Designory founders set out to create a different type of agency

In the early 1970s, Dave Almquist and Steve Fuller set out to create a different type of agency—one that actually lived, breathed, and loved every detail of their clients’ brand. They spent years becoming true subject matter experts in each of their clients’ industry, uncovering not only the truths about brand but why a product or service should matter to the customer. This is a standard rarely achieved by an agency, and has continued to be the measure in which we approach every client.

Designory opened its doors in a Victorian house in Long Beach, California. The Victorian house, with stained glass windows, macramé, and antique furniture, was a unique setting for a dozen or so people who cared about doing great work together–doing it right and doing it well. 

Then our defining opportunity came: the Toyota “big book.” This gigantic book meant we had to think about everything a customer would ever need to know about the product and the company, while helping dealers sell against competition. In some ways it was like the first web site because it included tabs of information that made it easy for readers to find what they wanted to know.

It turns out that organizing tons of information and becoming subject matter experts are things we do better than anyone else.  And as an agency, it was clear that we were able to figure out “how to do things better, faster, more logically, at a fair price and never screw up,” says founder Dave Almquist. 

After the success of the “big book,” the agency began to grow exponentially. Eventually, we moved into a “real building” with over 50 designers, directors, project managers, writers and others who were all dedicated to creating collateral with the idea of continuity and integration in mind. We believed that the work had to look and read like it was all from the same company/brand. In fact, we started hiring writers to help create a whole message, not just something to look at, and ultimately reaching target consumers. This separated us from other design firms, and our clients loved it. 

Now, over 40 years later with about 300 people in 7 offices around the world, we’ve not only continued to grow, but we’ve kept the same beliefs: focus on the details, connect the dots that others don’t, have a passion for what you do, and always deliver great work.