iconmobile is an innovation firm originally founded in Berlin, Germany in 2003 focused on creating compelling experiences. To expand their reach into the United States, iconmobile moved halfway across the world to sunny Los Angeles in 2007 and quickly began establishing the agency as leaders in the innovation, UX, UI design, engineering and development space. Working with a countless number of great brands like Bosch, P&G, and Ford to name a few, iconmobile is setting itself up to become an iconic agency!
Want to learn more? Keep reading below…
Inside iconmobile
Location: Santa Monica, CA
In LA Since: 2007
Core Services: UX Design, Digital Strategy, Mobile, IoT, Development, Engineering
Our core competency is user experience strategy and user interface design for all connected devices from mobile phones (our heritage) to in-car systems. Our competencies goes from research and strategy/concepting to UX and visual design to user testing to specification to prototype and full implementation as apps, HTML or native builds on many different and proprietary platforms.
Company Mantra: “Mobile is a context, not a device. Integration is the key to success. User experience design is not just about the ease of use, but also the joy. We believe in the right tool for the right job.”
# of Employees: 350
# of Four-Legged Employees: 6 (our main mascot is Baxter, who even has a microbrew named after him called “Baxter’s Beard Cream Ale”)
Office Tally: How many _______ do you have?
- Sports Heads: 21
- Foodies: 11
- Movie Buffs: 14
- Netflix Addicts: 50+
- Live Event Nomads: All of us
- Agency-Lifers (aka workaholics): 0
Does your agency have a cool origin story?
Before smart phones & app stores, iconmobile was formed in Berlin around early 2003 when our co-founders (one design professor and one business visionary) saw an opportunity space to create digital products and services for mobile devices. We grew out of a core technology platform rendering websites to feature phones and have subsequently evolved into a best-in-class innovation agency with full-scale capabilities. Our US office opened in 2007 and services a number of key clients across multiple industries around the globe in support with our iconmobile sister company (icon in car).
See any trends, LA Natives VS Transplants?
Given we are spread across the globe but concentrated in the US and Germany, we are a melting pot of multiple cultures. We have an active exchange program in place as well, so there is constantly a fresh, global perspective. We are mostly Americans and Germans, with an increasingly growing set of folks from Asia and Latin America.
Most Interesting Physical Thing in Our Office?
Interactive Smart Mirror & Beerbot.
“People often look to mobile as another element in the marketing mix – something that promotes a product or a brand. But the real power of mobile comes by embedding it in everything we do.”
– Chris Mann, Managing Director
Partners in Crime
In 10 Words or Less, What We Do for Our Clients:
Stewardship of brand(s) relevancy in an increasingly changing world.
3 Characteristics We Look for in Potential Clients:
- Scaled footprint.
- Commitment to product & marketing innovation informing business decisions.
- Consumer focus.
Our Clients Love Us Because:
We are true partners and not vendors. There is no shortage of big thinking and our passion for the work is infectious. We build meaningful, integrated multi-year relationships with clients and help them win with their customers.
Clients We’ve Helped:
P&G, Ford, Bosch, Microsoft, UNFPA, Fox, Dreamworks, Sony, Mondelez International and more.
LA Confidential
LA is known for entertainment (Hollywood, TV Shows, Games, etc.), how does your agency engage with the LA scene?
Many of us come from the big entertainment companies and still continue to work with them. We are music lovers, gamers, eSports enthusiasts, writers, producers, directors, and more. Iconmobile’s office in Santa Monica hosts multiple events each year as part of Silicon Beach Fest and regularly participates with local universities and “tech trade schools” (i.e. General Assembly).
How do you view the creative landscape in LA? How is it different from other major cities?
As a hotbed for creative talent, we view Los Angeles as the “entertainment capital” of the world boasting along with the recently minted “Silicon Beach” the highest concentrations of creative individuals in the country. As such, LA is filled with the most dynamic and resource-rich professionals around. With technology moving from northern to Southern California, along with the Art scene and Entertainment industry, everyone wants to be here.
The #1 Thing We Love About LA:
The beach!
Best Food Spot in LA?
Roy Choi’s LocoL in Watts.
What does #agencylife mean to you?
The pull to be bold enough to do the things our clients are afraid to do. Imbalance between personal and professional pursuits. It means putting our clients first, above all else.
Lights, Camera, Action!
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