The new advertisers: content project uses a staff of techno-literate professionals to compete with the larger agencies who use more traditional approach for clients. (Small Buisness).

TREVOR Kaufman wanted to open an advertising agency that stood out from the crowd. Rather than the typical division of labor between account managers and creative types, Kaufman's idea was to bridge the gap through the use of in-house technology.

It's a specialty approach that's showing some traction - even at a time when advertising, marketing and media companies are battling to the death for new business in a still-stagnant market.

The three-year-old Content Project is on track to see 2002 revenue of $3.9 million, up from $2.2 million a year earlier, according to Kaufman. Since the Santa Monica-based company was formed in 1999, its workforce has grown from five to 37.

"I set out to create a team of highly technology-literate creative professionals that also understood the dynamics of business," said Kaufman, who had earlier co-founded a New York based Web-design and consulting firm.

Kaufman believes that his technology-based concept has proven more recession-proof than the traditional approaches of bigger shops that are driven by strategic image building goals and often rely on outsourcing when it comes to technology.

The company is working on a variety of projects -- from developing a next-generation press kit for Tumer Networks; breathing new life into an old, but popular game show for CBS; or planning a software system that would make Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co.'s sales channels more efficient.

Friendlier Interfaces

The Content Project's employees are an eclectic bunch of management consultants with a flair for technology, and software engineers with a flair for creative business. It's that blend of cross-disciplinary experience, according to Kaufman, that enables the company to compete against the bigger agencies.

One example is client ACNieisen, the market research and analysis firm. One of its leading subscription services is BOFFO, or Box Office Figures Online, which provides a wealth of statistical and other film industry data, as well as box office reports that rank daily film performance and measure the effectiveness of marketing campaigns.

Subscribers, however, found the service difficult to use, so The Content Project was brought in to develop a Web-based system with a friendlier interface on which to navigate ACNielsen's database. Subscribers now can drill into as much detail as they want by a point and click of the mouse.

Sometimes, the agency has managed to turn one project into another. During the course of developing an in-house intranet plan for L.A.-based law firm Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP, the agency was asked to work on a direct marketing campaign for the law firm's clients, using the new intranet infrastructure.

"We got to see more of what they could do on the creative side -- overlaying the communications infrastructure we were jointly building,' said Eric Hamburg, the firm's chief information officer. "So we asked them to design an e-mail-based, direct marketing campaign for our clients. The response has been great."

One of The Content Project's early jobs was for Tumer Networks, which wanted a better way of distributing its press kits to more than 6,000 sales representatives nationwide that sell advertising on Turner's networks and cable channels.

The Content Project came up with a secure system allowing sales reps to log-on to the site and pull-down whatever promotional materials they need. The site also allows them to search for sales tips, case studies and presentations. The result was a rapid drop in orders for the printed press kit, producing a significant savings for the company, according to Kaufman.

Beyond Web design

Kaufman has impressive technology credentials, including being named several years ago on Newsweek magazine's list of the 50 most important Internet people. He started his previous company, Kaufman Patricof Enterprises (now owned by Agency.com), before the Internet boom and sold out before the Agency.com acquisition because he saw more lucrative opportunities beyond Web-site design, which was the primary focus of KPE.

He used the proceeds from the sale of his stake to start The Content Project with several co-founders, including Nick Worth, a New York and London-based management consultant with expertise in retail and service industry companies; former KPE executive Andrew Solmssen; and Matthew Rechs, also from KPE.

At stan-up, the company was less known in L.A. client circles but it managed to parlay smaller client projects -- such as the development of those press kits -- into repeat business. There is, however, competition from smaller L.A.-based agencies like Archipelago and FutureBrand.

Meanwhile, an unexpected new revenue stream has entered the picture. The company's in-house technology applications, such as contact management software and content management systems, have impressed some clients so much they have asked to license the software for their own businesses.

"That was not in the business plan," said Kaufman. "We have licensed some software, although when it first happened we were a little reluctant as software licensing is a very different business to advertising and marketing and we don't want to be a software product company. But we certainly saw it as a validation of what we were all about -- exploiting technology to be a better agency."

RELATED ARTICLE: PROFILE

The content Project

Year Founded: 1999

Core Business: Advertising with an emphasis on the use of technology.

Revenues in 2001: $2.2 million

Revenues in 2002: $3.9 million (projected)

Employees in 2001:15

Employees in 2002: 37

Goals: To consistently grow the business.

Driving Force: The need for better use of technology in the advertising business.