That’s where H/L comes in.
H/L is a full-service creative and media agency built for the realities of Franchise Retail. We help brands show up stronger in the markets that matter to them—by aligning stakeholders, customizing national strategies, and leveraging national brands to drive performance at the local level.
This isn’t theory. It’s decades of doing the work.
 Toyota Northern California |
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 McDonald's |
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 AAA |
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Toyota Northern California |
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McDonald's |
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AAA |
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Franchise success demands more than just running the national campaign. It comes from showing up locally—with insight, nuance, and intent.
We help brands customize national campaigns to their local markets without watering them down. That means translating big-picture strategy into messaging that reflects the culture, mindset, and media behavior of each region you serve.
McDonald's |  |
The Ohio Street Billboard series | |
Not just a billboard—a Chicago canvas
In some places, a brand is more than a business—it’s part of the identity. Dunkin’ is Boston. In-N-Out is California. And McDonald’s belongs to Chicago.
To reinforce that connection, we helped McDonald’s turn one of its most visible media placements—the Ohio Street billboard, just steps from its flagship restaurant—into a showcase for Chicago’s creative heartbeat.
We launched the series with “Bear Champ” by JC Rivera, a beloved local muralist whose work captures the grit and soul of the city. From there, we built an ongoing rotation featuring artists from across the neighborhoods McDonald’s calls home.
Of course, we handle the retail heavy lifting across the region, with local media and tactical creative. But this was about something deeper: a cultural statement, made with purpose and pride.
McDonald’s isn’t just in Chicago. It’s of Chicago.
Franchise businesses that move fast don’t just keep up—they lead. Agility is your edge, and H/L is built to keep it sharp.
With strategy, creative, media, and production under one roof, and all focused on your business goals, we help franchise groups pivot faster, launch smarter, and stay ahead in every market.
Toyota |  |
Toyota Brock Purdy Truck Giveaway | |
Recognize. Optimize. Capitalize.
When H/L signed rising star Brock Purdy in his first full season as starting quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers for the Northern California Toyota Dealers, we knew we had lightning in a bottle.
After a viral “Mic’d Up” huddle moment where Brock joked about buying his offensive line Camrys, lightning struck again. We moved fast, leading a partnership with Toyota and the 49ers, to enable Brock to surprise his linemen with a fleet of TRD PRO Trucks. This cemented the alignment of not only Toyota and the NFL, but more importantly, our Northern California Toyota Dealers and one of the NFL’s fastest rising stars.
The payoff: over $29 million in earned media value, 343 articles, and 249 video segments. National visibility, local alignment, and one unforgettable activation.
In Franchise Retail, staying ahead means meeting customers where they are—often in channels that shift overnight. From emerging platforms to AI-powered interactions, H/L helps brands lead in these spaces, not lag behind.
Our in-house Data and Innovation team partners directly with Creative, Media, Production, and Analytics—ensuring your message is not only seen, but delivered in the formats, voices, and environments where your customers are actually listening.
Toyota |  |
NorCal Sales Matchback Campaign | |
When Media, Creative, and Data work as one
For the Northern California Toyota Dealers Association, we set out to prove what true integration could deliver. Using real sales matchback data, we mapped digital activity to store visits and vehicle purchases—then adjusted creative and media in real time, by region, audience, even household.
The result: a hyper-targeted campaign that virtually eliminated waste. Every impression worked harder. Every placement had purpose. It was a data-driven, results-focused use of digital and social media—and it’s still the benchmark today.
Because our strategy, analytics, media, and design teams all sit under one roof, we moved fast and stayed precise. No silos. No delays. Just clear signals turned into smart action.
The campaign earned a 2024 Effie Award for the most effective data-driven campaign in the country.
We don’t just report performance—we make it actionable and accessible to you.
Our integrated teams use sales data, media performance, and audience behavior to optimize in real time—so your campaigns evolve with the market, not after it.
At H/L, tenure is earned. You don’t last decades with franchise groups unless you’re helping them outperform their goals, align across regions, and stay ahead of what’s next.
Our job isn’t to coast on brand equity—it’s to help local dealer groups, franchisees, and regional marketing teams grow market share, move product, and stay culturally relevant. We’ve done that year after year, market after market.
Here’s what that kind of staying power looks like:
