Category: About Us

How Coegi Became One of AdExchanger’s Top 50 Programmatic Power Players

Posted on by Coegi

Coegi is thrilled to be named to AdExchanger’s Top 50 Programmatic Power Players! 

When Coegi was founded in 2014, programmatic advertising was still in its infancy. Seeing the vast opportunity for improvement in transparency and performance, our then three-person shop set out to create a solution for brands and agencies rooted in data to allow for best-in-class audience targeting, measurement, and optimization. Since those humble beginnings, the company has grown to a full-service, strategy-focused digital media agency with 50+ employees, 4 offices, and experience with over 300 brands across a broad array of industries. 

Coegi, which is latin for ‘to bring together’, has curated the strongest set of technology, data, research, and measurement resources in the industry, enabling our teams and clients to produce marketing strategies that are multi-faceted and focused on business outcomes. Our unbiased approach to technology deployment allows us to support all of our clients’ needs, with certified marketing partnerships with Google, The Trade Desk (Coegi captured seat number 6), Pulsepoint, Amazon, Amobee, Vistar, Meta, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Tiktok, Tagger and Instacart. We are also a founding member of the Programmatic Health Council, helping spearhead best practices in programmatic advertising for healthcare and pharma brands, further enforcing our leadership in regulated industries. 

This success would not be possible without a relentless focus on culture and innovation.  Each day, Coegi strives to not only make our clients feel like digital heroes but also to empower the growth and success of our employees. This passion has resulted in some substantial achievements for our organization over the last year:

Coegi’s President and Founder, Sean Cotton says: “I’m immensely proud of our team for achieving the success and recognition that has been bestowed on us over the years. However, I’m most satisfied by the way in which we have reached these milestones – doing work that we are proud of, in the company of people we are proud to work with. The collaborative, positive culture exemplified across our organization is a testament to the amazing group of individuals that I have the privilege to lead and support each day.”

The Impact of Attitude in the Workplace | The Coegi Way Series

Posted on by Kyle Davis

Coegi is a digital marketing agency that prides itself on being a positive and flexible work environment for our diverse group of employees. We strive to break away from the non-stop grind agency jobs often bring. This is supported by a set of values titled The Coegi Way. 

Hear from Coegi’s Senior Programmatic Specialist, Kyle Davis, to learn how the Coegi Attitude helps shape our company culture.

How Does Coegi Shape Attitude And Culture?

On my first day with Coegi, I met with our President, Sean Cotton, and he presented the company’s core values, known as The Coegi Way. This encompasses four key pillars: Attitude, Approach, Service and Culture.  The vision is that while we are always working hard for ourselves and our clients, we also take time to relax and have fun together.  When we dedicate time to educating ourselves, we bring new ideas to our clients that foster a stronger relationship. When we find insights that drive results, we trumpet those wins and celebrate achievement to build morale internally and externally. And when we find successes, we make our clients heroes.  

It clearly set the tone from day one, stating to this new employee in big bold letters, “This is who we are, this is what we are about.”  It was a very powerful meeting for me.  As someone who has been in the workforce for a while, I had never experienced such a strong message of a company’s culture and identity. I remember coming out of that meeting thinking that I had just been handed a roadmap to success within Coegi. 

Attitude’s Impact On Work-Life Satisfaction

Early in 2021, I went through a challenging period. I was working on several demanding accounts. My wife and I welcomed our second child, but he needed to have an extended stay in the hospital.  And generally speaking, fatigue of the lingering pandemic had set in.  

I was feeling the weight of the world. As stress and frustration sank in from all angles, I found myself battling through my days; I was working hard, but likely not as smart as I should have been. That frustration and stress took a toll on me, which carried into my work.  When new tasks or problems came through, I started to think “what now?” versus “how can I make an impact today?”.  I reached a tipping point, and was forced to look at myself in the mirror and understand that a change was needed.  

In my period of reflection, I remembered our set of guiding principles – The Coegi Way.  I went back to this roadmap and found the answers almost immediately. A change in attitude could help to change my approach. 

So I did. 

I became determined to face every situation with a new level of enthusiasm. I began to look at each as an opportunity to display my skill set, to learn something new, or to teach something to a coworker.  This attitude was infectious. By shifting my mindset, I reinvigorated my enthusiasm for problem solving and strengthened relationships with co-workers.  That renewed attitude is what I believe helped me to have a more self-fulfilling and, I dare say, more successful rest of the year.

How Attitude Influences Our Work

The Coegi Way was designed to inspire employees to maintain a light and fun atmosphere within the company, avoiding the continuous grind of the infamous ‘agency life’ that has created a bad taste in the industry.  It also serves as a mirror for employees. Whenever we find ourselves in a rut or a difficult period, a shift in attitude can help us get back on the right track.  

The Coegi attitude is exemplified by enthusiastic determination, responsible communication, pride in workmanship and a desire to be the best.  It’s an attitude that requires individuals to enjoy being problem solvers, to never do things halfway and always push for better, and stand behind their work.  It also thinks critically about the power and impact of our words, so that we can best communicate to our clients and teammates. 

Lastly, it’s about showing up and giving a full day’s work.  This concept has a special significance to me being the father of two young kids. If I can put forth my best effort during the day, I can feel proud of the work done and be content to step away and be the dad my kids deserve.

What ‘The Coegi Way’ Means to Me

Posted on by Samantha Schmidt

What is ‘The Coegi Way’?

At Coegi, the workplace culture is defined by a set of shared values, also known as ‘The Coegi Way’. ‘The Coegi Way’ emphasizes four core principles that are standard to the everyday practice of attitude, approach, service and culture.

The attitude at Coegi is “hard work beats talent when talent does not work hard.” This means that employees have enthusiastic determination, engage in responsible communication, hold a desire to be the best, and take pride in their workmanship.

The approach at Coegi is “the difference between something good and something great is attention to detail.” Employees drive this approach by having a strong attention to detail, implementing data into projects, delivering beyond client’s expectations, and celebrating achievements.

The service at Coegi is “nobody raves about average.” At Coegi, employees strive to go above and beyond by being transparent with clients, providing quality insights to campaign performance, and optimizing results based on performance, while working collaboratively towards client goals.

The culture at Coegi is “excellence is not a skill, it’s an attitude.” Employees at Coegi carry out this expectation by respecting peers, enjoying coming to work, giving back, and showing ambition

What it means to me

‘The Coegi Way’ is more than just a set of principles in my work life. It aligns with my values and reminds me of my motivations and goals on a daily basis. I try to apply each of the core values to my work each day by turning associations of those values into specific work practices.

For the value of attitude, I always go into my work with a positive, learning mentality. To begin my day, I read industry news and take notes on trends I believe to be important or timely. I use these notes when doing additional research, or content writing. I uphold this enthusiastic attitude knowing that I am putting my best effort forward in my task load.

Because I am an analytical thinker, I can easily relate to the approach value because it emphasizes the importance of attention to detail. I am able to naturally identify key details in campaign reports and research articles. When working in programmatic, I would conduct daily reports on pacing to make sure that campaigns were spending appropriately and in a timely manner. Additionally, I would create insights for reports by portraying a story with the metrics I found. I did this by explaining the importance of the metrics and what could be changed in campaign strategy to better optimize budgets. The purpose of close attention to detail is to provide clients with the best possible outcomes towards their business objectives.

The value of service focuses on the quality of work produced. To ensure I am producing quality work, I collaborate with team members in my department to review and revise the content I produce. As a former programmatic specialist, I would consistently monitor and adjust campaigns based on current results. In reporting, I would give transparency to key metrics and their effect on the client’s business objective. Being a strong communicator is something that I have always strived for, to ensure clear feedback and collaboration in my work. ‘The Coegi Way’ has helped establish constant communication as an everyday practice in my work.

