Division of Labor is an ad agency, not a government agency.

Who Are These Knuckleheads Anyway?

Division of Labor is an award-winning creative and advertising agency based in San Francisco. We help scaling Series A–B startups — and established brands — build memorable, measurable, high-performing brands through smart strategy, sharp creative, and unignorable campaigns. Oh, and we’re nice people. Welcome to Division of Labor ad agency, San Francisco.

Josh Denberg

Founder, Creative Director, Copywriter, Dog Walker

Josh is the founder and chief creative director at Division of Labor. But he also writes everything from TV campaigns to Instagram post copy. He worked for years at Goodby Silverstein and Partners, along with Leo Burnett and McCann on brands like Nike, Cracker Jack and Porsche. He also directs commercials, wrote a book called Stop Tweeting Boring Shit and changes lightbulbs when they go out at the office.

Rebecca Reid

Account Director, Excel User, Calm Keeper

Rebecca Reid is a Senior Account Director who leads DoL's account management team. She’s spent almost two decades building iconic brands like Miller Lite, McDonald's, Target and Domino's Pizza at prominent agencies including Crispin, Porter + Bogusky, Cramer-Krasselt and Cliff Freeman. Rebecca has a strategic marketing mind and she often runs strategy workshops at DoL helping set the brand direction for clients.

Faruk Sagcan

Creative Director, Art Director, Fantasy Football Advisor

Faruk is an award-winning Creative Director in charge of all things art and design. He likes to say he’s a “Pixel Pusher.” Faruk has worked on almost every client at DoL plus brands like EA Sports, HP, Amnesty International, and eBay. He’s worked at agencies like Heat, 215McCann, Cutwater and in-house with Yahoo! and Twitter. Faruk speaks softly but carries a big design toolbox as a stick.

Laura Puccinelli

Finance Manager, Accounting Genius, Wise Soul

Laura runs the business side of Division of Labor handling billing, accounting, and anything related to a spreadsheet. She has been working with ad agencies for years and understands the human side as well as the financial side of the industry. She works closely with our operations manager on all contracts and provides intangible energy that allows things to always work out, somehow, for the best.

Dan Carlton

Strategist, Thinker, Southerner, - Founder of Paragraph Project

Dan is a strategist and founder of Paragraph Project, a strategy firm and longtime partner of Division of Labor. Dan was a planner at Fallon Minneapolis and McKinney in North Carolina and has worked on some of the world’s most progressive brands. Dan is the only biological child in a family of ten children. As a result of growing up in such a large family he eats meals quickly and then sits quietly and listens to others talk.

Dawn Margolis

Operations Manager, SEO Supervisor, Recovering Journalist

Dawn is a journalist and writer by trade who became Division of Labor’s head of operations in 2018. She handles all things, everything, from partnership contracts to HR and is uniquely skilled in the fine art of, “getting shit done.” Dawn is also in charge of SEO and works with our partners to provide SEO services to our clients as well as ourselves.

Lynda Greenberg

DIGITAL STRATEGIST, SOCIAL MEDIA SPECIALIST AND MASTER OF ALL THINGS INTERNETY

Lynda Has been working in the web world since dial-up and is an expert in digital marketing, e-commerce, SEM and SEO, paid social, and PPC. Not to mention persona development, UX, establishing KPIs, and structuring multi-tactic digital marketing plans. (OK, we mentioned it.) When Lynda’s not being a one-person digital marketing machine, she can be found running, so wave if you see her.

Brenda Goodman

Media Guru, Planner, Hater of the word, "Guru"

Brenda has spent the last 20+ years in media planning and buying. She grew up through the ranks of traditional large agencies - working for DDB Needham, EvansGroup, Publicis, & ZenithOptimedia Media.

Beyond client work Brenda also serves on the Board of Advisors for All Within My Hands Metallica Foundation and as the General Manger of an Independent League Baseball team.

Ruby Noto

Designer, Illustrator, Defender of Gen-Z Honor

Ruby is an art director, designer and illustrator who came to Division of Labor fresh out of University of Oregon to help pitch and win the Bogle Vineyards account. Besides wine, Ruby has worked heavily on multiple El Camino Health projects along with clients like Bitly and Innoviz. Ruby is working out of New York City keeping us bi-coastal and in touch with our East Coast roots.

Chelsey Robertson

STRATEGIC PLANNER, INSIGHT FINDER, PART-TIME ROLLER SKATER

After starting her career in database marketing for the company that coined the term “Baby Boomer”, Chelsey has been a researcher and observer of culture for over 10 years. She specializes in Online Anthropology which includes mining the internet and social media platforms for inspiration, insights and trends. She also enjoys screen printing, roller skating, and playing tennis. 

