Building consistent pipelines for a bold motion design studio
Helping a creative studio scale beyond referrals with targeted outreach to top marketing and PR agencies.
The Challenge
ThunderHawk Studio, based in Media City, Salford, had already built a reputation for high-impact, ‘WTF moment’ motion design and video content, working with brands like The North Face.
But despite their bold creative edge, ThunderHawk faced a familiar challenge: generating a steady pipeline of new work. The studio had grown from freelance roots to a professional team, but still relied heavily on referrals and organic leads.
To scale, ThunderHawk needed a way to consistently get in front of the right decision-makers at marketing and PR agencies, without losing time to cold outreach that rarely cut through.
The Approach
Harper partnered with ThunderHawk to design a targeted sales outreach campaign tailored to their creative niche.
- Audience segmentation: Senior marketing and creative leaders at agencies across the Northwest, with a focus on those driving high-energy campaigns.
- Showreel-led messaging: Using ThunderHawk’s short, powerful showreel as a call-to-action, opening doors with work that speaks for itself.
- Email + LinkedIn strategy: Combining bold subject lines with scroll-stopping language to position ThunderHawk as the go-to studio for innovative motion design.
- Consultative process: Enabling founder Matt McHugh to focus on discovery calls and creative discussions, while Harper’s campaigns filled the calendar with new opportunities.
The Solution
A smart, multichannel outreach campaign that blended ThunderHawk’s standout visuals with Harper’s data-driven targeting.
Every message highlighted the studio’s ability to help agencies deliver high-energy, unforgettable campaigns, moving beyond generic creative support to genuine differentiation.
By leading with ThunderHawk’s proven results (like turning a North Face product drop into a full-blown visual event), Harper helped position the studio as a creative partner that guarantees impact.
Project Impact
Within weeks of launch, ThunderHawk built a stronger, more predictable pipeline of engaged leads.
The campaign delivered replies, warm conversations, and qualified meetings with decision-makers across the Northwest’s top marketing and PR agencies. Within their first 2 weeks with Harper, ThunderHawk generated 27 new leads!
This proactive approach means ThunderHawk can now scale with confidence, transforming from a project-by-project model into a studio with consistent opportunities for growth.
