Fors Marsh on Its Acquisition of Brunet-García, Renovated Vision and Latest Projects

The magic created when researchers, creatives, communicators and technologists collaborate

Muse caught up with two execs from Fors Marsh to learn about the agency’s addition of Brunet-García, company culture, successful work from the creative and research departments and more.

Muse: Can you tell us about the transition process as Brunet-García became a part of Fors Marsh?

Eduardo Sarmiento, president of strategic creative and communications at Fors Marsh: Fors Marsh was born a research firm, whereas Brunet-García’s roots were in developing creative for multicultural audiences. 

Prior to the acquisition, the two organizations collaborated on several public health communication initiatives for the federal government. This experience and familiarity contributed to the transition. Since 2023, we have become one organization with a vision to accelerate and scale our impact, combining science and art as the foundation of what we do and who we are. 

The process of fully integrating two companies, while simultaneously defining a renovated operating model, has been challenging and deliberate. We went through a series of intense workshops with leadership from both entities and representation from all teams to learn, unlearn, discover and imagine the best company we can be to bring the most value to our clients. We also refreshed our visual identity to express the evolution of our thinking and the value we place on diversity, evidence and creativity. 

Dr. Brian Griepentrog, Fors Marsh’s president of research and advisory services: This evolution has been incredibly timely, as our clients are tackling wicked problems, many of which are awash in misinformation. And in this battle for information, our clients have a right to win. That means they cannot blend in or be complacent. Our work must inspire people and move them to action.

How is this embedded into your company culture?

Griepentrog: The magic that is made when researchers, creatives, communicators and technologists are collaborating requires a lot of intentionality. Almost by definition, these cross-functional teams create conflict—sometimes good and sometimes bad. And candidly, we’ve been in a constant state of building and tinkering to harness this energy into something awesome.

• Culture—With differences in training, experience and perspective, we’ve leaned heavily into our culture—which prioritizes operating with a common language and set of norms—to counteract many of the technical differences. For our folks, this starts with messaging and reinforcement of our common objective: behavior change. But this also means ensuring that our core values—such as people first, making impactful work and maintaining a growth Mindset—are built into our selection criteria, management expectations and compensation system.
• Structure—We promised that evidence-based strategy, breakthrough creativity and technology would be interwoven through the company benefiting our clients no matter their size or scope. We created Craft Centers, leading each with a company executive (chief data, creative, and technology officers).
• People—The Attraction, Selection, Attrition (ASA) model holds that: (1) Individuals are attracted to organizations whose members are similar to themselves in terms of personality, values, interest and other factors; (2) Organizations are more likely to select those who possess knowledge, skills and abilities similar to the ones their existing members possess; and (3) Over time, those who do not fit in are more likely to leave. We have been particularly thoughtful regarding the selection of our team. 
• Systems & Technology (S&T)—Some of the immediate S&T changes involved selecting common collaboration and project management software that cut across disciplines, engaging broader participation in business development. We’re also updating planning and project execution tools for the inclusion of data, creativity and technology perspectives at crucial stages of execution.

With this renovated vision and structure, what’s your approach to tackling your client challenges?

Sarmiento: We are working to shape a culture where evidence and imagination are always present. We capitalize on both—the “what is” and “what if?”—and combine them, so the proportions vary in relations to the challenges we face. Because of the nature of the problems and topics we tackle (drug overdose and HIV prevention, cancer screenings, climate resilience), we must create work that invites people to pay attention. That educates and entertains. And that connects at a deeper level through storytelling. People don’t care about the good intentions behind the work or the 13 strategy calls we had. They won’t even see our work if it’s not distinctive, seductive and relevant.

Design is also an essential component. We use design to translate complexity into clarity and understanding. Our work is presented in a way that’s attractive, compliant, engaging and accessible. We strive to facilitate comprehension and increases people’s willingness to interact with the content. This reduces resistance to persuasion and promotes the effectiveness and enjoyment of the communications. The impact of our work is exponential when big insights and big ideas find expression through exceptional craft.

Can you share examples of successful collaborations between the creative and research teams?

Sarmiento: During National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, we launched a visual identity and video series for “Screen for Life,” the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) national colorectal cancer action campaign. Audience research uncovered that the biggest hurdle to screening was discomfort in talking about the process, including preparation and recovery time. We used a fresh approach to storytelling for content that simultaneously educates and entertains. The “Strangers With Colons” video series features two people with different backgrounds meeting for the first time and having a candid and unrehearsed conversation about their screening experience.

And as part of our work with CDC’s Division of Overdose Prevention, we created the “Campaigns to Stop Overdose.” This effort aims to affect change in the areas of harm reduction, substance use and stigma.

Our approach was informed by interviews and focus groups with diverse people who use drugs, their families and friends, as well as subject experts. The concepts were tested and refined to secure cultural competency and relevancy and to avoid contributing to the stigma. The initiative garnered more than 2.7 billion impressions and 1,000+ news stories.

Are there any upcoming projects or initiatives that you’re particularly excited about?

Griepentrog: I’m excited about the launch of the Climate Resilience Insights and Survey Project (CRISP)—a partnership between Fors Marsh and the Center for Climate Change Communication, George Mason University (Mason 4C) to produce highly localized insights, gathered on an ongoing basis, into public perceptions, beliefs and behaviors related to climate risk and resilience. You can stay in touch with the project here.

Sarmiento: We are currently producing a national food safety campaign with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to educate diverse audiences about the risk of foodborne illness. The concept is called “Kitchen Drama.” It capitalizes on the kitchen as a social space—an epicenter of emotions. Videos and accompanying social media content leverage TV tropes to teach food safety in culturally relevant, over-the-top interactions. It promises to be entertaining and very educational.