Jess Sebo

ACCOUNT DIRECTOR, PSYCHOLOGY NUT, MOTIVATOR OF PEOPLE

For almost 20 years, Jess has lead teams that create strategy and marketing campaigns for countless brands. Jess’s background in Psychology and natural curiosity drive her desire to uncover what motivates people. Jess is part get sh*t done, part cheerleader, part confidant, and takes pride in helping deliver innovative thinking for our clients.




Dave Alsobrooks

Strategist, Smart Thing Sayer - Paragraph Project

Dave is a brand strategist with Paragraph Project, Division of Labor’s longtime strategy partner. He’s worked on a number of brands across multiple categories, including ESPN, Schlitz, Starbucks, Lowe’s and Quiksilver. Dave is also an artist and Southerner and is fascinated with Southern contradictions. Like, listening to The Geto Boys on the way to church and Humidity with suits and ties.

Mordechai "Mort" Pistacio

Head of HR, Ball-Fetcher, Napper

Mort is the Head of HR at Division of Labor. Skills include: salmon eating, fetching stuff, curling up in the sun, wanting to play the moment the meeting starts and being a therapy dog to stressed-out employees.

Adam Smith

Economist, Theorist, Division of Labor Spiritual Leader

Adam Smith was a Scottish economist, philosopher, author and a pioneer of political economy. Smith laid the foundations of classical free-market economic theory in his book The Wealth of Nations where he developed the concept of division of labour and expounded upon how rational self-interest and competition can lead to economic prosperity. Sadly, he misspelled the word, “labor.”

Josh Denberg

FAQ

Maybe these questions aren’t asked frequently, but they’ve certainly been asked, like, a pretty good number of times, at least enough to qualify for an FAQ section.

  • A: Division of Labor is a San Francisco–based creative and advertising agency that builds brands people actually remember. We make strategy sharp, creative fun, and campaigns impossible to ignore.

  • A: We partner with Series A and Series B startups, SaaS companies, developer tools, AI and security platforms, consumer brands, and the occasional professional sports team. Clients include Stitch, Statsig, Delve, Dropbox, Roku, Bogle Wines, and the San Jose Sharks.

  • A: Unignorable creative, strong strategy, outdoor ads people photograph, brand voices people steal, and campaigns that launch startups and build brands. Also: the Stitch outdoor campaign, the San Jose Sharks Free Tattoo stunt and Rodents on Turntables for Live Nation.

  • A: San Francisco. But we work with clients everywhere. And we promise to be well-groomed even on Zoom.

  • A: Brand strategy, positioning, messaging, taglines, creative campaigns, video production, outdoor and OOH, social content, and full-funnel creative that helps founders launch brands and marketing teams drive growth.

  • A: Absolutely. We’ve helped developer tools, AI platforms, cybersecurity companies, and all manner of SaaS products grow up fast. Stitch (acquired by Twilio) and Statsig (acquired by OpenAI) both brought us in early to help build their brands.

  • A: Yes. It’s kind of our sweet spot. We help startups move from “the product is the brand” to “the brand makes the product matter.” Fast, smart, senior-level creative without the big-agency bloat.

  • A: A few. One Show. Clios. D&AD. CA. ADDYs. An Emmy. Plus Small Agency of the Year, twice. We like awards, but we like results more. The full list is HERE

  • A: Tech, SaaS, AI, cybersecurity, consumer goods, food and beverage, arts and culture, financial services, and sports. If it needs a brand, a campaign, or a strong point of view, we’re comfortable there.

  • A: Senior people actually do the work. Ideas come fast. The process is simple. And the creative always comes first. We don’t do layers of account bureaucracy or presentations about presentations.

  • A: Yes — and they’re some of our favorite things to make. Billboards, posters, transit, wild postings, and installations that get people talking (or photographing, or tweeting).

  • A: Yep. Brand films, social videos, demos, broadcast spots, and digital campaigns built for both performance and brand teams.

  • A: Small, senior teams. Clear strategy. Smart creative. Fast turnaround. No layers, no overstaffing, and no mystery. Just good work, delivered efficiently with people who know what they’re doing.

  • A: Send a message through our site or reach out directly. We’re friendly, responsive, and usually caffeinated.

    Or just click HERE

 

 Awards & Honors

Division of Labor and its founders have been recognized by the world’s most respected creative award shows — including The One Show, Cannes Lions, D&AD, Clios, Communication Arts, OBIE, Effies, Emmys, and Campaign US. Here’s a selection of the recognition earned over the years:

The One Show (1992–2025)

The founders of Division of Labor have won multiple One Show Pencils and Merit Awards across categories ranging from Integrated Campaigns to Digital.

