As CURICH|WEISS celebrates its 10th anniversary, we sat down with founders James Curich and John Weiss to reflect on a decade of creative campaigns, evolving industry trends, and the values that have shaped their agency’s growth. From standout brand launches to new capabilities under CURICH WEISS AMPLIFY, the duo shares what’s defined their journey—and what’s next.
James Curich and John Weiss
Ten years of CURICH|WEISS — congratulations! What originally brought you to launch the agency together?
JAMES: Thank you! We met through work more than twenty years ago and forged a fast and lasting friendship. We trust one another, support one another and work really well together. We balance each other. We always said one day we’d start our own agency, and we’d do things our way – rooted in the positive, focused on things that really matter, and taking time to celebrate the wins large and small.
Ten years ago, the time was right. I had been in-house at a spirits company for many years. I oversaw PR, digital marketing, corporate comms, and more. It was a great role and I loved my time there. Each year I was creating a new challenge for myself – helping our teams in Mexico and Canada with annual planning, a role with the global team on special projects, and ultimately developing and leading a workshop for emerging markets on how to unleash the power of PR, social media and advocacy programs. But I got to a point, where I decided my next challenge would be the big one – the unique challenge of building my own business. John and I had always said we would do that together, so I called him, he was feeling the same. We met for a drink and walked out with a business plan.
JOHN: We then had a big opportunity in front of us, and we put together our first proposal, ultimately winning a portfolio of six spirits brands and launching our business.
What we didn’t expect at that moment was the extent of support from our collective circles and prior clients. We thought we’d focus on that first client only for a bit, but instead we celebrated our one-month anniversary by signing five new clients, and began to grow our team.
Since then, we have continued to grow carefully and strategically. Our goal has never been to be the biggest, but rather to do great work and have fun while doing it. We want to be large enough that we can work with big brands, yet still be directly involved with our clients. That’s why we got back to agency life – to build creative, strategic programs for a diverse client roster and work with good, fun people.
How has the PR and communications landscape changed in your key industries, like wine & spirits, hospitality, and real estate, since you started?
JOHN: “PR” is always evolving… One of the biggest changes is the role of influencers. We’ve always had them, though how they were used has changed over the years. Way back, influencers were bold-faced names who would drive press coverage that would inspire others. Today, of course, influencers, social media personalities and creators, have become trusted outlets in their own right. They are shaping how we interact with brands – from planning a vacation (from their recommendations and scroll-stopping images) to trying a new beverage.
And in the past ten years, the role of the influencer has evolved so much. Then, we would engage with influencers mostly on an organic basis, today we actively develop branded campaigns designed for social platforms with an opportunity to drive traditional coverage. Along with that, as we all know, the number and types of outlets has continued to evolve – with some of those traditional outlets altering frequency of publication and length of coverage. And of course, how publishing companies have taken a portfolio approach with content multi-purposed across outlets. All this has challenged us to rethink how and where we make announcements, how and where we get the most attention from our consumers, and truly break through the noise.
JAMES: A great example was when we launched Sunny D Vodka Seltzer. Initially our client wanted a large launch event; we counseled them and proposed an influencer and social media first campaign with press coverage and events coming later. We developed a phased mailer with a teaser and the reveal, engaged a mix of ‘90s’ celebrities for the nostalgia factor alongside more contemporary comedian influencers, and had an amazing launch with a mix of breakthrough content. Once we made that splash, then we worked with press on the announcement stories – and they were all anxious for the news because they saw the excitement on social. We delivered more than 4 billion impressions in the first few days alone. Ultimately, it was a more impactful and cost-effective campaign.
Within specific industries, things have evolved too. It will sound contradictory, but there are both more and less opportunities. As print pages shrink in one place, new outlets are born in others. There’s the rise of Substack, planting items in Reddit, and of course unconventional platforms where we can truly connect with audiences in ways they may not have been anticipating...we are currently building something pretty cool for one of our clients in an unexpected place. More to come on that soon!
JOHN: Then there is AI, which wasn’t even part of the conversation when we launched the agency and today, it is part of our daily conversations and a tool we have incorporated to benefit our clients and enhance our offerings.
What do you think has been key to CURICH|WEISS’s longevity and continued relevance in such fast-moving, competitive categories?
JOHN: We have a solid foundation in marketing communications. We know that the story is not the end goal. It’s how that story works for the brand to attract and retain consumers, to build advocates, to build and manage positioning and reputation, and to build continued business for our clients. With our agency and in-house experience, we’ve been on all sides of this. Layer on top of that, our culture, a culture where we encourage our team to ask, “why not?” Our team is creative and strategic, and we love coming up with new ideas, not bringing the same idea to every client. We try new things. As much as we tailor stories to press and content to influencers, we tailor programs to clients, making sure we’re tapping into their specific DNA to engage their audience and help them stand apart from the competition. As part of that, we focus on quality over quantity. We use a proprietary scoring system for results that reminds our team of what’s important. It’s not the volume of coverage, but the impact. Separately, we also make sure we regularly question ourselves, challenge ourselves to keep things fresh and exciting and deliver our best work for clients. Finally, we prioritize training and education – formal and informal – to make sure we stay on top of new trends, opportunities and ways to support our clients. All of this is key to continued success.
Lionel Richie & Jimmy Fallon at the Nemacolin Summer Solstice Celebration
You’ve worked with some incredible brands and destinations over the years. What do you look for in a client or collaborator—and what makes a great partnership in your view?
