Dayton marketing firm ‘catapulting’ to the next level

Now in its fourth year, the digital, video and branding services firm finds itself in that sweet spot — still feeling and looking like a well-funded start-up, but one with an lengthening list of clients.

”We try to fill the gap between the Real Art and the freelancers,” said Catapult Creative Principal Matthew Sliver, referring to Dayton’s Real Art, the storied firm with offices in New York and Chicago.

“Companies pick the firm they work with almost on their personalities,” Sliver said. “Do you get along well together? Do you understand our values? Do we understand theirs?”

Businesses may know Catapult Creative's work whether you’ve heard of the firm or not. The company has worked with Link, Dayton’s bike share program, the Dayton Development Coalition and many others.

Those “Dayton Inspires” photos you see on Facebook and Instagram? The #IAmDayton hashtag? Catapult’s creative team was the force behind those and more.

The company’s list of clients may surprise you. They include familiar names, such as Fuyao Glass America, Air Camp, Wright-Patt Credit Union and the Advanced Technical Intelligence Center.

And there are less familiar names, such as KAUST (the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology).

CommuterAds, a transportation digital advertising firm looking to return to downtown Dayton, recently sought bids to complete the design of its programmatic buying tool, to be released later this year. The company turned to Catapult, said Russ Gottesman, CommuterAds chief executive.

“We felt that not only did their talent deserve the opportunity to design our first-of-its-kind programmatic buying tool, but keeping it local was important as well.” Gottesman said. “Catapult not only checked off both boxes but has far exceeded expectations with their passion, commitment and attention to detail.”

A city the size of Dayton may feel crowded with marketing firms, but Daniel Rizer, Catapult’s creative director, said the firm’s early expertise helped it hit the ground running.

“When we first got started, we had such a focus on digital and social media, it kind of set us apart from the pack in a way,” Rizer said. “We have always offered branding and video, and things of that nature. But having that really strong digital marketing focus at the beginning I think really helped set up apart.”

What doesn’t change are relationships, said Christopher Hahn, lead developer at Catapult.

“We don’t want to just do a web site and do some branding one time and then not talk to (customers) any more” Hahn said. “We want to meet with them constantly and talk with them about how things are going.”

Catapult’s new offices at 10 N. Ludlow, off the building’s lobby, are not far from previous offices at the Talbott Tower.

“It was a really, really great space when we moved in,” Sliver said. But the firm grew quickly, from five to a dozen people or more in the space of a few months.

Catapult principals checked out some 50 different sites. They wanted something that reflected the firm: Modern yet rooted, on a ground floor and approachable.

“When I walked into this space, I saw nothing but potential,” Sliver said. “The location is perfect.”

Those in the office will have a front-row seat on Arcade redevelopment and summer activities on Courthouse Square.

Catapult principals paid for the space themselves, investing about $25,000 so far.

And while they won’t talk precise numbers, the Catapult team says 2016 has been a good year when it comes to revenue. Every month so far this year has equaled or exceeded the firm’s best month in 2015, Sliver said.

“We’re big fans of incremental growth,” he said. “We’re doing pretty well.”