  • 2015 – MeritHeadlands Brewing Company — Collateral / P.O.P. & In-Store (Campaign) — Creative Director

  • 2012 – MeritDivision of Labor — Self-Promotion (“Think Before Printing”) — Writer

  • 2001 – MeritNike — Consumer Magazine Color, Full Page or Spread (Campaign) — Writer (with Paul Hirsch)

  • 1998 – Silver PencilPorsche — Newspaper / Over 600 Lines (Campaign) — Writer

  • 1998 – MeritNike — Consumer Television :30 (Single) — Writer

  • 1998 – MeritNike — Consumer Television :30 (Campaign) — Writer

  • 1994 – FinalistNikon — Consumer Magazine B/W, 1 Page or Spread (Single) — Writer

  • 1993 – MeritArt Directors & Copywriters Club — Trade, Less Than a Page (Single) — Writer

  • 1992 – MeritThe St. Paul Companies — Consumer Magazine, Less Than One Page (Single) — Writer

Ad Age Small Agency of the Year

D&AD Awards — 1998

  • Nike Mountain Biking — TV & Cinema Advertising

One Show Judge — 2008 & 2010

  • Honored to serve as a One Show Judge in the Radio Category (2008) and again as a full One Show Judge (2010).

Emmy Award — 2016

  • San Jose Sharks — “Sharks for Life”
    Recognized with an Emmy for work that blended humor and passion during the Sharks’ Stanley Cup Finals run.

OBIE Awards

  • 2018 – Finalist | EntertainmentSFMOMA “Icon Campaign”
    Credits: Creative Director — Josh Denberg; Art Directors — Faruk Sagcan, Ryan Lockhart

  • 2023 – Finalist | Craft: CopywritingStytch “Go Passwordless”
    Credits: Stytch, Division of Labor, Brex Billboard Rewards

Division of Labor’s outdoor work continues to earn recognition for bold ideas, smart craft, and creative impact in the real world.

Communication Arts Awards

  • 2011 – Advertising GalleryDivision of Labor Branding — Design / Identity Program / Art/Design

  • 2016 – ExhibitSFMOMA “See Them Both” — praised for “strong visual associations and playful humor to inspire travelers.”

Clio Awards — 1998

  • Nike Mountain Biking — TV Commercials

Clutch Leader Award — 2024

  • Named one of the Top San Francisco Ad Agencies by Clutch, based on verified client reviews and portfolio strength.

USA Today Super Bowl Ad Meter

  • Cracker Jack “Really Big Bag” — recognized as one of the Top Super Bowl Commercials.

Effie Awards — 2006

  • Chef Boyardee “Rolling Can” — Gold Effie (Packaged Goods)
    Credited with sparking a turnaround in brand sales, driving 27 consecutive months of growth after a two-year slump.

Campaign US — 40 Over 40 (2020)

  • Josh Denberg, Division of Labor Founder, honored among “40 Over 40” for contributions across advertising, marketing, and media innovation.

From Pencils to Emmys, Effies to OBIEs, Division of Labor has built a track record of award-winning creative work that demands attention and drives results.

 
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A FEW OF OUR PARTNERS.

Division of Labor partners with specialists in every facet of advertising and digital marketing; design, media, strategy, production, SEO, photography, editorial, IT, not to mention creative partners, writers and art directors all around the world. Here are just a few you should know about.

Paragraph Project has been our strategy, account planning and research partner since the beginning, not to mention our partner in our book, Stop Tweeting Boring Shit.

Paragraph Project has been our strategy, account planning and research partner since the beginning, not to mention our partner in our book, Stop Tweeting Boring Shit.

Handsome Sound has been our audio partner for ten years. If you can’t see it on our site, Chris at Handsome did it.

Handsome Sound has been our audio partner for ten years. If you can’t see it on our site, Chris at Handsome did it.

Cody Pickins is one of our amazing photography partners. A brilliant shooter with a great group of people around him.

Cody Pickins is one of our amazing photography partners. A brilliant shooter with a great group of people around him.

Playbook Studio founder Graceann Bennett is one of the industry’s top strategic planners having worked on clients like Dove and VW to name just a couple.

Playbook Studio founder Graceann Bennett is one of the industry’s top strategic planners having worked on clients like Dove and VW to name just a couple.

1606 Studio has been a partner of ours for years. We’ve been editing with Doug and John since before Division of Labor existed.

Julie Costanzo helped us start Division of Labor and has been our main production partner and an amazing friend since 2009.

Julie Costanzo helped us start Division of Labor and has been our main production partner and an amazing friend since 2009.

SFO Creative is one of our finest editorial and post production partners.

SFO Creative is one of our finest editorial and post production partners.

Homepage Photo by Zetong Li: https://www.pexels.com/photo/top-view-of-fire-on-the-golden-gate-bridge-san-francisco-califronia-usa-16689055/