What Think Differently does

THINK DIFFERENTLY COMMUNICATIONS Group is a Toronto-based, privately held communications strategy and methodology firm founded in 2012, operating with 1–10 employees. The company has built its offering around a proprietary S.C.I.E.N.C.E. framework that re-positions strategic communications, public relations, and marketing as evidence-based, scientific disciplines rather than creative practices. The framework integrates established methodologies — including Steve Blank's Customer Development, Eric Ries's Lean Startup, and Alex Osterwalder's Business Model Canvas — and codifies them into a taxonomy of nine communications disciplines, a Lean Communications decision framework, and a System of Measurement for translating outputs into business impact. The methodology is currently patent pending and is supported by academic publications, including a Springer reference work entry on integrated strategic communications.

The company monetizes through three streams. First, COMMS.BAR operates as a walk-in communications clinic, modeled on an Apple Genius Bar, offering 15, 30, and 60-minute strategy sessions both in person and virtually, with both free and paid tiers. Second, it sells digital products through its own website storefront, including Strategy Kits, Element Packs, and merchandise, targeting strategic communications professionals. Third, it provides professional services — Agency Strategy Sessions, Workshops, and Comms Strategy Sprints — directly to agencies and enterprises. The product surface is organized into two operating systems: Strategy OS for enterprise communications professionals and Agency OS for communications agencies.

The company serves a horizontal mix of agencies, large enterprises seeking integrated strategy development, and entrepreneurs/small businesses needing accessible strategic communications tools. It markets through its website, published research reports, educational content about the S.C.I.E.N.C.E. framework, a tools and resources library, and events. Its sub-brands include THINK DIFFERENT [LY] and COMMS.BAR, with related entities also participating in innovation challenges such as the 2023 BHP-supported Unearthed program. The company has not raised disclosed institutional funding and operates without a parent company.

Name

Think Differently

Legal name

THINK DIFFERENTLY COMMUNICATIONS Group

Website

https://thinkdifferently.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

THINK DIFFERENTLY COMMUNICATIONS Group is a Toronto-based private firm that operates the proprietary S.C.I.E.N.C.E. framework, Strategy OS, Agency OS, and the COMMS.BAR walk-in clinic to help communications agencies, enterprises, and entrepreneurs build, test, and measure strategic PR and marketing using Lean-Agile methods.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. COMMS.BAR Strategy Sessions: Walk-in communications clinic providing 15, 30, and 60-minute strategy sessions both in person and virtually. Offers both free and paid consultation services.
2. Products (Strategy Kits, Element Packs, Merchandise): Sale of proprietary products including Strategy Toolkits and Element Packs for strategic communications professionals.
3. Professional Services (Agency Strategy, Workshops, Sprints): Consulting services including Agency Strategy Sessions, Workshops, and Comms Strategy Sprints for organizations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Think Differently provides a proprietary scientific methodology (S.C.I.E.N.C.E. Framework) and operating systems (Strategy OS and Agency OS) that help organizations build, test, and measure strategic public relations and marketing strategies. The company also operates COMMS.BAR, a walk-in communications clinic offering on-demand strategy sessions, and sells supporting toolkits (Strategy Kits, Element Packs) along with professional consulting services such as Agency Strategy Sessions, Workshops, and Comms Strategy Sprints.

Product overview

Think Differently offers a unified portfolio of communications methodology, platforms, and tools built around its Lean Communications Methodology and S.C.I.E.N.C.E Framework. The core product offering consists of two operating systems: Strategy OS for enterprise communications professionals and Agency OS for agencies. These are supplemented by Element Packs and Strategy Toolkits, a comprehensive scientific framework (S.C.I.E.N.C.E), and the Lean Communications Methodology itself. The company also operates COMMS.BAR, a retail communications clinic offering on-demand strategy sessions. The entire product suite is built on Agile-Lean principles adapted for strategic communications, public relations, and marketing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AGENCY OS: Operating system for agencies with tools and resources to manage strategy development and implementation, featuring seamless process management and complete training designed to meet specific agency requirements.
• Strategy OS
• COMMS.BAR

