Maverick Studios has been named the 2025 In‑House Agency of the Year by the In‑House Agency Forum (IHAF)—a recognition reserved for studios pushing the industry forward with boundary‑breaking creativity, advanced production capability, and real business impact.

This win puts Maverick alongside a short list of trailblazing in‑house agencies from global brands. But the work that earned it? Unmistakably Maverick.
Engineered for scale. Designed for speed. Built for the future of content.

Where Innovation Meets Impact

Maverick Studios was launched in 2021 with a simple premise: in‑house should outperform out‑of‑house. Today, the studio supports six iconic restaurant brands with end‑to‑end creative and production, operating as a full‑stack engine powering Inspire’s content ecosystem.
In 2024, the studio delivered more than 19,000 pieces of content from 3,500 assets, fueling everything from national advertising to on‑premise storytelling. Campaigns built through Maverick landed 70% faster and at up to 81% lower cost compared to external models.
This isn’t just efficiency. It’s a redefinition of what an in‑house studio can be

Content Kitchen: The Future of Production

At the center of Maverick’s operation is Content Kitchen, a space purpose‑built for next‑generation storytelling.
The facility includes:

  • 4,000 sq ft XR volume
  • 1,000 sq ft soundstage
  • Motion‑control robotics (including Goose)
  • High‑speed asset management through The Vault

Every tool is wired for agility. Every workflow is designed for scale. Every output is crafted to be premium.
This is where ideas go to accelerate—and where innovation never stops.

Award‑Winning Creative Excellence

Beyond the top honor, Maverick brought home multiple awards across key creative categories, including:

  • Direct Mail
  • Social Media Animated Graphics
  • Creative Copywriting
  • Digital Marketing Emails
  • Point of Sale

These category wins reflect the studio’s range—from high‑craft storytelling to high‑volume production—and its ability to elevate every touchpoint of the guest experience.

A Team Built for Breakthroughs

Maverick’s team of 60+ creatives, technologists, producers, and operations leaders is built like a modern agency—strategic, cross‑functional, and relentlessly curious.
Their collaboration model allows them to concept, iterate, and deliver at a pace built for today’s content landscape.

“This recognition is a true testament to our evolution as a creative organization,” said Chris Phillips, VP and Managing Director of Maverick Studios. “Our focus on data‑driven results pushes us to grow, innovate, and transform the way we support team members, restaurants, and franchisees.”

Setting the Benchmark for the Modern In‑House Agency

Maverick Studios didn’t earn this award by looking like a traditional in‑house department.
It earned it by operating like a next‑generation production company:

  • Technology‑led
  • Talent‑powered
  • Efficiency‑engineered
  • Creativity‑obsessed

And this year’s recognition is only the beginning.
Maverick is already building what’s next—new capabilities, new technologies, and new ways to deliver content at the speed of culture and the scale of Inspire’s global footprint.

The 2025 IHAF honor is a milestone.
But for Maverick Studios, it’s just fuel.

Maverick Studios has truly raised the bar in 2024, earning an impressive twelve Graphic Design Awards from GDUSA’s 61st Annual Design Awards Competition and that’s not all. We’re also proud recipients of a coveted iHAF Creativity Award, further cementing our place among the industry’s innovative and impactful creative teams.

GDUSA Awards Include:

  • Arby’s $1 Sliders | Social Media
  • Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream Trailers | Surface + Vehicle Wraps
  • Baskin Robbins International Packaging Design | Packaging
  • Buffalo Wild Wings Go for the Golden Fire | Email Marketing
  • Buffalo Wild Wings All You Can Eat | Integrated Marketing Campaign
  • Dunkin’ Culinary Team Packaging | Packaging
  • Inspire Brands Brand Purpose Video | Motion
  • Jimmy John’s Gyro | Email
  • Jimmy John’s Strawberry Wraps & Lemonade Market Test | POP + Exhibits + Displays
  • SONIC Live Free Map | Brochures + Collateral
  • SONIC Free Little Library | Designing for Good
  • SONIC Smasher Video | Motion

iHAF Award Includes:

  • Dunkin’ International Packaging | Honorable Mention – Packaging

These prestigious honors recognize creative excellence across design, celebrating standout work from design firms, ad agencies, in-house departments, institutions, associations, freelancers, and students alike. The competition spans a wide range of categories, including print, packaging, point-of-purchase (P-O-P), social, interactive, video, and more.

To be recognized by both GDUSA and iHAF is a testament to the passion, vision, and dedication our team pours into every project. Not only is our team incredibly talented, they’re award-winning talented.

We’re honored to be acknowledged by such respected institutions in the design world, and we’re more inspired than ever to keep pushing creative boundaries.

Congratulations, Maverick Studios Team!

