Own a 1-of-1 position in your market

We build brand strategy guides fueled by customer research that clarify your foundation, focus your messaging, and light your path to growth.

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Top Branding and Customer Research Agency

In Los Angeles and California via Clutch
Map & Fire Brand Strategy and Customer Research Services

Your brand needs more than great creative to thrive.

Standing out in today’s hyper-competitive landscape requires a clearly defined direction, position, and message that your brand can use and rally around.  

With a mix of strategy and research, we uncover what your customers need, how they think, and why they buy, so you can match your unique value with what they value.

Start With Your Brand Strategy

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The Impact We’ve Had With Our Clients

"It was important to us that we bring in outside expertise to help us shape our new program offering differently and more imaginatively. We quickly landed on Map & Fire as the ideal partner for us. The groundwork they laid and the insights they were able to glean from the research were excellent. Most of all their willingness to work in partnership and their obvious interest in us as a client was refreshing."

Nicola Barrett
Chief Corporate Learning Officer, Emory Executive Education at the Goizueta Business School

"The magic is in Map & Fire's ability to approach what we do from a totally different perspective — one that's informed by customer and market research, and put that perspective down on paper in a way that's easy for anybody to understand. It's really changed where we think opportunities exist for our brand."

Brett Haney
President, Microfiber Wholesale

"They listened and took the time to research the market. The Brand Guide we completed has been a lifesaver in building our website and social media content from scratch. I found it so impressive that they were able to flesh out such clear messaging and identify our vision for the company."

Jenny Whiteman
Owner, W4 Products

"They truly listened to our team and I felt that they understood us. They made suggestions that we were immediately able to implement to help our customers better navigate our offering."

Carrie McClain
Owner & Founder, Little Saps

"As we’ve expanded, we realized that we needed Map & Fire to help us get down on paper what we’d been carrying around in our heads. We’ve been able to use the Brand Guidebook to better train our team and help with raising money for our growth. They are guides but also collaborators. Their commitment to getting it right for us was truly impressive."

Talmadge Lowe
Co-Founder, Hi–Lo Liquor Market

"After our very first working session with Map & Fire, we were sure they were a great fit. When we received our final Brand Guidebook, we were especially thrilled with what had been captured. Map & Fire really have a gift for listening and transforming ideas generated through working sessions and creating magic!"

Juliet Pettijohn
Co-Founder, CMO, Curate Better Days

"Map & Fire was a crucial partner in our journey to simplify our messaging. The Brand Guidebook process allowed us to clarify our value proposition and remove numerous roadblocks that existed with getting our entire team on the same page. They're wonderful people to work with, and do a phenomenal job juggling all the personalities and opinions that exist inside of an organization."

Evan Godwin
Head of Marketing, Bid Ops

"After seven years, our company was in need of a brand refresh. Map & Fire took us through a well devised step-by-step process that enabled us to reposition our company within the marketplace. Their insights throughout the project were invaluable and their level of commitment was something we have rarely experienced with external agencies. I cannot recommend Map & Fire highly enough."

Kenny Dunn
Founder, CEO, Eating Europe

"We needed a new brand strategy and were immediately blown away by the level of research and insight Map & Fire brought to the table. They are incredibly thorough and skilled in the space at a level I haven’t found at the smallest or largest agencies out there. They are now my go to shop."

Kendra Campbell-Milburn
VP, Customer Engagement, UPtv

"Map & Fire helped my company find the focus that it’s been missing for years. Our messaging makes more sense, the new onboarding process is simpler, and we’re finally targeting customers that are more likely to stick with our product. If you’re looking for technical, thoughtful, brand and marketing expertise, Map & Fire is among the best."

Louis DeMenthon
Founder, CEO, Eat This Much

"Every time I speak with Map & Fire, I gain clarity and confidence. They have the unique ability of being able to see both the forest and the trees. In working on high level strategy, Map & Fire helped me find a clear path to move my business forward and iron out details blocking our progress."

Kim Cavallo
Founder, CEO, Lilspace

"Map & Fire gave us actionable ideas to guide our thinking and solidify our brand. We now have a beautiful website with clear messaging around a complex topic: intellectual property in the new economy. We couldn’t be happier!"

Mayra Lomberao
Director of Strategic Initiatives, The Michelson 20MM Foundation

"I am consistently amazed at the level of value Map & Fire delivers to our creative process. Every conversation seems to inspire new ideas that refine our content, brand, and messaging in subtle, yet sophisticated ways."

Jeff Delaney
Founder, Google Dev Expert, Fireship.io

"Throughout an intensive content audit and digital overhaul, Map & Fire offered inexhaustible insight and consistent follow through. Their equanimity, good humor, and clarity—all of which rested on an extremely solid foundation of expertise—was invaluable during a pivotal period."

Lauren Daisley
Director of Communications, Boscobel House and Gardens

"Map & Fire is my go-to resource for consumer-driven strategy that gets results. They've built a seamless process to hack a deep and thorough understanding of your ideal customer. The strategy and tactics they develop always follow this customer first approach. The way it should be done!"

Justin Thomas
Founder, Owner, JourneyEngine

"Map & Fire guides you step-by-step to help organize your fuzzy thoughts in a very structured way. They provide an effective methodology to make communication with prospective clients clear and compelling."

Pilar Zárate
Founder, CEO, Vincle

"Map & Fire helped us spin off a new company, refocused our core mission, and became our goto source for guidance on both strategy and digital marketing. Constantly coming up with fresh ideas, and fearless in challenging conventional thinking, we now think of Map & Fire as a valuable extension of our team."

Stu Pollard
Founder, CEO, Lunacy Productions

"Map & Fire's expert guidance, insightful recommendations and customized strategies allowed me to fine-tune my vision, clarify my brand, and ultimately build my target audience."

Lori LoCicero
Founder, Life Revised

"The fact that they actually care and are invested in what we’re doing. That’s my favorite thing. Otherwise we could work with anybody."

Nick Clark
Founder, CEO, APRL

Some Of The Brands Who Trust Us

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Meet the founder

Hi, I’m Clay Ostrom

I have over 15 years of experience in branding, marketing, and strategy. I contribute to Foundr Magazine, have taught brand strategy lectures at UCLA, and have worked in the past with companies like Google, Sony, and Universal Pictures.

As a 3x founder, I’m incredibly passionate about working with entrepreneurs and business leaders to help them get the most out of their work and help them succeed. Reach out to learn how we can collaborate.

I Provide Mentorship For:

Meet the founder

Hi, I’m Clay Ostrom

I have over 15 years of experience in branding, marketing, and strategy. I contribute to Foundr Magazine, have taught brand strategy lectures at UCLA, and have worked in the past with companies like Google, Sony, and Universal Pictures.

As a 3x founder, I’m incredibly passionate about working with entrepreneurs and business leaders to help them get the most out of their work and help them succeed. Reach out to learn how we can collaborate.

I Provide Mentorship For:

UCLA USC General Assembly

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