doing business washington business
employer : DH founded : 1996 location : Spokane website : www . wearedh . com
DH
Formerly known as Desautel Hege , DH is a public relations , advertising and branding firm that specializes in seamlessly marrying creativity with concise communication .
Bobbi Cussins
by the numbers : DH has 24 employees — including the partner team of Michelle Hege , Sara Johnston , Andrei Mylroie and Christine Varela as well as a host of account directors , copywriters and graphic artists — and is currently in a growth phase .
what they do : DH combines the disciplines of public relations , public affairs , marketing and advertising to create strategic communication programs for their clients , including rebranding , advertising campaigns , advocacy work , behavior change campaigns ( think educational opportunities , like the importance of getting a flu vaccine and encouraging action ) and issues management .
the culture , creative : One look at the company ’ s staff web page and it ’ s clear DH is more than a business — it ’ s a family . The management structure is flat : It has a partner / owner team , but there are no other layers of management . It ’ s a culture DH has purposefully fostered to encourage a group work environment where everyone ’ s input and contributions are equal . DH recognizes that every one of their team members is creative in a different way , and the structure allows them to harness the power of that creativity .
the process works : DH understands that not all organizations have experience navigating a crisis communications situation , wholesale rebranding effort or anything in between . At its core , DH is driven by strategy . They ’ ve developed a defined process to help clients not only overcome challenges , but meet their goals and stand out in the marketplace .
the experience : DH worked with AWB and its member-driven branding committee on the association ’ s first full-scale brand refresh and logo update since 1986 , which officially launched May 31 . From the beginning of the process in 2014 to the spring 2017 rollout , DH worked alongside AWB , and through a few hiccups and restarts on the journey , to get the association ’ s brand strategy and logo to a place where the AWB staff , board and members can be proud of every element of AWB ’ s refreshed brand and excited for the future .
need to know : “ We view our relationship with clients as a strategic partnership . We take the journey together and if they ’ re struggling with an issue , we ’ re right there with them . We create success together .” — Michelle Hege , president and CEO , DH
46 association of washington business