#LASpotted: A Chat with Ripe


Meet Ripe, a boutique full-service creative agency that leverages digital, creative, web and technology to find the best solutions for their clients from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies.

Started by Heather Richman and Chris Simental, two agency professionals with experience on both the brand and agency side of the business. The two founders have brought the execution and skills of a big agency with the personal touch and friendliness of a small team.

Check out this awesome LA based creative agency, they are ripe for the picking!

Inside Ripe

Location: Los Angeles, CA

Check out Ripe’s portfolio on Agency Spotter

In LA Since: 2003

Core Services: Web, Mobile, Development, Marketing

Company Mantra: “Make It Great.”

# of Employees: 5

# of Four-Legged Employees: 1 cat. Zoe.

Office Tally: How many _______ do you have?

  • Sports Heads: 1
  • Foodies: 5
  • Movie Buffs: 2
  • Netflix Addicts: 5
  • Live Event Nomads: 1
  • Agency-Lifers (aka workaholics): 5

Ripe Promo Video from Ripe Media on Vimeo.

Does your agency have a cool origin story?

Ripe’s founders, Heather and Chris, met while working at an agency called IEC. After leaving that company in 2001, both branched out to do other things — Heather worked as a creative director for several LA tech startups and Chris worked as production manager at the University of Toyota. By 2003, the duo was ready to start their own agency, and Ripe Media was born.

Founders

See any trends, LA Natives VS Transplants?

Chris is the only SoCal native. All others are transplants but have been living in LA for quite some time. The one thing we see in common is that we all love LA, which is not a given in this town/industry. We love sharing stories of cool LA events and restaurants and history.

Most Interesting Physical Thing in Our Office?

A Retro Handheld Football Electronic Game.

“Every day that I get to explore, create and discover is a good day.”

– Heather Richman, Creative Director


 

Partners in Crime

In 10 Words or Less, What We Do for Our Clients:

Ripe creates brand, web, interactive and mobile solutions that shine.

3 Characteristics We Look for in Potential Clients:

  • Collaborative spirit.
  • A desire to do something great.
  • Perseverance.

winner

Our Clients Love Us Because:

We get things done! We’re actively responsive, strategic thinkers, and dedicated to making everything the best it can be.

Clients We’ve Helped:

USC, Toyota/Lexus, CBS, Amgen, Disney, Fox Broadcasting, AON, Honda, Nissan/Infiniti

Ripe

 
 

LA Confidential

LA is known for entertainment (Hollywood, TV Shows, Games, etc.), how does your agency engage with the LA scene?

We watch a lot of (probably too much) TV and movies and go to a lot of concerts and museums. We’re huge fans and supporters of the arts.

How do you view the creative landscape in LA? How is it different from other major cities?

LA has a scrappiness that has always been appealing to us. We love the “do what you like” and “whatever it takes” kind of mentality and think it provides for a highly creative environment.

The #1 Thing We Love About LA:

The amazing amalgamation of people in the City of Angels makes for the delightful, surprising and absurd moments only found here.

Best Food Spot in LA?

Bäco Mercat.

baco

Image credits: T.Tseng

What does #agencylife mean to you?

Doing whatever it takes to remain innovative, relevant, creative, and engaged. A team day spent at a museum or art gallery feeds into our skills as much as reading any how-to book does. It also means not being fearful of failure. We embrace mistakes and learn and grow from them.

 

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Lights, Camera, Action!

In awe of the bright lights of Hollywood?! Don’t be! Agency Spotter is here to guide you the through the back channels of the Los Angeles creative and marketing scene. With agency deep dives, expert interviews and original content, we will serve as your Hollywood travel guide to the agency stars.

 

Visit our LA hub to get access to all of our LA content and see the other creative agencies and design firms we covered. Los Angeles is an amazing town for marketing services, and we are the guys bringing you the inside scoop.

 

Daniel Kim