The Secret Agent of Smart, Fast Creative

Dani Dufresne is the Founder and Executive Producer of The Auxiliary Co., a creative execution firm known for bringing bold ideas to life—efficiently and without the red tape of traditional agencies. Trusted by top brands, Dani’s built a reputation for flawless production and assembling world-class creative teams. We talked about all of this and more this week on the On Brand podcast. About Dani Dufresne Dani Dufresne is the badass secret agent behind some of the most jaw-dropping campaigns you’ve ever seen. As the brains and brawn behind The Auxiliary Co., she’s the one team's call when they need to pull off high-stakes creative execution—without the bloated budgets and red tape of traditional old model agencies. With an unmatched eye for innovative approaches, high-value design, and production execution, Dani doesn’t just manage a campaign’s work—she makes it legendary. Whether assembling an A-list creative team, running a massive production on a shoestring budget, or stepping in to save a campaign from disaster, she delivers flawlessly and unapologetically every time. Forget the outdated agency model. Dani’s way is smarter, leaner, and faster. She’s here to help brands ditch the bureaucracy, hire the right people, and actually get sh*t done. If you don’t know her name yet, that’s because she’s been too busy making everyone else look good. Industrial Color. Here's a link to the AI color tool Dani talked about. What brand has made Dani smile recently? Dani shared a recent brand collab that made her smile: the unexpected partnership between hand sanitizer brand Living Touch and Crocs. It’s quirky, a little ridiculous—and totally memorable. For Dani, it’s a perfect example of how brands can break through by ditching traditional influencer playbooks and instead teaming up with other brands in surprising, delightful ways. It may not make logical sense on paper, but it makes great content—and sometimes that’s exactly the point. Connect with Dani on LinkedIn and The Aux Co website. Listen and subscribe at  Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon/Audible, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, iHeart, YouTube, and RSS. Rate and review the show—If you like what you’re hearing, be sure to head over to Apple Podcasts and click the 5-star button to rate the show. And, if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review to help others find the show. Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show. On Brand is a part of the Marketing Podcast Network. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet! 01:00 – Meet Dani Dufresne Intro to Dani and The Aux Co. — why she’s rethinking the traditional agency model. 03:30 – From Film School to Creative Producer How Dani’s Hollywood detour led to a career in advertising and production. 06:45 – What Agencies Get Wrong The communication gap between agencies, creatives, and production—and how Dani bridges it. 10:30 – The Rise of the Fractional Producer Why Dani started The Aux Co. and how her model differs from freelance. 14:10 – Scaling Smart: Building Flexible Creative Teams How she helps agencies and brands scale production without bloating their teams. 17:00 – Bringing Production in Early The case for embedding production thinking at the start of the creative process. 20:10 – Leading with EQ Managing personalities, egos, and teaching her team to anticipate problems before they happen. 23:40 – AI and the Future of Creative Work Why embracing AI isn’t optional—and how it’s changing creative ideation and production. 27:45 – A Brand That Made Dani Smile Why an unexpected Crocs x hand sanitizer collab stood out in a sea of sameness. 29:00 – Where to Find Dani Links, contact info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices