ZULU ALPHA KILO:
THE GLOBAL INDIE
FIGHTING SAMENESS IN THE BIG APPLE AND BEYOND | FAST COMPANY’S MOST INNOVATIVE COMPANIES | AD AGE’S A-LIST STANDOUT AGENICES IN 2024 | BOOKING.COM WINS AT SUPERBOWL | AD AGE SMALL AGENCY OF THE YEAR | CAMPAIGN'S WORLD LEADING INDEPENDENT AGENCIES | COMMUNICATION ARTS | FORBES | WARC 100 | CANADA’S BEST MANAGED | CANADA’S MOST ADMIRED | SAY NO TO SPEC | THE DRUM AGENCY OF THE YEAR | ANA MULTI-CULTURAL AWARDS | AME AWARDS FOR EFFECTIVENESS | PARODY WEBSITE |
We fight sameness.
At Zulu Alpha Kilo (Z.A.K. for short), it’s not just our creative mission. It's why we exist. We believe boring is expensive. When your brand is truly distinct, real people recognize, remember, and choose you over the competition. There's no greater risk than putting work into the world that's more of the same.
Launched in 2008, we’re proud that our shop has built a reputation over the years as an industry outlier and one of the most respected independent agencies in the world.
In 2016, Ad Age named us Small Agency of the Year and in 2017, 2021 and 2022, International Small Agency of the Year. Most recently, we were named on Ad Age’s 2024 A-List Standout Agencies. We were featured as one of Forbes Top 100 Innovators of 2018, The Drum’s Agency of the Year 2021, and Campaign US 2021 Independent Agency of the Year. For three years running, Fast Company has recognized our work in their World Changing Ideas issue and in 2024 Z.A.K. made Fast Company’s Most Innovating Companies list. In 2022, we were listed among the top ten independent agencies in the world in Cannes, One Show and D&AD, based on a body of effective, breakthrough work.
We were founded on the belief that the world needs more creativity. It’s what drives all our decision-making. When you truly embrace creativity as a competitive advantage, you will see it transform your world and your business. We’ve witnessed this over and over with our own clients.
And, as a purpose-driven company, we also use our creativity to do good in the world by supporting causes we truly believe in.
With 185 staff in New York, Toronto, and Vancouver, Z.A.K. is a magnet for top global talent. Want to change your world as a marketer? Let’s fight sameness together.
ZULU ALPHA KILO IS FIGHTING SAMENESS IN THE BIG APPLE AND BEYOND
LBB speaks with our Z.A.K. NY team about Fighting Sameness. (article)
FAST COMPANY’S MOST INNOVATIVE COMPANIES
Z.A.K. has been recognized by Fast Company as one of their 2024 Most Innovative Companies list. (article)
AD AGE’S A-LIST STANDOUT AGENICES IN 2024
We are humbled to have made Ad Age’s 2024 A-List Standout agencies. (article)
BOOKING.COM WINS AT THE SUPER BOWL
Our new campaign for Booking.com, featuring Tina Fey, topped Adweek’s list of most effective Super Bowl ads according to Kantar research (article).
WINNERS AT AD AGE’S SMALL AGENCY OF THE YEAR IN 2016, 2017, 2021 & 2022
In 2016 Ad Age, the world’s most respected advertising industry publication, anointed us Small Agency of the Year – an honor we received in only our eighth year of business. We are also the first non-U.S. agency to win the honor (article). A year later, Ad Age recognized us as 2017 International Agency of the Year (article). In 2021, the accolades continued, being recognized a third time by Ad Age in the Small Agency of the Year category (article) and in 2022 Zulu won International Small Agency of the Year yet again (article).
THE WORLD DOESN’T NEED MORE AGENCIES
Campaign is one of the world’s leading business publications serving the marketing, advertising and media communities. This spring, Campaign put the spotlight on Z.A.K. as one of the world’s leading independent agencies (article).
Z.A.K. FEATURED IN COMMUNICATION ARTS
Communication Arts magazine is the world’s leading and most respected publication on creativity and visual communication. Their eight-page feature on Z.A.K. in the Spring 2016 issue talks about our history, and features some of our best work.
FORBES NAMES Z.A.K. A “SMALL GIANT” AMONG U.S. FIRMS
Forbes not only selected Z.A.K. as one of its 25 honorees for 2018, but also published a 1,000-word feature article in the June issue of the publication (article). The article details how we set out to do things differently in an industry that has long followed traditional ways of doing things. It is penned by Bo Burlingham, author of the 2005 bestseller Small Giants: Companies that Choose to be Great Instead of Big. Ironically, this is the very book that inspired Zak when he founded the agency in 2008.
Z.A.K. RANKS AMONG MOST EFFECTIVE AGENCIES GLOBALLY
When WARC released its list of the industry’s 100 most effective agencies on the planet, the team here was punching air. It’s nice to win awards. It’s especially nice when the awards are for their effectiveness in driving business results for our clients. Z.A.K. placed 13th on the list.
Z.A.K. NAMED AS ONE OF CANADA’S BEST MANAGED COMPANIES FOR SIX CONSECUTIVE YEARS
Each year, Deloitte recognizes “Canadian-owned and managed companies for fearless leadership, relentless innovation, and world-class business practices.” It was a big achievement for us to be added to this list of the top companies in the country for six years in a row. As a result, Maclean’s and Canadian Business magazines profiled Z.A.K. in print and online.
Z.A.K. NAMED AS ONE OF CANADA’S MOST ADMIRED CORPORATE CULTURES IN 2019 & 2020
Founded by Waterstone Human Capital, Canada’s Most Admired Corporate Cultures is a national program that recognizes best-in-class Canadian organizations for having cultures that enhance performance and sustain a competitive advantage (article). Our culture is integral to who we are as an agency. Our values are reflected in how we work not only as an agency, but how we work with our clients as one team.
IT’S TIME FOR US ALL TO DITCH SPEC CREATIVE PITCHES
Our Say No To Spec film ignited a global conversation on the antiquated practice of spec pitches that has been around since the Mad Men era. AdWeek’s feature article on the film was the sixth most read article of the year and tenth most read of all-time. As a follow up to this, Z.A.K.'s Founder Zak Mroueh, wrote this article that was published in AdWeek explaining why spec work is bad for both agencies and clients.
Z.A.K. NAMED THE DRUM AGENCY OF THE YEAR 2021
UK-based advertising publication The Drum named Z.A.K. their overall Agency of the Year for 2021. The honour was won on the strength of our showing at both The Drum Content Awards, where we were awarded the Chair’s Award as well as at The Drum Digital Industries Awards, where we won the Digital Advertising Grand Prix.
Z.A.K. WINS GRAND PRIX AT THE ANA MULTI-CULTURAL AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE
Z.A.K.'s Tough Turban campaign for Pfaff Harley-Davidson was awarded the Grand Prix at the USA Association of National Advertisers Multi-Cultural Awards of Excellence (article) . It was the first time in the show’s 20-year history that a Canadian agency took home the top prize.
Z.A.K. RANKED #1 GLOBALLY AT THE NY FESTIVALS AME AWARDS FOR EFFECTIVENESS
Z.A.K. topped the rankings at the NY Festivals AME Awards, a show that measures the effectiveness of campaigns (article). This honour reinforces our belief that truly breakthrough creative work achieves real business results for our clients.
PARODY WEBSITE
Our original website took some playful jabs at the industry. A few uppercuts, too. See for yourself link here.