Huge
IndustryDesign, Technology, Marketing
Founded1999
HeadquartersBrooklyn
Number of locations
12
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Mat Baxter, Global CEO [1]
ServicesBusiness Consulting, Branding, Data Science, Research, Experience Design, Physical Design, Service Design, Technology, SEO, Marketing Campaigns, Content Development, Social Media, PR, CRM
Number of employees
1500[2][3]
ParentInterpublic Group of Companies
Websitehttp://www.hugeinc.com

Huge is a creative growth acceleration company, founded in Dumbo, Brooklyn, in 1999.

History

Huge was founded by David Skokna, Sasha Kirovski, Gene Liebel, and Aaron Shapiro. Skokna and Kirovski, friends and colleagues at Deutsch, first established the company out of Skokna's apartment in 1999.[4]

Huge's first client was IKEA who hired the firm to redesign its websites.[5] Between 2005 and 2010, Huge also won and launched web design initiatives for JetBlue, CNN, Reuters, Four Seasons, Pepsi, and Target.[4]

In 2008 The Interpublic Group acquired a stake in Huge for close to $40 million.[6][7][8] In 2009, Huge was named the fastest-growing company across all marketing disciplines by Advertising Age.[4]

In 2010, Pepsi announced it was working with Huge on the Pepsi Refresh project, using social media to fund public good projects.[9] Later that year, Aaron Shapiro was named CEO and IPG announced an investment of between $8 million and $10 million to accelerate global expansion for Huge with new offices in Brazil, China, Singapore, and Japan. At this time Skokna and Kirovski departed Huge.[10]

In 2011, Huge launched a UX School program offering about 12-week UX apprenticeships[11] and opened offices in Rio de Janeiro and London. In 2011, Huge also began working with HBO to design and launch HBO GO, leading to the adoption of streaming TV initiatives by most cable TV brands. Huge would later work with Fox, FX Now, The Simpsons, and Hulu on direct-to-consumer TV initiatives.

In 2013, Huge opened a production studio to support its expansion from product and web design into marketing as the company took on integrated marketing work for Samsung[12][13] and was named social media AOR for Audi.[14] In 2013, Huge also launched the first redesign of New York City's municipal website in a decade.[15][16]

The company announced in a March 2018 statement that Shapiro would depart the company after 13 years of overseeing the growth of the company. Michael Koziol replaced Shapiro as CEO.[17] In May 2019 it was announced Publicis Groupe veteran Pete Stein would replace Michael Koziol as CEO.[18] In June 2021, IPG named Mat Baxter the company's Global Chief Executive Officer.[19]

In July 2022, Huge laid off 3% of its global workforce in response to a revenue drop caused by clients cancelling or pausing activities,[20] and signed a lease to create a 71,000 square foot Global Experience Center[21] at Dock 72 in the Brooklyn Navy Yard.[22]

References

  1. ↑ "Huge Inc | Mat Baxter".
  2. ↑ Shellenbarger, Sue (November 7, 2017). "Can You Keep Your Meeting to Five Minutes?". The Wall Street Journal.
  3. ↑ "A tour of New York's startup 'Silicon Beach'". Fortune, November 2010. 6 December 2010.
  4. 1 2 3 Berger, Warren (November 1, 2010). "Huge". Communication Arts.
  5. ↑ Anderson, Ariston. "David Skokna: There's No Such Thing as a B-Team". 99U.
  6. ↑ Spencer, Benjamin. "40 Under 40 Class of 2011: Aaron Shapiro, 39". Crain's New York Business.
  7. ↑ Morrisey, Brian (July 30, 2008). "IPG Buys Digital Shop Huge". Adweek.
  8. ↑ Parekh, Rupal (July 30, 2008). "Interpublic Buys Into Huge". Advertising Age.
  9. ↑ Elliot, Stuart (February 2010). "Pepsi Invites the Public to Do Good". The New York Times.
  10. ↑ Patel, Kunur (13 October 2010). "Two Founders of Digital Shop Huge to Depart; Amid Leadership Shuffle, Interpublic Touts Big Investment for Global Expansion". Advertising Age. Kunur Patel, Advertising Age.
  11. ↑ Riley-Adams, Ella (July 20, 2011). "At Huge, School's Not Out for the Summer". The New York Egotist.
  12. ↑ Popescu, Adam (June 21, 2013). "Usher and Samsung: A Blueprint for Viral Success". Mashable.
  13. ↑ Faull, Jennifer (June 17, 2013). "Samsung teams up with Usher to create film for its Smart TV". The Drum.
  14. ↑ Bruell, Alexandra (May 8, 2013). "Audi Taps Brooklyn Based Huge to Handle Social Media Efforts". Advertising Age.
  15. ↑ Yee, Vivian (September 29, 2013). "City's Web Site is Redesigned for First Time in a Decade". The New York Times.
  16. ↑ Wilson, Mark (September 30, 2013). "New York City's Website Gets A Hurricane-Proof Makeover". Fast Company.
  17. ↑ Bruell, Alexandra (2018-03-29). "Huge CEO Aaron Shapiro to Leave the IPG Digital Agency". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2018-03-29.
  18. ↑ "Huge hands global CEO job to Razorfish vet as Michael Koziol steps down". The Drum. Retrieved 2021-01-11.
  19. ↑ "IPG Names Mat Baxter CEO of Huge" (Press release). 24 June 2021.
  20. ↑ ago, Jameson Fleming1 day (6 July 2022). "Huge Lays Off 37—About 3% of Its Workforce". Retrieved 2022-07-07.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  21. ↑ "Why Huge is swapping many of its physical offices for experiences and co-working spaces". 17 May 2022.
  22. ↑ "Design firm to drop anchor at Dock 72 on Brooklyn waterfront". 31 July 2022.
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