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about us

Fourth Wall is a strategic story-based branding + marketing agency, and a mashup of theater, branding, advertising and online/mobile creativity. The “fourth wall” is a theater term used to describe the imaginary boundary between the stage and the audience. In the world of branding and marketing, it’s the wall of noise and clutter that separates you from your customer. Our job is to break down that wall so that you can tell your brand story at all the right contact points.

what we do

We immerse ourselves in your business, audience, relevant trends, marketplace and competition. We clearly define your brand story and it’s singular point of difference. We find ways to evolve your brand story, staying true to your values and your brand promise. We direct creative teams based on your brand story and strategy. We execute integrated marketing campaigns across all media, traditional and non-traditional, including digital platforms: websites, mobile apps, email marketing, video and other online tools. We find the climactic “ah-ha moment” to produce provocative brand storytelling that helps change minds. We track results and maximize value. We act responsibly and with transparency.

high points

In the last ten years, we have helped build the fastest growing bank in American history, taking it from $100 Million in deposits to over $125 Billion. We helped make a California State University one of the most award-winning colleges in the history of education marketing. We have been the brand steward for the #1 individual mortgage originator and #1 private mortgage banker/broker in the United States. We worked to save a venerable animal welfare organization, spcaLA, and provided it with branding and advertising campaigns that have engaged volunteers, increased donations, and inspired debate.

success stories

Countrywide Bank In 2001, Countrywide purchased Treasury Bank, and renamed it Countrywide Bank. Through targeted grassroots research, we identified underserved audiences and the products and offers that would inspire depositors to move their money across the street to Countrywide Bank. Fourth Wall provided the strategy, advertising, marketing and promotional support to aggressively grow the bank’s deposits at a competitive cost-per-acquisition, which improved every year. The ROI – Countrywide Bank became the fastest growing bank in the U.S., ramping up its deposits from a mere $100 million to over $125 billion in just six years. Our final campaign, prior to Bank of America’s purchase of Countrywide Financial, was the next step in its brand evolution from deposit bank to savings advocate to partner in the greater purpose and values of building wealth through savings. "Fourth Wall zeroed in on banking attributes that would matter most to our key consumer market, and then overflowed with ideas to connect with those consumers." "...extremely responsive, creative, customer-centric, cost-effective, nimble, and a real partner.”

MelroseMAC is the #1 independent Apple retailer in the United States. They provide the ultimate computer solutions to the professional creative community, but they haven't been visible to the aspiring creative consumer who isn't satisfied with the one-size-fits-all Apple Store.

We immersed ourselves in their business and learned that MelroseMAC and its customers share one thing in common: Passion for Creative Achievement. MelroseMAC will do just about anything to help its customers achieve their creative vision.

From this insight, we developed a vivid print campaign and an interactive promotion dubbed the Creativity Pays Contest. We created a two-way dialogue between the MelroseMAC brand and a wider customer base. We engaged consumers and captured thousands of visitors and emails for future marketing efforts. The ad campaign and the contest increased
brand awareness and set thefoundation for MelroseMAC’s push into
the general consumer market.

"Fourth Wall helped us pinpoint exactly what we needed to say, who to say it to, and how to say it..."

Cohen Financial Group

We’ve been privileged to work with a number of our clients over a long period of time, many of them leaders in their category. One such relationship has been with Mark Cohen, Cohen Financial Group, who has become the #1 mortgage originator in America since the mid-90’s. Fourth Wall evolved the sophisticated and respected Cohen Financial Group brand, and diligently executed all its marketing. Included in this work are public relations, interactive dut ies, and direct marketing to consumers, real estate trade and other professionals. The numbers speak for themselves: Mark Cohen has captured and closed more deals (over 17,000), and more volume (over $13 Billion), than any other individual originator in the country, and continues to do so today, in spite of changes in the economic climate.

The Banta team was referred to Fourth Wall in 2008 by a financial services client whose business grew dramatically with our help. A regional boutique firm, Banta was struggling to stand out among thousands of broker-dealers and planners offering similar services. We led the team through a series of strategy workshops and distilled their brand essence: ‘Independent thinking for independent wealth.’ We used that DNA to create a strong new corporate identity, brand messaging, logo and website. Every detail powerfully communicates independence, objectivity and ethical personalized service.

Although the new Banta website launched in the midst of the market crisis, response from clients, prospects and partners has been extremely positive. The Banta brand and business now have a solid foundation to move forward as the economy improves.

VASER Lipo was losing the battle against its competitors, online and bottom line. Our Web 2.0 job was to even the score–competitors held a 6-to-1 online advantage!–and to do it with the highest level of integrity. We identified key cosmetic surgery conversations online and made sure VASER’s positive patient testimonial stories were posted to popular message boards and blogs. We reached out to all participating VASER physicians through an email-marketing program and delivered tools to encourage patients to post their own stories. Our efforts dramatically increased online awareness, first closing the gap between VASER and its competition, and then surpassing them.

We also evolved the VASER marketing strategy from increased awareness to greater differentiation with the launch of Lipoconfusion.com. This informative microsite provides visitors with a one-stop resource for body contouring information and comparison. It also helps drive traffic to VASER physicians. Our efforts have clearly communicated VASER’s advantages in an extremely competitive and cluttered industry.

We take great pride in the work we have done since 1996 to help the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Los Angeles. After intensive research to identify and personify the target audience, (middle-aged women who talk to their companion animals and are looking for a relationship), we decided to focus our creative ideas on the special bond between pet owner and companion animal. The ROI: Our first advertising campaign resulted in a 400% increase in donations that helped restore humane education and adoption programs that had been previously cut back. The organization thrived, regaining its stature as one of the most successful, cutting-edge animal welfare organizations in the country.

Since that initial campaign, we have continued to launch thought provoking and effective advertising campaigns for the organization. Most recently, we were asked to develop a campaign to promote spcaLA¹s new specialty spay/neuter center.