What Motive Creative does

Motive Creative is a Los Angeles-based, founder-led creative agency founded in 2008 that specializes in marketing campaigns for the entertainment industry. The company serves major film studios and streaming platforms, producing trailers, teasers, TV spots, digital and social content, out-of-home materials, brand identity, and special shoots for theatrical releases and streaming originals. Its client roster spans A24, Netflix, HBO, Warner Bros, Sony, Universal, Focus Features, Searchlight Pictures, Disney, Paramount, Amazon Prime, Hulu, Lionsgate, MGM, FX, Showtime, Peacock, and Blumhouse, among others.

The agency's core offering is organized around two integrated service lines: Creative Direction & Strategy (talent direction, copywriting, music curation, art direction, editorial, platform strategy, and 360° campaign planning) and Design & Production (motion graphics, main titles, visual branding, video/photo production, sound design, music customization, editing, color, and in-house finishing). Technology is built on standard professional creative tooling (Adobe Creative Suite including Premiere Pro, After Effects, Photoshop, Illustrator, plus Google Creative Suite), with the differentiator being end-to-end in-house execution rather than proprietary software.

Motive Creative operates a project-based B2B professional services model with quote-based, non-publicly disclosed pricing. The company has 11-50 employees, is actively hiring across 10+ creative, production, and strategy roles in Los Angeles, and has no disclosed parent company, funding rounds, or M&A activity. The firm is privately held and founder-owned. In 2024-2025 it accumulated multiple Clio, Grand Clio, and Golden Trailer Awards for campaigns including Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, Disclaimer, Napoleon, MaXXXine, Mickey 17, A Real Pain, and The White Lotus Season 3, reinforcing its reputation as an award-validated vendor within the entertainment marketing ecosystem.

Name

Motive Creative

Legal name

Motive Creative

Website

https://motivecreative.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Motive Creative is a Los Angeles-based creative agency producing trailers, teasers, TV spots, and digital campaigns for major film studios and streaming platforms including A24, Netflix, HBO, Disney, and Warner Bros.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Entertainment Marketing Creative Services

NAICS

Graphic Design Services (54143)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Integrated Full-Service Creative Agencies (MPAAAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Creative Concepting & Campaign Development (BPAFAEAD), Performance Creative & Ad Content Production (for Paid Media) (MPAAACAG)

Keywords

• Entertainment marketing campaigns
• Theatrical campaign creative
• Streaming platform content campaigns
• Trailer and teaser production
• Film studio creative agency

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Theatrical Campaign Creative: Creative services for film theatrical release campaigns including trailers, teasers, TV spots, and digital content
2. TV/Streaming Campaign Creative: Campaign creative for television series and streaming platform original content
3. Brand Campaign Services: Visual branding, packaging, and experiential strategy services for entertainment properties
4. Special Shoot Production: Custom shoot production including music videos, featurettes, EPK, and promotional content

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Motive Creative is an entertainment-focused creative agency that produces theatrical, television, and streaming campaign creative for major film studios and streaming platforms. Its offering covers creative direction, strategy, copywriting, art direction, design, video and photo production, motion graphics, sound design, editing, and in-house post-production finishing, delivering trailers, teasers, TV spots, digital content, social campaigns, DOOH, and show info materials from concept through final delivery.

Product overview

Motive Creative is a specialized creative agency providing integrated creative direction, strategy, design, and production services for the entertainment industry. The company operates two primary service lines: Creative Direction & Strategy Services (including talent direction, content creation, copywriting, music, art direction, editorial, brand positioning, and campaign strategy) and Design & Production Services (including motion graphics, main titles, visual branding, video production, sound design, editing, and in-house finishing). The agency's core offering centers on theatrical, television, and streaming campaign services for major film studios and streaming platforms, producing trailers, teasers, digital content, TV spots, DOOH materials, and show information materials. Motive Creative's portfolio demonstrates extensive work across diverse genres and clients including A24, Focus Features, Netflix, HBO, Warner Bros, Universal, Sony, Searchlight Pictures, Paramount, Disney, Lionsgate, and other major entertainment companies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Creative Direction & Strategy Services Comprehensive creative direction and strategic services including talent direction, product ideation, paid and organic content creation, copywriting, music curation, art direction, editorial, platform and engagement strategy, audience and cultural insights, influencer curation, brand partnerships, content ideation, brand positioning, 360-degree campaign strategy, and creative briefs for entertainment industry clients.
• Design & Production Services Full-service design and production including packaging and merch design, illustration, bespoke print, 3D design, main titles, motion graphics, visual branding, experiential strategy and production, video and photo production, music videos, special shoots, featurettes and EPK, sound design and music customization, editing and color, and in-house finishing for entertainment industry clients.
• Theatrical, Television & Streaming Campaign Creative Services Specialized campaign services for theatrical releases, television, and streaming platforms, including trailers, teasers, digital content, TV spots, DOOH, and show info materials for major film studios and streaming services.

Quantifiable outcome

• Grand Clio Winner: Best Motion/Title Graphics, Best Voice Over, Best Original Score for Glass Onion campaign
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers19 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered primary and core.

• A24primaryOthersMajor independent film studio and streaming platform client. Motive Creative produces theatrical campaign creative for A24 films including trailers, teasers, digital content, and social campaigns.
• NetflixprimaryOthersMajor streaming platform client. Motive Creative produces campaign creative for Netflix original films and series including the Knives Out franchise, documentaries, and original content.
• HBOprimaryOthersPremium TV network and streaming platform client. Motive Creative produces campaign creative for HBO original series including Euphoria, The White Lotus, Industry, and The Nevers.
• Warner BrosprimaryOthersMajor film studio client. Motive Creative produces theatrical campaign creative for Warner Bros films including trailers, TV spots, and digital content.
• Universal PicturesprimaryOthersMajor film studio client. Motive Creative produces theatrical campaign creative for Universal films including Hail, Caesar!, Yesterday, First Man, Bros, and Steve Jobs.
• Sony PicturesprimaryOthersMajor film studio client. Motive Creative produces theatrical campaign creative for Sony films including T2 Trainspotting and Napoleon.
• Focus FeaturesprimaryOthersMajor film studio client. Motive Creative produces theatrical campaign creative for Focus Features films including Obsession, Hamnet, and Midwinter Break.
• Searchlight PicturesprimaryOthersMajor film studio client specializing in specialty films. Motive Creative produces theatrical campaign creative for Searchlight films including A Real Pain, Demolition, Wild, and The Eyes Of Tammy Faye.
• HuluprimaryOthersStreaming platform client. Motive Creative produces campaign creative for Hulu original content and series.
• DisneyprimaryOthersMajor entertainment company client. Motive Creative produces campaign creative for Disney films including Saving Mr. Banks.
• Paramount PicturesprimaryOthersMajor film studio client. Motive Creative produces theatrical campaign creative for Paramount films including Suburbicon and A Gentleman In Moscow.
• Amazon Prime VideoprimaryOthersStreaming platform client. Motive Creative produces campaign creative for Amazon Prime original films including Uncle Frank and Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm.
• LionsgateprimaryOthersMajor film studio client. Motive Creative produces theatrical campaign creative for Lionsgate films including Knives Out.
• FXprimaryOthersTV network client. Motive Creative produces campaign creative for FX series including Justified: City Primeval.
• ShowtimeprimaryOthersPremium TV network client. Motive Creative produces campaign creative for Showtime series including Ziwe.
• PeacockprimaryOthersStreaming platform client. Motive Creative produces campaign creative for Peacock original content.
• Blumhouse ProductionscoreOthersProduction company client specializing in horror/thriller films. Motive Creative produces campaign creative for Blumhouse films including Blumhouse Brand and Raw.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• AV Squad: LA-based creative agency producing trailers, TV spots, and digital campaigns for film and streaming clients. Most direct comparable to Motive Creative given overlapping entertainment vertical, similar service scope, and shared blue-chip studio clients.
• Buddha Jones: Entertainment creative agency specializing in theatrical trailers, TV/streaming campaigns, and brand work for major studios and streamers. Closely mirrors Motive Creative's service mix and studio client profile.
• Ignition Creative: Long-established entertainment marketing and creative agency producing theatrical, home entertainment, and streaming campaigns. Highly comparable in client base and campaign deliverable mix.
• MOCEAN: LA-based creative agency specializing in entertainment marketing including trailers, title sequences, broadcast creative, and digital campaigns. Direct competitive overlap with Motive's theatrical and streaming campaign work.
• JAXON: Entertainment-focused creative agency producing trailers, key art, and integrated marketing campaigns for film and TV clients. Comparable in scope and entertainment vertical specialization.
• BOND Worldwide: Creative and partnership agency with entertainment expertise spanning theatrical, streaming, and brand collaborations. Comparable in delivering integrated creative campaigns for entertainment clients.
• The Refinery: Entertainment creative agency producing trailers, TV spots, and digital/social campaigns for film and streaming clients. Closely comparable in deliverable mix and studio client base.

Broad incumbents

• Trailer Park: Larger, established entertainment marketing agency offering AV creative, theatrical, TV, and digital campaign services with a broader portfolio and group-level scale. Comparable offering but materially bigger and more diversified.

Regional players

• Hakuhodo i-studio: Japan-headquartered digital creative agency with entertainment marketing capabilities. Comparable in entertainment and digital campaign creative, though primarily serves the Asian market and does not directly compete in Motive's core US territory.

Others

• Netflix House / Apple Marketing (in-house reference): Reference for the in-house creative teams at major streamers (Netflix, Apple, Disney+) that are progressively insourcing AV creative production. Adjacent competitive threat rather than a market peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights4 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/motivecreative

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Motive Creative