Arby’s $1 Sliders | Social Media

Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream Trailers | Surface + Vehicle Wraps

Baskin-Robbins International Packaging Design | Packaging

Buffalo Wild Wings Go for the Golden Fire | Email Marketing

Buffalo Wild Wings All You Can Eat | Integrated Marketing Campaign

Dunkin’ Culinary Team Packaging | Packaging

Inspire Brands Brand Purpose Video | Motion

Jimmy John’s Gyro | Email

Jimmy John’s Strawberry Wraps & Lemonade Market Test | POP + Exhibits + Displays

SONIC Live Free Map | Brochures + Collateral

SONIC Free Little Library | Designing for Good

SONIC Smasher Video | Motion

Dunkin’ International Packaging | iHAF Honorable Mention – Packaging

Every year, Inspire Brands creates and distributes countless advertisements, ranging from commercials and images to web content. But after initial use, they often go unused, sitting lost or forgotten on a digital shelf. 

That is why we are excited to announce the launch of The Vault, a powerful, state-of-the-art digital asset management (DAM) system designed to simplify the way we organize, store, and share our extensive marketing content, and accelerate the creative process. Built on Bynder’s robust DAM platform, and equipped with AI capabilities, The Vault serves as a centralized, cloud-based storage system that streamlines asset management for all brands, departments, franchisees and agencies across the company. It ensures brand consistency and creates a seamless workflow by ensuring that every marketing asset is easily searchable, accessible, and ready for use in new campaigns. 

The Vault is a game changer for marketing efficiency and a key component of Inspire Brands’ ongoing digital transformation. Internal teams, external agencies and production partners can collaborate effortlessly within a single system. With features like version control, rights management, and usage tracking, The Vault provides real-time access to the latest approved assets, ensures consistency between campaigns, and allows for faster execution and greater scalability. 

The Vault also offers powerful analytics and reporting tools that provide insights into asset performance. This means Inspire Brands can not only optimize content strategies but also unlock new creative possibilities to inspire more meaningful connections with its customers.

Last month alone, The Vault served over 6.5 billion assets, leveraging its growing library of 43,000+ resources and growing. And in June 2024, Inspire Brands received Bynder’s Digital Transformation Award for Maverick Studios’ innovative push towards digital asset integration across our portfolio of brands.  

With The Vault, we are building the future of brand storytelling—faster, smarter, and more unified than ever before.  

Inspire Brands was thrilled to receive Bynder’s Digital Transformation Award for Maverick Studios’ innovative push towards digital asset integration across our portfolio of brands. This recognition underscores the strategic advancements we’ve made in streamlining content and enhancing asset management processes through our partnership with Bynder, a best-in-class digital asset management (DAM) platform.

The Power of Integration

Known internally as The Vault, Bynder serves as the central hub for all content produced for each of our brands at Inspire Brands. From brand guidelines to digital images and videos, The Vault houses everything Inspire Brands needs in one accessible location. This centralized system acts as a “global solution,” ensuring that approved assets are readily available across all platforms and communications.

The Vision for a Unified System

We recognized a critical need for a simple, centralized database for brands, agencies, and partners, to access all the extensive files created daily. The growing increase in demand for deliverables highlighted the necessity for a secure, efficient, and streamlined method of sharing assets. By partnering with Bynder, we accelerated our digital transformation, uniting our brands and facilitating seamless integration. 

Managing an Expanding Library

Since the integration, Maverick Studios has successfully managed over 38,000 assets, with an average of 500 new assets uploaded each week. Within the last 3 months, we have served 4.4 billion impressions off only 1,500 unique assets.

Looking Ahead

The recognition from Bynder is not just an award; it’s a testament to our dedication for being at the forefront of digital asset management. As we continue to refine our processes and expand our asset library, we are excited about the future of Inspire Brands.

Link to Bynder’s award announcement: https://www.bynder.com/en/bynder-spotlight-awards/profile-inspire-brands/

Join us as we sit down with Vice President, Chris Phillips to uncover the exciting journey behind expanding our new studio in Hyderabad, India. Discover the vision, excitement, and creative aspirations driving this bold move. Read on to get an insider’s perspective on how Maverick is making a “nest” in one of India’s most vibrant cities.

Where did the idea of growing Maverick Studios from the Inspire Hyderabad Support Center come from?

The bigger Maverick Studios gets the more quick-turn, last-minute requests we get. We are always looking for more efficient ways to deliver on deadlines while not compromising the quality of the work. When HR asked me if Maverick Studios had staffing needs for our new office in Hyderabad I jumped at the chance. It was a great opportunity to extend the length of each project turn cycle by lengthening the hours available each day, allowing us to give projects with the tightest deadlines the attention they deserve.

What are two benefits that you are excited to see impact the Studio by having new support from the Hyderabad Support Center?

