Ford Motor Company account. Before that he worked on Kimberly Clark, DeBeers, Sun Microsystems, Barnes & Noble, See’s Candy, and Mirage Resorts. His writing has been featured in The New York Times, Salon, and The Paris Review.
  • Emily Siegel

    Emily Siegel

    President | Partner

    Emily started her marketing career in 2008 at Nielsen/Buzzmetrics in NYC. She jumped into content and influencer marketing at Federated Media in 2010, where she ran content strategy for American Express OPEN Forum, L’Oreal, and Citibank, then for General Motors and Ford Motor Company after her 2013 move to Detroit. Most recently, Emily led the Content Studio at WPP, helping Ford find innovative ways to tell its most important brand stories. In 2015, Emily was named a 2015 “Woman to Watch” by AdAge.
  • Doug Patterson

    Doug Patterson

    Creative Director | Partner

    Doug began his career (at least the parts he wants you to know about) at Chiat\Day LA, followed by Hal Riney SF and Ammirati & Puris NY. Then it was back to San Francisco for CD positions at FCB, JWT, and (once again) Hal Riney. He moved to Detroit in 2014 to run the Ford car business for WPP. He’s worked on cars, computers, jeans, wireless carriers, motorcycles, pizza, mutual funds. Oh, and beer. Some of it has been recognized by D&AD, Communication Arts, The One Show and Archive magazine.
  • Meg Jannott

    Meg Jannott

    Head of Design

    Meg graduated from the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, where she studied Graphic Design and Photography. Her most recent role as a Senior Graphic Designer at Shinola has given her the opportunity to work on a multitude of projects ranging from branding, print, advertising and packaging design to product and environmental design. Her work has been recognized by design competitions and blogs, such as The Graphis Design Annual, Fast Company, and The One Show.
  • Ben Bator

    Ben Bator

    Chief Innovation Officer | Partner

    Ben is an entrepreneur and first-wave digital native. He co-founded TextsFromLastNight.com (@TFLN), a viral sensation turned media company. In 2012, Ben co-created Mille Mitten, an annual road rally event that partnered with brands like General Motors to showcase Michigan to a national group of creators of interest. His projects and photographs have been included in Esquire, Wired, and New York Magazine.
  • Christina  Gay

    Christina Gay

    Finance Director

  • Beth Rea

    Beth Rea

    Senior Director, Strategy

  • Stephanie McMillan

    Stephanie McMillan

    Group Account Director

  • Julia Jennings

    Julia Jennings

    Head of Marketing

  • Don Peasley

    Don Peasley

    Account Director

    Don has over 25 years of experience on both the agency and Client side. He worked in various marketing positions at General Motors before moving into the mobile category as Director of Marketing at Verizon Wireless. In 10 years at Leo Burnett, Don led multi-agency integrated marketing teams on brands like Buick, GMC and Coca-Cola. While running the Detroit office of strategic design firm, he was account lead on Cleveland Clinic, Harley-Davidson and Strayer University.
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