JAMES: We have worked with many wonderful brands and individuals over the years. We are very proud of that roster and the results we’ve delivered for them. Launching Delola by Jennifer Lopez, creating a celebrity-studded Summer Solstice Celebration for Nemacolin, launching The Ritz-Carlton, Portland, representing the World’s 50 Best Bars program, Cathay Pacific and so much more. The most important elements we look for in clients are openness, ease of communication and respect. We interview clients as much as they interview us in the beginning to make sure we believe it will be a good fit. We know what we’re doing, our team is amazing. We bring a good deal to the table. We look for clients who recognize that, who focus on the results and being good partners, who tell us what they need, listen to our counsel and then work with us to bring it to life. When one has a solid relationship with a client, where ideas can flow freely, where conversations are effortless, and the focus is on the work, the results can be limitless.
Are there any standout campaigns or moments from the past ten years that feel especially meaningful or representative of the agency’s ethos?
JOHN: The Sunny D Vodka Seltzer is a terrific example. The Summer Solstice celebration we created for Nemacolin is another great one. For that, we concepted and spearheaded the weekend, securing talent including Jimmy Fallon as the weekend’s emcee, a private concert by Lionel Richie, after-party by Samantha Ronson, grand dinner by Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and tennis lessons by none other than John McEnroe. We also invited and hosted Oscar winners Marissa Tomei, Adrian Brody, and Marcia Gay Harden, Tony winner Neil Patrick Harris and husband David Burtka, and so many more. Then hosting Vogue, Travel + Leisure, People, Daily Front Row, and more to cover everything firsthand. It was a great example of building the right moment for the client at the right time, and how we can flex our creativity and strategic muscles to deliver something amazing.
JAMES: Looking farther back, another great example was the Sailor Jerry Home Base for Fleet Week NY. We concepted and produced what was referred to as the ‘coolest thing the brand ever did.” We took over a former lumber shop in Hell’s Kitchen, directly on the path from the piers to Times Square and transformed it into a Sailor Jerry experience, programmed with a video testimonial booth, free haircuts by Frank’s Chop Shop and tattoos by Three Kings – guests would throw a dart and whatever flash it landed on, that’s what they received. We hosted a press and influencer kick off and then multiple private events for the trade and also the visiting navy, marines and coast guard. The brand had a program with Norman Reedus at the time, and we arranged for him to stop by! It was the first time the brand really had such its own a large-scale owned standout moment in the USA.
As client needs have evolved, how have you adapted your services or approach to meet the moment?
JOHN: We always try to stay a step ahead of clients in terms of what they need or want, before they need or want it. That is a big part of our approach not just for the day-to-day but for the strategic direction of the agency, and extends to what new opportunities are on the horizon, is it something we as a team are well-suited to provide. When we started, we focused initial services on traditional media relations and social media. Over the years, we’ve grown our suite of services to include 1) media relations, 2) digital marketing inclusive of social media, paid digital, and consulting on CRM programs, 3) influencer relations – both organic and paid campaigns, 4) celebrity talent relations, 5) corporate and crisis comms, 6) events and experiential marketing, 7) strategic planning, 8) sponsorships and partnerships management and brand collaborations, and 9) trade engagement. We have built a team with amazing experience, and we put that to work for our clients, ensuring a full picture approach. We also have incorporated AI in ways we wouldn’t have thought when we started the agency. As we move forward, we’re actively growing our capabilities as a content / production studio at multiple levels – from how a brand looks and feels, to how it shows up in the world on social, at events, and more. We’re very excited for this area as a natural evolution of our core capabilities.
JAMES: A perfect example of how we’ve continued to add stronger strategic capabilities and services is our relationship with Greg Calejo and Daniel Benedict of Amplify Partners. We’ve known each other for years and collaborated since we started the agency, but about three years ago, we formalized that relationship with Greg and Daniel operating as a regular part of our team. This has allowed us to provide bigger experiential and celebrity programs for clients, with a built-in press office and digital marketing support. Today we operate as CURICH WEISS AMPLIFY, highlighting our one team approach.
James Curich and John Weiss with Greg Calejo and Daniel Benedict of Amplify Partners
Looking ahead, what are you most excited about for the future of CURICH|WEISS—and for the broader industries you serve?
JOHN: Honestly, what excites us most is continued growth of our team, in terms of 1) watching and mentoring people who have been with us for some time grow in their careers and take on new responsibilities with the agency and 2) continuing to bring in new team members with varied experience that can help shape and inspire what we do and how we do it. The industries in which we work are always changing and that’s a big part of what keeps the work exciting, thinking about what is going to come next and how we will rise to meet it.
What advice would you offer to emerging PR professionals who are passionate about entering the marcomms industry today?
JAMES: We’re often asked this question. In fact, I have done a series of guest lectures at Ohio University, and it is one the most frequent questions. The most important advice we can give is:
1) Do your research. Make sure you understand exactly what marcomms entails and all the different opportunities within. Make sure you understand the actual work that will be required – in some cases and for some industries, it can be a ‘9 to 5’ job, but in others there are sometimes weekends and night events, of course.
2) Find and follow your passion. If you’re sure marcomms is the path for you, make sure you are performing in a category that is personal to you, that you are passionate about.
3) Get to know the agencies and leadership. There are so many different agencies out there, and different approaches. Spend some time getting to understand what is the right place for you. Do internships, speak to people. And finally,
4) Be prepared to do the work. With all the above, one should know and understand what comes next in terms of the day-to-day responsibilities. It’s not all glamour and good times. There is hard work to be done. Make sure you understand that, that you’re prepared to pay your dues and do what it takes.
Those who follow these principles, they’re the people we actively seek out and recruit. When you understand and love what you’re doing, the work can be equally fun and rewarding. That’s what motivates us, that’s why we’re celebrating ten years, and why we look forward to the future as CURICH WEISS AMPLIFY.
