Illuminator

Campaigns built around consumer brands

Founded in digital media, the digital-first advertising agency Illuminator now builds campaigns for social platforms, with the aim of getting audiences to engage, share and buy. Its named work includes a Jameson limited edition label campaign, a Mezzetta product campaign called Makes it Betta, a dog food brand relaunch, a Bed Bath and Beyond retail project and a Sichuan hot chicken launch. Its portfolio runs from global icons to consumer goods start-ups.

Creative strategy from senior leaders

The agency says its concepts come from experienced creative leaders. Its strategy covers business, creative, social media, brand, content and channel planning, and the aim is to work out what the consumer needs to hear and where the message should appear. The agency argues that creativity gives a brand more room with every media dollar and builds a preference that is harder for competitors and price pressure to erode.

AI-accelerated production for social content

Production uses AI tools to produce a continuous stream of paid and organic social content. The agency reports this speeds up the volume of executions that performance channels reward, and that the output costs less than traditional production budgets while staying on brand. The same production process is used for paid and organic social, so one concept can be adapted across formats.

Measurement through a machine learning platform

Illuminator uses a machine learning business intelligence platform to inform its insights, track progress and guide the next step in a campaign. The agency's own account is that Nielsen uses this platform as its small and medium business solution, a claim the agency makes about its own tools. The platform feeds into decisions about what to produce next, so measurement and creative work are linked.

Work for brands across categories

The agency's examples cover drinks, food, retail and cultural campaigns. Its material also includes a Latinos in advertising piece and a Generation Z series, which show how the agency approaches specific audiences. The common thread is campaigns designed for social platforms first, with the brand's story told in a form that people share.