Celebrating the launch of Keane Creative in downtown Tempe are, from left: Russ Perry, owner Keane Creative; Mara DeFilippis, financial planner with InvestGreen and co-founder of the national Green Chamber; and Russ Maloney, partner in Keane Creative (photo by Joan Westlake).

A partnership with IKEA helped furnish the creative agency’s trendy new space with expansive windows overlooking Tempe Butte, Town Lake and beyond. A large board along one wall was filled by guests with words of well wishes and witty one-liners. Networking was conducted along with a cocktail mixing contest (the winning drink included a chest hair) with a group that has been meeting for many months “to blow off steam” in true Gen Y style.

    Arizona State alumni Perry gained technical expertise while working for Apple and gathered some agency experience along the way. In October 2007, when his freelance jobs gathered momentum, he started Keane Creative. Maloney joined two months later.

    The rest of the staff is a crew of freelance talent from around the country who come together on projects via the Internet and programs like Backpack, Google.doc and Basecamp.

    “We use a writer out of Pennsylvania, a designer from Florida and local talent,” says Maloney. “It broadens our creative scope and makes us standout from other agencies.”

    Concerns beyond just making a buck, another Gen Y trait, is evident is the company’s clients and affiliations. Perry is a member of the Arizona Chapter of the US Green Building Council and a marketing consultant for a committee leader for the Phoenix Green Chamber.

    During the launch party, co-founder of the national Green Chamber Mara DeFilippis (Phoenix financial planner with InvestGreen) pointed out the abundance of “green” clients and projects displayed by Keane. Clients include Morgan Stanley, IKEA, Green Ideas and Suncor.

    The company already has won an “Addy” award for a brochure it created for LG Eden. And, it started the ODDY Award (www.theoddy.com) to highlight the off-beat marketing campaigns that traditional associations don’t recognize.

    Maloney says that in addition to traditional collateral, Web and marketing approaches, Keane Creative offers expertise in cost-effective marketing technologies and business partnerships that can deliver results without big price tags.

    When asked if Keane was a clever way of saying the agency was especially sharp, Maloney responded, “Keane is actually Russ Perry’s middle name. It wasn't necessarily chosen because of any allusions to the word ‘keen,’ though we do get that a lot. We were always aware of those companies that tried too hard to either be radical or epic with names, and you can disconnect yourself with entire sections of the population if you're not careful. So we chose to go the eponymous route. It's simple and classic.”

    Find out more about the firm from Perry’s regular blog or stop by Keane’s continuing regular “blow off steam” happy hours—time and place listed on the Web site.

    Keane Creative is located in the Orchid House just east of Mill on Sixth Street; phone 602-904-6478; www.keanecreative.com.