Portland, February 16th, 2022

Pulp+Wire is a 100% female founded and owned award-winning, full service, consumer packaging, branding and marketing agency. Pulp+Wire specializes in helping natural and organic foods, cannabis, hemp and lifestyle brands discover their unique identity and creating the websites, packaging, creative collateral, and social media strategies.

Taja Dockendorf is the Founder and Creative Director of Pulp+Wire. In an interview with TIA, Dockendorf went through her first steps in the industry that led her to start the agency in 2004. She described the creative culture at the agency and the impact of machine learning and big data in creative production.

To kick things off please can you describe to us a little bit about Portland and why it is a great place to work?

Living on the edge does have its advantages. Our location in Portland, Maine puts us a bit off the beaten path, but in the heart of what sustains us: salt air, spectacular summers, and yes, plenty of snow.
But a cold winter morning is just the thing to fire up the kind of crazy creatives who call our town home. Whether you pay us a virtual visit or knock on our door in the heart of our city’s Old Port, we look forward to sharing more of our story and—of course—hearing yours!

Tell us about your personal journey. How did you get started in the industry?

I started Pulp+Wire over 18 years ago as a creative frustrated with how the conversation between brand and designer was too segmented. There had to be a better way, less black-and-white; a more colorful approach when working with brands. I wanted real relationships with the brands I worked with, I wanted to feel ownership in the wins, and seek creative solutions when we needed pivot course. Today, we are internationally recognized not only for our creative thinking but also for our ease of conversation, problem-solving, creative execution and brand growth. I don’t believe in saying no; I believe in always finding a path forward. And I founded my company, all by myself and have grown it year-over-year with no outside support or capital and I want to empower other women with grit, drive, passion, and determination that they can do it too.

Why aren’t there more female Founders/Owners in this industry?

At Pulp+Wire, we are the 1%. It’s the percentage of creative agencies that are 100% founded by women. Crazy right? When 70% of graduating design students are female and only 3% of those women find roles as creative directors, we know something needs to change.

How would you describe the creative culture of Pulp+Wire?

The older agency model meant having account managers dictate the rules, telling creatives to sit in the corner and make pretty things. I believe that creatives can also be strategic thinkers. Building my company, I was really looking for designers that I completely aligned with so that it was not just about creating something beautiful. It was about really hearing the client and the brand, understanding how they ticked, what pieces made them unique within their industry, and then how we could build on that.

Every experience has an emotional component. What is your approach to design positive emotions to keep users happy and engaged?

This is about connecting to the consumer, where they are in their journey, buying process, or emotional state. A good brand relates and understands their audience, this is key to ultimately connecting with them emotionally too.

Can you walk me through your development processes? Do you handle all development work in-house?

Yes, we handle all design and development work in-house.

With shopper behavior changing, what impact do you believe machine learning and big data will have on the world of creative production?

It will help us and our clients to better understand our consumers, what they are seeking and how to better serve them and their families. Data has its place, but so does a real human connection when understanding your consumer.

What new ideas in immersive experiences are you excited about?

Sustainable brands, upcycling and brands with a strong story and reason for being.

From your personal standpoint, what advice do you have for women aiming for leadership positions?

To be a woman or a creative in this industry you need tenacity and grit and the ability to not be bulldozed. You need to be able to stand up for yourself, your work, your clients, and the purpose of all of the above. But be ready to pivot, have thick skin and stay true to your own energy and what you want.

Can you name a fun-fact people would be surprised to learn about you?

My last meal would be pineapple pizza.

Thanks Taja!

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• Follow Taja on social media:

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