The Dallas-based advertising duo of Todd Tucker and Bill Milkereit has formally launched a new branding agency with a deliberately provocative name: Poke The Bear.
Tucker and Milkereit both come from TRG—formerly The Richards Group—and are responsible for some memorable advertising work in recent years, including spots for Chick-fil-A’s EAT MOR CHIKIN Cow campaign, The Home Depot, Fruit of the Loom, The Atlanta Falcons, and the Southeastern Conference’s “It Just Means More” campaign.
What’s with the name?
Poke the Bear logo
The advertising duo says their firm’s name says it all.
“Poke The Bear is exactly what we’ve made a successful career doing. We poke. We prod. We provoke. And brands prevail,” Milkereit said in a statement. “This name and logo are impossible to ignore. Poke The Bear not only reflects our style but also, to any potential partner, it’s our agency’s big differentiator. And hey, it actually means something.”
The pair has spent nearly three decades between them in the advertising industry and said they’ve learned from some of the most talented creatives in the country.
‘Disruptive and brilliant’
Nature Nate’s Honey ad created by the team at Poke The Bear. [Photo: PTB]
Among the firm’s initial client roster are Nature Nate’s Honey Co., Darden Restaurant Group’s Yard House, Eddie V’s, and Capital Burger, along with Johnsonville through lead agency Hold Fast & Co.
“Simply put, they’ve delivered the best creative work our brand has ever had,” Becca May, SVP of Nature Nate’s Honey Co., said in a statement. “It pushed our brand’s look, feel, and vibe to resonate with today’s shoppers. Their work is disruptive and brilliant. Every single time. They’re quick learners and fantastic listeners. They aren’t a typical, tired agency; I consider PTB the secret weapon on my marketing team to drive brand meaningful growth,”
‘A bear of a challenge’
Co-founder Todd Tucker said it’s all about taking on and owning a challenge.
“As we like to say, every brand faces a bear of a challenge,” Tucker said. “Could be a lack of awareness. Or a misperception. Or a crowded shelf. Or at the mercy of a big, slow creative partner that’s neither all that creative nor much of a partner. We encourage any brand to think and act as a challenger brand—and we’re committed to owning the challenge with them.”
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