Funworks
Funworks is an Oakland-based, full-service creative advertising agency serving enterprise brands (Pinterest, ESPN, Credit Karma, Ubisoft, Disney) with campaign development, brand strategy, and experiential work, anchored by a proprietary neuroscience-grounded 'Science of Fun' methodology and Funmentum™ training services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersOakland, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Funworks does
Funworks (legally How Funworks LLC) is a privately held, Oakland-based creative advertising agency founded in 2014 and operating with approximately 15 team members. The firm provides full-service campaign development, 360-degree integrated marketing, social-first campaigns, brand identity, experiential activations, and strategic planning for enterprise clients. Its work is anchored by a proprietary, trademarked methodology called Funmentum™ — branded as the 'Science of Fun' — which the agency describes as a neuroscience-grounded process that leverages brain chemistry to unlock breakthrough creative ideas. The productized extension of this methodology includes training and consulting engagements, FunWorkshops™ for stakeholder and consumer alignment, and Virtual FunOffsites™ for remote team creativity training.
Funworks generates revenue through professional services fees, retainers, and campaign-based engagements, with a sales-led go-to-market that leverages its portfolio of Fortune-tier client work (including Google, Amazon, Disney, Meta, Pinterest, Credit Karma, Hint Water, ESPN, Ubisoft, Logitech, Clorox, and Charles Schwab) and earned media coverage in Ad Age, Adweek, Forbes, Fast Company, and Harvard Business Review. The agency has accumulated industry recognition including a Silver Ad Age Small Agency of the Year award, Cannes Lions, One Show Pencils, a Gold Effie, an Adweek 'Print Campaign of the Decade,' and an Inc. 5000 listing in 2019. Documented client outcomes — such as the 61% NBA ratings lift in 2007, a 39% ESPN Christmas Day ratings increase, a 37% YOY sales lift for Ubisoft's Just Dance, and Dave's record-breaking quarter following a Tim & Eric-led brand campaign — demonstrate a track record of measurable business impact.
In September 2024, Funworks was acquired by Barrett Hofherr, transitioning ownership from founder-led independence to a new parent entity. Prior to the acquisition, the firm was bootstrapped with no disclosed venture or private equity backing. The legal entity operates as a California LLC, and current ownership structure post-acquisition is not detailed in available sources.
Funworks firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Funworks
- Legal name
- How Funworks LLC
- Website
- https://howfunworks.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Funworks is an Oakland-based, full-service creative advertising agency serving enterprise brands (Pinterest, ESPN, Credit Karma, Ubisoft, Disney) with campaign development, brand strategy, and experiential work, anchored by a proprietary neuroscience-grounded 'Science of Fun' methodology and Funmentum™ training services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Funworks industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Creative Advertising Services
- NAICS
- Graphic Design Services (541430)
- SIC
- Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Advertising (7310)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Integrated Full-Service Creative Agencies (MPAAAAAA)
Keywords
Where Funworks is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Oakland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Funworks business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Creative Agency Services: Full-service creative agency providing campaign development, brand strategy, integrated marketing, and creative production services to enterprise clients. Revenue is generated through project fees, retainers, and campaign-based engagements.
- Funmentum™ Training & Consulting: Training and consulting services offered to clients to help integrate fun into their productive workflow, including workshops, seminars, and strategic consultation.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels7 records
Funworks product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Funworks is a full-service creative advertising agency that develops integrated marketing campaigns, brand strategy, social-first creative, experiential activations, and consumer insights for enterprise clients. Its work is delivered through a proprietary, neuroscience-backed process called the Science of Fun, packaged for external teams through the trademarked Funmentum™ training and consulting program. The agency serves Fortune 500 and high-growth brands across technology, financial services, gaming, beverage, food, sports media, and retail.
