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A gilt-framed Mona Lisa in a bare gallery, sprayed with the words You can have seventy-nine seconds

Just what the world needs.
More agency.

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In the winter of 1963, the Mona Lisa visited the MET in New York City for the first time. Demand to see her was off the charts as the line stretched for blocks. The organizers realized that thousands of people would not get to see her before the exhibit’s end. They divided how much time was left by how many people were in line. Everyone was given seventy-nine seconds with the Mona Lisa.

Creative problem solving with an audience-first mindset that values precision, equal access and a good story. That’s us.

What’s your story?
A field of poppy-red tulips with a single yellow one01 — Approach

Time for something different.

The sales funnel has collapsed. The path from awareness to conversion is measured in seconds. Markets, culture and media move faster than an accidental reply-all. Your team wonders if AI will make their jobs easier or just easier to be replaced. And your customers are being sliced into micro-moments of attention so thin, they’re disappearing. All of that, and your agency wants three months for discovery. So now what?

Every problem can be framed in terms of changing belief and behavior as well as change itself — understanding it, keeping up with it, getting ahead of it, implementing it, communicating it, or simply accepting it. If it helps, go ahead and pigeon-hole us as a consultancy or an ad agency, a design firm or a product studio. Just know that today’s problems aren’t constrained by the silos and business models of the past. And neither are we.

TL;DR
Everything is change. So we provide strategy, branding and product innovation in record time.
02 — Engagements
Four levels

This gives you an idea of what we do and for how much. Individual mileage may vary.

A tiny orange mushroom in moss
In hours

Start Small

The seeds that lead to growth. Hot takes & second opinions; manifestos & brand standings; external essays & internal speeches. Starting at $7.9k.

A boardwalk curving through a green forest
In days

Make new trails

The work that gives direction. Brand & messaging strategies; research & UX reports; space & market analyses; prototypes & pitch decks. Starting at $19k.

Old rusted industrial towers
In weeks

Rethink old ways

Because change requires it. A full brand DNA: Design · Narrative · Actions; advertising campaigns & identity systems; brand architectures & product launches. Starting at $39k.

A conifer forest in blue fog, the sun a pale disc above the treeline
In months

Reach for the sky

But stay grounded in reality. Ongoing content authoring & production; product development & maintenance; long-form books & documentaries. Starting at $79k.

We have flexible pricing including incentive structures and partnerships. We do not charge by the hour.

03 — Elements
DNA

There is no absence of branding.

Every customer and employer brand has a DNA made of these three elements. If left unattended they don’t disappear; they become a thing you can’t influence — a negatively charged element. Our work is built on these foundational elements.

Flip each one to its negative charge.
04 — Who we are

We is a very small number of people.

79 Seconds is Ross Phernetton, a Minneapolis-based strategist, writer and idea generator. Ross brings thirty years of experience from Target, Hormel, Google, Samsung, P&G, Mars, 3M, Boston Scientific and eHealth.

He pulls together an ensemble of specialists for whatever job is before us. So you get exactly who you need and no more. Helping him do this is Rain, our project manager and first AI employee at 79 Seconds.

Ross PhernettonRoss Phernetton
Ross Phernetton · Founder
05 — FAQ

Frankly answered questions

Curious about working with us?

Give us just enough to go on, and we’ll be in touch shortly.

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