Division of Labor

What Division of Labor does

Division of Labor is a privately held, San Francisco-based creative advertising agency founded in 2010 by Josh Denberg and Paul Hirsch, both former Goodby Silverstein & Partners creatives. The agency provides full-service advertising capabilities — brand strategy and positioning, campaign development, design/film/content production, digital and social advertising, and out-of-home and experiential work — alongside a freelance services tier for smaller engagements. It serves primarily Series B startups (especially in B2B categories such as AI, SaaS, data and analytics, cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure, and fintech) plus consumer brands (Bogle Vineyards, San Jose Sharks) and healthcare organizations (El Camino Health, UCSF, Lively, Michigan Healthcare Professionals). Notable portfolio companies include Dropbox, Roku, Opendoor, Stytch (acquired by Twilio in 2025), and Statsig (acquired by OpenAI in 2025).

The agency operates on a professional services revenue model: retainers, project-based engagements, and hourly billing (junior AE circa $125/hour through Managing Director circa $400/hour, with blended rates of $225–$300/hour), supplemented by media commissions of 5–18% on client media spend. Client acquisition is predominantly word-of-mouth within the San Francisco startup ecosystem, with growing inbound from SEO and AI-powered search. The agency has been named Ad Age Small Agency of the Year twice and is recognized as a Top 20 San Francisco Marketing Blog by Feedspot. It maintains a single headquarters at 315 Montgomery Street, Suite 900 in San Francisco, has no external funding or parent company, and is operated independently by its founders.

Name

Division of Labor

Legal name

Division of Labor

Website

https://divisionoflabor.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Division of Labor is a San Francisco-based creative advertising agency founded in 2010 that serves Series B startups and B2B tech companies, plus consumer and healthcare brands, with full-service brand strategy, campaign development, production, and out-of-home advertising.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Creative Advertising Services

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Advertising (7310)

akta.pro primary industry

Employer Brand & Recruitment Marketing Creative Agencies (MPAAAAAM)

Keywords

• Creative advertising services
• Brand strategy consulting
• Campaign development agency
• Out-of-home advertising
• Startup marketing agency

Headquarters

HQ city

Sausalito

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. Agency Professional Services: Division of Labor generates revenue through agency fees charged for creative strategy, campaign development, design, copywriting, production oversight, media planning/buying, and account management. Services are delivered via retainers, project-based engagements, or hourly rates. They also offer freelance services at package rates for startups with smaller budgets.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Division of Labor is a San Francisco-based full-service creative advertising agency that develops brand strategy, positioning, and end-to-end advertising campaigns for Series A and B tech startups, B2B technology companies, consumer brands, and healthcare organizations. Services span brand strategy, campaign development, design/film/content production, digital and social advertising, and out-of-home and experiential advertising, delivered via retainers, project-based engagements, or freelance arrangements.

Product overview

Division of Labor is a full-service creative advertising agency offering a unified portfolio of creative services rather than a modular software platform. The core offering consists of Brand Strategy & Positioning, Campaign Development, Design/Film/Content Production, Digital & Social Advertising, and Out-of-Home & Experiential Advertising—all delivered as integrated creative services for clients. The agency also offers Freelance Services as a flexible engagement option for smaller projects or specialized talent needs. The agency specializes in working with Series B tech startups (AI, SaaS, Data & Analytics, Cybersecurity, Cloud Infrastructure, Fintech), consumer brands, and healthcare companies, creating campaigns that build brand awareness and drive conversions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Brand Strategy & Positioning
• Campaign Development
• Design, Film, and Content Production
• Digital & Social Advertising
• Out-of-Home & Experiential Advertising
• Freelance Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 30% sales increase for Roku in first year campaign markets vs. flat in non-campaign markets
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Mekanism: San Francisco-based independent creative agency of similar boutique scale, serving challenger and high-growth brands with integrated creative and media. Comparable in size, geography, and positioning as an independent creative shop rather than a network agency.
• Muhtayzik-OKO: Independent creative agency with strong tech startup client roster, comparable in their focus on brand launches for high-growth companies. Similar boutique positioning and creative-led approach.
• Preacher: Independent creative agency known for challenger brand work and brand strategy, similar in scale and creative philosophy to Division of Labor. Comparable client base of growth-stage and B2B tech companies.
• Venables Bell & Partners: San Francisco independent creative agency with similar mid-size boutique positioning, serving tech and challenger brands. Comparable in scale and creative-led approach to brand building.
• Pereira O'Dell: San Francisco-based independent creative agency with similar positioning around brand storytelling and integrated campaigns. Comparable in size and target client profile of growth-oriented brands.
• Duncan Channon: Independent creative agency based in San Francisco serving purpose-driven and challenger brands. Comparable boutique positioning, geographic focus, and emphasis on creative-driven brand work versus performance marketing.
• BarrettSF: San Francisco-based independent creative agency of similar boutique size, serving challenger brands. Comparable geography and independent ownership structure.
• Eleven Inc. San Francisco-based independent creative agency of similar boutique size, focused on brand strategy and creative for challenger brands. Comparable in geography, scale, and brand-building approach.
• Argonaut: San Francisco independent creative agency that, like Division of Labor, focuses on brand-building for challenger brands and growth-stage companies. Similar boutique scale and Bay Area ecosystem roots.

Broad incumbents

• Goodby Silverstein & Partners: The larger Oakland/SF agency where Division of Labor's founders previously worked. A direct talent pipeline and creative lineage, though it operates at significantly larger scale as part of the Omnicom network.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/divisionolabor

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 Division of Labor