#LASpotted: A Chat with Kastner & Partners


Kastner & Partners is a very unusual advertising agency. Created by a Austrian copywriter, K&P was the birthplace of one the most famous energy drink brands in the world (read below to find out which brand).

The agency is so unusual that they run a global full service agency in the day time but also sell vintage cars from their LA offices called the Kastner’s Garage. They are one of the only truly independent and international creative agency with offices in Frankfurt, London, Milan, Madrid, Budapest, Zurich and Los Angeles.

Learn more about this awesomely unique agency and keep reading below…

Inside Kastner & Partners

Location: Los Angeles, CA

Check out Kastner & Partners’ portfolio on Agency Spotter

In LA Since: 2000

Core Services: Advertising, Marketing, Experiential, Branding, Digital, Social

Company Mantra: “We believe that brands need to go beyond advertising, break conventions and drive culture. Creating content that people want to see, share and participate with, no longer just be interrupted by it.”

# of Employees: 35

# of Four-Legged Employees: 0 due to one of our employees being allergic (although sometimes we sneak them in when she’s out).

Office Tally: How many _______ do you have?

  • Sports Heads: 5
  • Foodies: 8
  • Movie Buffs: 5
  • Netflix Addicts: 7
  • Live Event Nomads: 10
  • Agency-Lifers (aka workaholics): None (We welcome other ‘aholics other than work)

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Does your agency have a cool origin story?

Kastner & Partners started as a small agency in Germany, founded by a copywriter, Johannes Kastner. Johannes Kastner’s friend, Dietrich Mateschitz, came to the agency with a vial of foul-smelling liquid he wanted to market and develop into a brand. Mr. Mateschitz had no money so Mr. Kastner hired him to work at the agency during the day so in the evenings they could work on developing that product. Together, they developed what we now know as Red Bull. Kastner & Partners is a full service, independent but global agency network with offices in Frankfurt, London, Milan, Madrid, Budapest, Zurich and Los Angeles.

See any trends, LA Natives VS Transplants?

We are about 30% LA natives and 70% transplants. We add flavor to an industry that is pretty saltine.

Most Interesting Physical Thing in Our Office?

Our vintage car showroom.

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“No one buys albums anymore, that’s why we drop hits.”

– Brandon Rochon, Chief Creative Officer & Managing Director


 

Partners in Crime

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

We get our brands as close to culture as possible.

3 Characteristics We Look for in Potential Clients:

  • Audacious
  • Open-minded
  • Good hearted with money

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Our Clients Love Us Because:

We love on them.

Clients We’ve Helped:

Red Bull, Red Bull Media House, adidas golf, OtterBox, LifeProof, Qualcomm, Zevia, MBT Shoes, Constellation Wines, Breville, Honda and Acura Financial, Mattel.

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LA Confidential

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

We don’t have a PR firm, we have a publicist so we can behave like Hollywood. We bring our expertise to Hollywood forums (CES, SXSW, Digital Hollywood), not advertising forums.

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

LA is a city of dreamers, with the best storytellers in the world, all trying to become famous and be heard.

The #1 Thing We Love About LA:

The weather (definitely not the traffic).

Best Food Spot in LA?

Honey Kettle Fried Chicken.

honey kettle

Image credits: Andrew

What does #agencylife mean to you?

#5oclockHappyHour, #CompanyTrips, #LipSyncBattles, #Dedication, #BBQ, #Clowning, #YourMommaTruths, #FashionFridays, #Passion, #Randomness, #LotsOfRedBull.

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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