Producer Todd Milliner and advertising executive Paul Velten have launched Summer98, a new charity-focused advertising agency, with its first campaign scheduled to debut on April 11, National Pet Day.
The new venture aims to connect non-profit organizations with established brands and creative talent for marketing campaigns, according to a report from Variety. The agency’s stated model is built on the idea that commercial marketing and social responsibility can be pursued simultaneously. This approach seeks to address a common challenge for charitable organizations. "Marketing is something that charities have a really difficult time with," Velten told Variety.
What We Know So Far
- Todd Milliner, a producer at Hazy Mills for over two decades, and advertising veteran Paul Velten have formally launched a new cause-first marketing agency named Summer98, as reported by Variety.
- The agency's inaugural campaign is titled 'Kevin Smith Talks Filmmaking with Dogs,' according to the same report.
- This first project promotes the Much Love Animal Shelter in partnership with Hera the Dog Vodka, a brand that donates 50% of its profits to animal rescue programs.
- The campaign is set to launch on April 11, which is recognized as National Pet Day, Variety reports.
- Summer98's stated mission is to create campaigns pairing brands and talent with non-profits to demonstrate that commercial success and social good are not mutually exclusive.
- The agency's name is derived from the summer of 1998, when Milliner and Velten first met, more than 25 years ago.
Summer98: A New Charity-Focused Advertising Agency
Summer98 brings together co-founders Todd Milliner, a producer with Hazy Mills for over 20 years, and Paul Velten, who built a career in advertising. According to Variety, their new agency is founded on a shared interest in charitable work. It combines Milliner's media production expertise with Velten's marketing strategy.
The venture represents a formal commitment to a long-held goal for Milliner. "For more than 20 years at Hazy Mills, we’ve talked about improving the world around us … it’s about time we put our money where our mouths are," Milliner stated to Variety. This sentiment positions Summer98 as a "cause-first" entity, where the charitable component is integral to its business model, not ancillary. The agency's name, Summer98, reflects the long-standing relationship between the two founders.
How Summer98 Aims to Impact Non-Profit Marketing
Summer98's operational model, as described in reports, focuses on creating symbiotic relationships. It develops campaigns that provide tangible marketing benefits for for-profit brands, while simultaneously raising awareness and support for non-profit causes. This structure leverages the resources and reach of established brands to amplify the messages of non-profits, which often operate with limited marketing budgets, and involves creative professionals.
The agency's first project, 'Kevin Smith Talks Filmmaking with Dogs,' exemplifies this model by uniting filmmaker Kevin Smith, Much Love Animal Shelter, and Hera the Dog Vodka. The partnership is thematically consistent: Hera the Dog Vodka's business model includes a significant commitment to animal rescue. Variety reports the company donates 50% of its profits to such programs, directly aligning its commercial interests with the Much Love Animal Shelter's mission.
What We Know About Next Steps
Summer98's only officially announced next step is the public launch of its first advertising campaign, 'Kevin Smith Talks Filmmaking with Dogs,' scheduled for April 11 to coincide with National Pet Day. The agency and its founders have released no information regarding future campaigns, additional client partnerships, or a longer-term project timeline.
