Introducing Will & Grail

On April Fool’s Day in 1996, we officially launched Salva O’Renick. To those around us, it probably seemed like the most foolish thing ever. Now, twenty years to the day, we’re celebrating a milestone anniversary.  

The journey has been amazing. We’ve been blessed to work with great clients and unbelievably talented people. It’s also been marked by a tremendous change in the marketing world. Salva O’Renick was launched before widespread Internet adoption. Before broadband, affordable laptops, wifi, Google, smartphones, mobile apps, digital entertainment, social media and selfies. That is change at warp speed and the impacts are widespread in our daily lives.

Salva O’Renick also evolved.  We gained new skills and capabilities.  Changed the way we work and communicate.  And tried things when it made sense.  Ten years ago we invested in real estate at the edge of the Crossroads District.  An incubator was launched five years ago, providing free space to help great Kansas City entrepreneurs accelerate their business. And two years back we made investments in product companies - including Niall.

Now it’s time for the next phase of our agency. Based on our belief in building mutually beneficial relationships, we started working with Brad Lang in early 2015, someone we’ve respected for years. Brad’s company, Salient, provides high-value brand consulting services.

But our connection with Brad goes beyond a mutual passion for building great brands. We’re also strongly aligned in our belief that companies have to focus on more than just making money. Success ultimately comes from creating meaning for those impacted by work we do - customers, employees, investors, communities and the world.  This is what we call “Big Audacious Meaning℠” and it’s proven to build stronger companies and more engaging brands.  

So, on April Fool’s Day 2016, we’re once again doing something that people may say is foolish.  We’re merging two companies (Salva O’Renick and Salient) and creating a new entity - Will & Grail. We’re bringing experience, expertise and resources together to focus on helping companies find their unique, undeniable and unshakable sense of purpose and create innovative brand experiences that bring it to life. This ideal is our grail. Passion provides the will.  And with a little luck, the next twenty years will be even more meaningful for us all.

Thanks to everyone who in large ways and small have been part of Salva O’Renick’s journey.  We look forward to connecting with you as Will & Grail. With purpose. On purpose.

Regards,

Dan Salva       Mark O’Renick