The Coegi culture value reminds me to consciously engage with team members daily. Whether I’m working online or in-person, I make an effort to communicate with my coworkers. I try to assist them where I can, or just chat with them about personal matters. I’ve always felt a strong connection with my colleagues, because I know employees at Coegi share the same values and want to help each other succeed. Part of engaging in this culture is giving back to one another, which I execute by reviewing the work of others, and creating content to share among employees. This is a key component to Coegi’s success as a collaborative and high growth workplace.

The Coegi Way is more than just a set of principles in my work life. It aligns with my values and reminds me of my motivations and goals on a daily basis.

How it influences my work and outlook at Coegi

My outlook on work has changed since starting at Coegi because of the values they have introduced into my work life. Being surrounded by people who share similar core beliefs and values in my workplace motivates me to be the best version of myself and continue to grow and learn within the industry. Not only do I feel confident in my work strategy and results, but I have a remarkable satisfaction for it as well. I go into work everyday feeling positive about what I am accomplishing and the people around me. I look forward to seeing my future growth at Coegi and in my professional life by carrying out the values of attitude, approach, service and culture.

Coegi Recognized as One of Adweek’s Fastest Growing Agencies

Posted on by Coegi

We are incredibly honored to announce that Coegi was ranked one of Adweek’s top 75 fastest growing agencies in the US and around the world for two years in a row. After the uncertainty of the past few years due to the ongoing pandemic, this recognition is especially meaningful for us. We know it was difficult for many to see growth in such an unpredictable market and changing workplace environments, but we are proud to see that the dedication of our staff and data partners allowed us to continue to support and lift up our clients. Coegi’s strong culture made up of hard-working, passionate individuals allowed us to learn, grow and ultimately thrive as an organization during one of the most unpredictable years in history.

Our President, Sean Cotton, shares his thoughts on why Coegi was able to still grow during this time and what it means for our staff and our clients to be one of the fastest growing agencies.

What Makes Coegi a Great Place to Work

Posted on by Coegi

The coronavirus pandemic permanently altered the workforce and workplace. Many people lost their jobs or suddenly had double the workload to complete during the same 40-hour workweek. There is an entire niche of TikTok where users share their frustrations working in corporate America during the pandemic.

In previous roles, some of my hardest working coworkers became burned out due to the culture and lack of support from leadership, leading to high turnover. The experience at Coegi is a refreshing change from that high-stress environment and is truly a great place to work.

Coegi came into my life during a time when my anxiety levels were at an all-time high. From the first interaction, I could tell that this company was different. I had three levels of interviews and I could tell the employees genuinely enjoyed their work. The last interview was with Sean Cotton, our president, who took the time to get to know me and explain Coegi’s culture.

When I started with Coegi, I spent the first two weeks learning all about the company. Through various training modules, I learned about its employees, social media, programmatic media, and how everything works together. I was given ample hands-on training to help fill my gaps in professional knowledge and be set up for success.

The first part of Coegi’s manifesto states: “We believe in the household names, and the ones who are on their way. The ones grinding, defining and refining their worlds. The ones who know that growth requires purposeful innovation, strategic activation, and a media team they can believe in.” Every single employee believes and lives this out daily. Everyone who works at Coegi genuinely loves what they do. We make it a priority to be on the cutting edge of social and programmatic advertising. We gain certifications in platforms like Facebook, The Trade Desk, and Google Analytics to grow our careers and capabilities.

Coegi and its leadership understand that its employees are the company’s heart and soul. Beyond creating a positive work environment, there are many initiatives to improve employee morale that even the leaders participate in. These include a biweekly book club, mentoring program, weekly company-wide lunch trainings, legitimately fun outings, yearly retreats, and more. Many companies required employees to be fully in-office as soon as it was allowed. Coegi hits a happy medium by providing the flexibility to both work remotely and come to the office for collaboration.

There are many reasons why Coegi is a great place to work. But the bottom line is that the leadership team supports and trusts its employees. If you’re a marketer looking for a place to work, come join our team!

The Importance of Empowering Employees in the Workplace

Posted on by Julia Read

Within the last year, workplaces have accelerated into a digital world. How we communicate, work, and live have changed dramatically. The year labeled “exhausting” by the Washington Post, was also the year people grew and re-evaluated their needs in the workplace.

