HLK

Before there was a Year of Giving, there was Rebuilding Day. A few times a year, HLKers would spend a Saturday working together on service projects in our community. It was one of the ways we made giving back part of the culture, not just something we talked about. Today, that same spirit lives on through our Year of Giving, which gives our team opportunities throughout the year to step away from our desks, lend a hand and support the communities where we live and work. Across 50 years, the ways we give back have evolved, but the spirit behind them has stayed the same. #HLK50 #HLK #YearOfGiving #StLouis

Some clients signal that an agency has arrived. As HLK celebrates 50 years, former president and CEO Jim Schnurbusch looks back at Hager Companies and Rawlings Sporting Goods — two early clients that became important milestones for the agency. HLK won Rawlings in a competitive St. Louis pitch, then built a relationship that lasted more than 20 years and led to some of the agency’s most exciting work. #50thFriday #50YearsOfHLK #HLKThenNowNext #HLK50th#50thFriday #50YearsOfHLK #HLKThenNowNext #HLK50th

Our HLK team was on the course today for the AABE Southeastern Missouri Southern Illinois Chapter’s 18th Annual Golf Tournament. ⛳ We’re proud to support AABE alongside our longtime partner Ameren and spend the day connecting with colleagues and members of the energy community. Strong partnerships extend beyond the day-to-day work. For us, that means showing up for our partners and supporting the organizations and communities that matter to them. #HLK #AABE #Ameren #Energy

Our HLK team was back in the field with our Channel Seed clients — this time at Channel Fest in Williamsport, Indiana. Hosted by local SeedPro Kevin Peterson, the event brought farmers together for a night of food, music, games and a headlining performance from Craig Morgan. It was a great reminder that “All In, All Season” is more than a tagline. It’s about showing up for farmers season after season, both in the field and beyond it. Congrats to our Channel clients on another outstanding event! We were honored to be a part of the day. #ChannelSeed #Bayer #HLK #AgMarketing

Our story can be divided into several chapters, each sparked by a single decision. The decision to dive headfirst into digital marketing. The decision to leave our longtime home in Clayton for a reimagined warehouse in Downtown St. Louis. And, in 2011, the decision to change our name and how the outside world saw us. Hughes had been part of the agency’s identity since 1977. But as the agency evolved, so did the way we saw ourselves. When Bill Hughes, Joe Leahy and Eric Karlovic took the agency into its next chapter, the official name became HughesLeahyKarlovic. Thankfully, we realized pretty quickly that was a lot of name for one agency. HLK became the preferred shorthand from day one. The November 2011 launch party made it official and, according to Joe, it was one of the best parties the agency has ever thrown. Fifty years later, we’re still making the decisions that shape what comes next. #50thFriday #50YearsOfHLK #HLKThenNowNext #HLK50th

Another Launchpad is in the books. A huge thank you to our Session One and Session Two Launchpad interns for the curiosity, energy and fresh perspectives you brought to HLK this summer. You jumped into the work, asked thoughtful questions and challenged us to think differently. Just as importantly, thank you to our HLK mentors. Launchpad is successful because of the time, guidance and encouragement you invest in helping the next generation of talent grow. Your willingness to share your experience and open your doors is what makes this program so valuable. One of the things we love most about Launchpad is that everyone benefits. Our interns gain real agency experience, and our mentors strengthen their leadership by teaching, coaching and learning alongside them. Thank you to everyone who made this year's program such a success. We're excited to see where these talented students go next. #Launchpad #Internship #LeadershipDevelopment #AgencyLife

Technology is easy to overlook when it is working well. That was one of the things Bill Lang reminded us in this HLK 50th conversation. As our IT manager, he has seen the agency change alongside the tools that support the work — from the early days of email to the years when he was the agency’s primary Photoshop guy, building full-size posters for Six Flags on computers that were being pushed to the max. It is a good reminder that behind every campaign, every launch and every finished piece of work, there is a lot happening quietly in the background. And for nearly 30 years, Bill has helped keep that part of HLK moving. #HLK50 #AgencyHistory #IT #HLK50th

Sometimes the biggest moves aren't measured in miles. In 2007, HLK left Clayton and moved to downtown St. Louis—a decision that marked more than a new address. It represented a new chapter for an agency that had spent decades evolving while staying true to what mattered most. This photo captures one small moment from that transition: the HLK sign being installed on our South Seventh Street building. As we celebrate 50 years, we're reminded that while our address has changed over time, our commitment hasn't. Today we're proud to call downtown St. Louis home and grateful to be part of the city that has shaped our agency for nearly five decades. #50thFriday #50YearsOfHLK #HLK50

Last week, Account Manager Caroline Mansfield, Associate Creative Director Danielle Gratton and Senior CX Strategist Jamie Smith traveled to Lubbock, Texas, for Cotton College, an immersive program designed to deepen participants' understanding of the cotton industry through hands-on learning and time in the field. Along the way, they toured Bayer's Lubbock Seed Production Plant, visited Texas Tech University's Fiber and Biopolymer Research Institute (FBRI) and spent time learning alongside the people driving innovation across the cotton industry. At HLK, experiences like these are an important part of how we work. The more we understand our clients' businesses, the challenges they face and the industries they serve, the better partners we become. That perspective leads to stronger insights, stronger relationships and work that's grounded in the realities our clients navigate every day. Because the best ideas don't come from assumptions. They come from understanding. #Agriculture #Cotton #AgMarketing #ClientImmersion #GrowthThroughMovement

The Bandit came ready to race... and with a little piece of HLK history. Built by Troy Jones for Coolfire Studios' annual Pinewood Derby, our car proudly carried ‘77—a nod to the year HLK was founded. As we celebrate 50 years, we couldn't think of a better way to bring a little HLK history to the track. Thanks to Coolfire Studios for another great event supporting the Ollie Hinkle Heart Foundation. #50thFriday #50YearsOfHLK #HLK50 #STLCreative