Product overview
Funworks is a full-service creative advertising agency that operates as a single unified offering centered on its proprietary 'Science of Fun' methodology. The agency's core product is its creative agency services, which include advertising campaigns, brand strategy, and experiential activations. The portfolio extends to Funmentum™, a training and consulting service that packages the Science of Fun methodology for external clients. Related offerings include Funworkshops™ (facilitated collaborative sessions), Virtual FunOffsites™, Strategy Boom Week, and Team Creativity Trainings—all designed to help clients unlock creativity and drive business results through fun-based neuroscience techniques.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Funmentum™: A training and consulting service that integrates Fun into productive workflow, utilizing the science of fun for individual and organizational creativity, innovation and leadership development.
- Funmentum™ Labs
Products and services
- Funworks Creative Agency Services Full-service creative advertising agency services for enterprise brands, including campaign development, 360 integrated marketing, social-first campaigns, brand identity, experiential activations, point-of-purchase, and creative guidelines, delivered using the proprietary Science of Fun methodology.
- Funmentum™ Trademarked training, education, and consulting service that packages Funworks' Science of Fun methodology for client teams, including workshops, seminars, lectures, and consultation across integrated marketing, strategic positioning, consumer innovation, and internal culture building.
- FunWorkshops™ Trademarked facilitated stakeholder and consumer workshop sessions that bring clients and consumers together to align on missions, surface insights, and shape creative direction using Funworks' fun-based engagement techniques.
- Virtual FunOffsites™ Trademarked virtual team creativity offsites that help distributed teams innovate, align, and develop breakthrough ideas in remote environments using the Science of Fun approach.
- Strategy Boom Week An intensive strategic planning engagement that rapidly develops positioning, content strategy, and consumer journey frameworks for client brands.
- Team Creativity Trainings Training programs designed to supercharge group creativity and innovation capabilities within client organizations using Funworks' Science of Fun methodology.
Quantifiable outcome
- One of Pinterest's highest testing campaigns ever
- +8 more outcomes
Companies that use Funworks
Customer profileNamed customers21 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Funworks technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Funworks partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.
- PinterestmajorCreative partnership with Pinterest for the 'Gift Like You Get Them' campaign. Funworks developed a seasonal campaign showcasing Pinterest's shopping functionality via gift giving, which became one of Pinterest's highest testing campaigns ever. The campaign positioned Pinterest as the best place for meaningful gifts.
- Hint WatermajorLong-term creative partnership with Hint Water, a 14-year-old flavored water brand. Funworks created the Super Bowl 'Pie Eating Contest' campaign that doubled spontaneous mentions and increased brand recognition to a third of all Americans. The campaign received Ad Age Editors Pick.
- DavemajorBrand launch partnership with Dave, a fintech cash advance service. Funworks created a campaign reframing cash advances as 'money from the future' in partnership with Tim & Eric, resulting in Dave's biggest quarter ever with record new users.
- UbisoftmajorCreative partnership with Ubisoft for Assassin's Creed Valhalla campaign featuring Brett Gelman. Funworks created over 20 minutes of binge-worthy content plus TV and influencer extensions, successfully executed during the pandemic.
- Credit KarmamajorOngoing partnership with Credit Karma for multiple campaigns including Credit Karma Money debit card launch with 'Instant Karma' feature. 360 campaign with Credit Karma's biggest launch to date, working with YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram partners.
- FreshworksmajorNorth America launch campaign for Freshworks featuring a blimp at Dreamforce. The campaign generated over $1mm in earned media, thousands of social mentions, and fan-made merchandise.
- Logitech (UE FITS)majorProduct launch partnership for UE FITS earphones. Funworks partnered with Logitech to name, position, and launch the breakthrough earphones, achieving nearly 1 unit sold per minute on launch day with A+ tech press coverage.
- Natural VitalitycoreStrategic partnership for CALM product awareness campaign, transforming a one-off brief into an evergreen platform with 9 OLV and 20+ social assets for the entire year.
- BlackBerrycoreBlackBerry Intelligent Security campaign using improv comedy to make cybersecurity a 'human' topic. Featured in Forbes as an innovative approach to security marketing.
- ForbesminorMedia coverage partner - Forbes featured Funworks' BlackBerry campaign on using improv comedy to make cybersecurity more human.
- Harvard Business ReviewminorMedia coverage partner - Harvard Business Review covered Funworks' approach to using art to reignite team motivation.
- Fast CompanyminorMedia coverage partner - Fast Company featured Funworks' creative process at the Innovation Festival.
Scale indicators15 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Funworks competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Anomaly: Independent creative agency of comparable size that blends advertising, brand strategy, and design for major global brands - direct competitor for premium enterprise creative AOR and campaign work.
- Droga5: Acquired-by-Havas creative agency known for premium brand campaigns (Apple, Under Armour, The New York Times). Closely comparable in positioning and prestige, though larger; competes for the same enterprise creative RFPs.
- Mekanism: Independent creative agency with comparable scale producing integrated campaigns for consumer and tech brands (e.g., Amazon, Disney, Tinder). Competes head-to-head for similar 'story-driven integrated campaigns' RFPs.
- Mother: Independent, creatively-led agency known for work with major consumer brands (e.g., KFC, Kraft, Target) - same boutique full-service creative model and similar premium positioning that competes for the same CMO-level briefs.
- Wieden+Kennedy: Largest independent creative agency, known for Nike and culturally-defining work. Same independent creative-only model and the gold standard against which boutiques like Funworks benchmark their positioning.
- 72andSunny: Independently-operated creative agency with similar size and brand-positioning ethos, working with consumer brands like Adidas, Google, and Activision - a direct competitor for the same type of integrated marketing engagements.
- Arts & Science: Independent creative agency founded by former W+K leadership, serving clients like Google, Nike, and Tesla. Comparable senior-talent-led boutique positioning targeting enterprise creative AOR engagements.
- Pereira O'Dell: Independent creative agency of similar size with offices in San Francisco and New York serving brands like Corona, Timberland, and Barbie - same boutique creative-services model serving similar mid-to-large enterprise clients.
Regional players
- Baron & Baron: Boutique creative agency specialized in branded entertainment and integrated campaigns for premium brands (e.g., Cadillac, Bloomingdale's). Competes with Funworks in the integrated-campaign-and-storytelling category.
Emerging players
- GUT: Independently-owned creative agency that has rapidly scaled with offices across the Americas; overlapping with Funworks in serving bold challenger brand campaigns for enterprise clients (e.g., Procter & Gamble).
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Funworks social profiles
Digital presenceFunworks financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Funworks leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles15 records
Funworks funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Funworks M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Funworks
What does Funworks do?
Funworks is a full-service creative advertising agency that develops integrated marketing campaigns, brand strategy, social-first creative, experiential activations, and consumer insights for enterprise clients. Its work is delivered through a proprietary, neuroscience-backed process called the Science of Fun, packaged for external teams through the trademarked Funmentum™ training and consulting program. The agency serves Fortune 500 and high-growth brands across technology, financial services, gaming, beverage, food, sports media, and retail.
Is Funworks a public or private company?
Funworks is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Funworks founded?
Funworks was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Funworks based?
Funworks is headquartered in Oakland, United States, in the North America region.
How does Funworks make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Creative Agency Services are the primary driver. The others are funmentum™ Training & Consulting.
Who are Funworks's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Anomaly, Droga5, Mekanism, Mother, Wieden+Kennedy, 72andSunny, Arts & Science and Pereira O'Dell. Baron & Baron is listed as a regional player. GUT is listed as an emerging player.
Does Funworks have an API?
No public API is recorded for Funworks.
What industry is Funworks in?
Funworks's product category is Creative Advertising Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAAAAAA, Integrated Full-Service Creative Agencies. Its NAICS code is 541430 and its SIC code is 7311.