So, right now, what exactly do employees value the most? According to recent studies, flexibility, abstract ways of measuring productivity, growth opportunities, and recognition are some of the top employee needs. Finding an employer that can adapt to these needs not only improves the lives of its workers, but also its quality of work.

The implementation of these variables leads to overall happier and invested employees. Flexibility is the new normal. In fact, “88% of knowledge workers say that when searching for a new position, they will look for one that offers complete flexibility in their hours and location.” In 2020, employees proved that working remotely can be just as effective as working in the office. Now, people have a choice to match their work with their lifestyle. And workers need that flexibility – especially after experiencing it for a year.

This empowerment improves employees’ wellbeing and willingness to work, and in return, employees will be more invested in their company. As for the day to day work, individuals are wanting a more collaborative way of measuring results. For example, “86% of employees said they would prefer to work for a company that prioritizes outcomes over output.” This goal drives companies to focus on the final result vs the amount of time it took to complete. It empowers employees to focus on efficiency since time spent doesn’t always equal the quality of the result.

As an employee continues to drive high quality results, they need internal opportunities to work towards. “Organizations that want to retain their talent need to help employees identify their next internal opportunity so they don’t feel that the only way they can progress their career is to look externally.” Such opportunities could include an internal open job board, promotions, a new assignment, or connecting employees with resources to reach their goals. Results deserve to be recognized, and when they are, employees appreciate it. In fact, “Giving well-deserved recognition increases self-esteem, enthusiasm and boosts morale.” That personal support can carry along to a team, a department, and an entire company. Positive reinforcement can drive a team to excellence when done authentically and consistently.

The company I currently work for, Coegi, has not only listened to what  employees need to feel empowered, but have also implemented our highly supported ideas. Personally, the flexibility provided to me has been wonderful. After I graduating in May, I wanted to travel to Austin and explore a new city. However, I was unsure about remote options. After speaking with a few people in the company, they were flexible enough to make this happen for me. In response to their willingness to work with my personal goals, I feel extremely invested in the company. I want to show my appreciation through my work and relationships within the company.

Coegi also does a great job encouraging growth and learning within our departments. The conversation to grow and try out new roles started when I first began working as a part-timer. It involved learning about other departments, checking the internal job board, having a choice in the types of clients we want to work on, etc. That encouragement to learn also relates to how we interact on a day-to-day basis.

The team I am on currently has many different options outside of the office to  support one another. We use “appreciation gifs” to say thank you when needed on our tasks. We also have company wide “cheers” for when someone goes above and beyond. This positive feedback encourages us to work hard and recognize the pieces that fit into our bigger goals.

How Other Members of the Social Team Feel Empowered at Coegi

“In my short time at Coegi, I have been continually impressed with how the company and its employees support each other every day. It is so uplifting to work at a company that values and actively promotes teamwork, collaboration, and continual learning. I love how the team recognizes others achievements and hard work so we can all celebrate and uplift together!”

“Over the course of my year working at Coegi, I have been empowered with a flexible schedule, positive feedback, and a voice in my role. However, the most important aspect is my supportive team. Ever since I began working, I picked up on the uplifting and supportive culture that is present both online and in person. This dynamic gives me confidence to take on new challenges and relay that encouragement to others on my team.”

“Since I have started at Coegi, I have felt empowered through the support of my colleagues. Everyone is willing to help at any time, and it is a teamwork-oriented environment. I know that my teammates respect my opinions and are willing to work together to achieve our common goals.”

“Although I have only been working at Coegi for a few weeks, my experience has been nothing but positive. Everyone is more than willing to assist with the transition and support my progress within the company.”

Creating an empowering environment has proven to be extremely beneficial to the well-being of each employee and their quality of work. Flexibility, growth/measurement opportunities, and recognition are just some of the variables that empower employees. It is important to continue this open conversation about these topics and find ways to support each employee.

Coegi Partners

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