Products and services

• Strategy OS An operating system for enterprise strategic communications professionals built with Agile-Lean at its heart, featuring an impact metric stack for measuring outputs, outcomes and commercial impact, a comprehensive suite of tools and resources, academic support validated by published research, and a Framework of integrated strategy development Canvases.
• Agency OS An operating system for communications and marketing agencies built with Agile-Lean methods, providing tools and resources to manage strategy development and implementation, a redesigned metric stack for qualitative, quantitative and impact measurement, and comprehensive training including workshops and coaching.
• Strategy Toolkits Comprehensive toolkits providing tools and resources designed to help entrepreneurs build, test and measure public relations and marketing strategies.
• Element Packs Strategic element packs for strategic communications professionals that enable organizations to identify and work with core strategic elements across various communications disciplines.
• COMMS.BAR Strategy Sessions A walk-in communications clinic providing businesses with real-time strategic advice on demand, operating similarly to an Apple Genius Bar, offering both free and paid services including 15, 30 and 60-minute strategy sessions in person and virtually.
• Agency Strategy Sessions Professional consulting service offering strategic sessions for agencies, accessed via the comms.bar domain.
• Workshops Workshop-based professional services for organizations seeking hands-on training in strategic communications methodology, accessed via the comms.bar domain.
• Comms Strategy Sprints Intensive sprint-based professional services for organizations needing rapid strategy development and execution in strategic communications.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• BHPminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023BHP supported the Unearthed global innovation challenge, which was facilitated by Think & Act Differently (related entity). The initiative focused on orebody knowledge and technological solutions for the resource sector, promoting innovation through cohorts, innovation games, and collaboration at events like IMARC 2023.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cision: Global PR software, data, and analytics platform serving communications professionals with media monitoring, measurement, and distribution tools. Comparable as a B2B product-led player offering methodology- and measurement-oriented tools to PR and marketing professionals — the same buyer Think Differently targets with Strategy OS and Agency OS.
• Muck Rack: PR software platform offering media database, monitoring, and communications workflow tools for PR professionals and agencies. Comparable as a SaaS provider to the same horizontal buyer segment (PR agencies and in-house teams) that Think Differently's Strategy OS and Agency OS target.
• Meltwater: Media intelligence and PR analytics platform providing monitoring, measurement, and consumer insights to communications teams. Comparable as a software platform serving the same strategic-communications buyer with measurement-driven tooling, competing on scale and AI features against Think Differently's measurement stack.

Broad incumbents

• FleishmanHillard: Global communications consultancy with deep PR, public affairs, and integrated marketing capabilities. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering strategic communications services, though it competes through scale and global reach rather than a proprietary scientific methodology.
• Burson (formerly BCW): Major global communications group formed from the merger of Burson-Marsteller and Cohn & Wolfe. Comparable as a strategic communications and PR services incumbent, though it operates through global scale and agency networks rather than a distinct methodology like S.C.I.E.N.C.E.
• Ketchum: Large global PR and communications agency offering strategy, earned media, and integrated marketing. Comparable as a strategic communications provider serving enterprises and agencies, though differentiated from Think Differently by scale and breadth rather than methodology specialization.
• Edelman: The world's largest independent PR firm, offering strategic communications, public affairs, and marketing services to global enterprises. Comparable as a full-service strategic communications provider, though vastly larger and not methodology- or measurement-driven in the way Think Differently positions itself.

Emerging players

• Prowly: SaaS PR platform offering tools for press release creation, media database, and reporting, often targeted at SMBs and smaller agencies. Comparable as a software-led, methodology-focused product competing in the same PR-tools-for-professionals space where Think Differently's Strategy Kits and OS products sit.

Regional players

• energi PR: Canadian strategic communications agency with offices across the country and integrated PR, digital, and creative offerings. Comparable as a Toronto-anchored competitor for the same Canadian enterprise and SMB communications strategy market that COMMS.BAR targets.
• NATIONAL Public Relations (now PURPLE): One of Canada's largest independent PR and public affairs firms, headquartered in Toronto. Comparable as a Canadian-headquartered strategic communications provider competing for the same Toronto enterprise and agency buyers, though operating at significantly greater scale and breadth.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/think_lyndon

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 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 Think Differently