They are now working to broaden U.S. consumers’ knowledge of the Lufthansa brand and of its subsidiaries. This year, the partners have a San Francisco campaign for the Swiss International Air Lines brand and a product innovation plan rolling out for Allegris, the airline’s ergonomic seating option.
“The Lufthansa Group is excited to bring the local touch back to the U.S. after many years without a regional creative agency. After extensive review, we picked this boutique agency to bring thought leadership and clarity to our needs in North America,” said Jeannine Ricci, media and marketing manager at Lufthansa Group, in a statement provided to Adweek.
Lufthansa was not available for additional comment on the announcement.
Rebranding after Jan. 6, 2021
This January recently underwent a name change, catalyzed by the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Winters and Goodwin, who is also a partner and executive creative director at the agency, founded the shop in January 2020. At the time they decided on the name January Third, which seemed fitting given the agency’s aspirational messaging.
“We didn’t yet know what was ahead of us,” said Goodwin of the pandemic, which would disrupt the global economy just three months later. The agency had big aspirations, though, and hoped its name would capture “the feeling at the beginning of the year, when you look out and there are 12 months of possibilities, you’re like, ‘This year, I can do anything,’” Goodwin added.
Launching the agency was the founders’ first joint entrepreneurial venture. Even before the pandemic, they understood they were taking a risk. The events of Jan. 6 were another unexpected event that wound up marring the young agency’s brand.
“It was sad for us that then a year and three days later, there was the weirdness at the Capitol. It was a horrific day. For a while, it never even occurred to us. … But then it seemed to become clear that the words ‘January 6th’ were going to be attached to that day,” Goodwin said.