I’m most excited about seeing the impact on creativity. Blending new perspectives and experiences from other parts of the world can help us push the limits. Then, pair that with the impact on speed driven by the ability to iterate around the clock.  You get fresh, multicultural thinking on ideas that can be fully explored without missing calendar deadlines. All that coming to life within our existing workflows and ecosystems. I can’t wait to see the results.

Is Maverick Studios the only Inspire Shared Service based out of the Hyderabad Support Center?

Not even close to the only. There are many other shared services teams being supported out of the HSC. The office is already home to more than 200 employees working across various departments. In fact, Maverick Studios works with several support staff out of HSC around digital product, HR and data.

Within the studio, what type of work or projects do you foresee team members in Hyderabad supporting? Is it any, a few, or all the brands?

We are utilizing our team in Hyderabad for all aspects of the business. From field marketing to POP materials, motion graphics to photo editing, the team is working on entire projects or integrating on specific tasks to enable quicker turnaround. We have team members on work spanning our entire family of brands and shared services. We’ve even been able to work on content for Maverick Studios.

Did Maverick Studios provide support with any of the development, planning, or design for the physical support center office(s)?

We did. Our team worked directly with construction and project teams to bring our brands to life on the walls of the office. Mixing in a local flair with Inspire branding in common spaces as well as consulting on materials and signage choices. It was fun to know we helped shape the work environment of our future team members and helped create a special space representing Inspire on the other side of the globe.

We know for certain that 2023 is behind us as we move full speed into the second month of 2024. How fast can time fly? When going into a new year, we Mavericks understand the importance of reflecting on the accomplishments and progress that has been made. 2024 has been a spectacular year for Maverick Studios as we worked to support our clients and supercharge Inspire and its portfolio of brands. For our team, the journey in 2023 was marked by continued innovation, growth, and an unwavering commitment to what we do.

For Inspire Brands, Maverick Studios remains committed to its mission to produce quality, game-changing content.  We’ve been happy to support many groundbreaking projects & impactful collaborations. Here’s a glimpse into the highlights of our journey throughout 2023.

Strategic Partnerships

One of the keys of our success lies in the partnerships we’ve cultivated. In 2023, we grew and deepened our network of collaborators, forging meaningful alliances with industry leaders and innovative startups alike. These partnerships not only fostered an exchange of ideas but also enabled us to deliver complete solutions for the unique needs of our clients. From Food Styling, Event Production, Video & Photoshoots, Asset Versioning, Caricatures, and more; together we have been able to accomplish anything sent our way.

Innovative Campaigns

Creativity takes flight with us Mavericks. Throughout the year, we conceptualized and executed a staggering amount of creative that captivated audiences and uplifted the brands we serve. From immersive live experiences to engaging social media activations, each project was meticulously crafted to leave a lasting impression and boost our brand’s presence.

Thought Leadership

As leaders in our field, our very own Chris Phillips took center stage at the In-House Agency Forum in Boston to share insights with others in our industry. During our time, we provoked discourse and drove meaningful conversations, while also being recognized by our peers for a few of our efforts in bringing creativity for our clients to life.

Employee Empowerment

The greatest asset at Maverick Studios is our talented and dedicated flock. Throughout the year, we continued to foster a culture of collaboration, creativity, and continuous learning. And boy did we grow! We expanded further to become a tightly integrated team of designers, producers, project managers, strategists, photographers, and more. We also promoted from within recognizing and celebrating our people, recognizing that their growth is integral to our collective success.

Recognition and Awards

The accolades received throughout 2023 serve as a testament to our unwavering commitment to excellence. Whether it was industry awards, client recognition, or employee achievements, each honor confirmed our role as a trailblazer.

When we look forward to the opportunities and challenges that await us in 2024, one thing is certain: Maverick Studios will continue to push the boundaries of innovation, achieve exceptional results, and break through expectations. Thank you to our clients, partners, and team members for their tremendous role in our journey. Together, we embark on the next chapter of our success.

Maverick Studios sure has set the bar high this year, earning not one, but six Graphic Design Awards for GDUSA’s 59th Annual Design Award Competition for 2022! Maverick Studios is a winner in the end-of-year best-of-year program, competing against more than 14,000 other entries in which less than the top 10 percent were chosen. 

Awards include: 

  • Arby’s | 2021 Worldwide Franchise Convention Graphics 
  • Buffalo Wild Wings | Saucy Chicken Sandwich Social Media 
  • Dunkin’ | 2022 Dunkin’ Logo 
  • Jimmy John’s | National Pickle Day Emails 
  • Inspire Brands | Good Citizens Report 
  • Dunkin’ | American Runs on Dunkin’ Manifesto 

GDUSA awards are highly recognized by the industry. These awards honors graphic excellence in a variety of groups in the design industry: design firms, ad agencies, in-house departments, institutions, associations, freelancers, students and more. The work submitted can range from print, packaging, P-O-P, internet, interactive, video and more. Maverick Studios will receive an embossed Award Certificate for each winning project and can publish the winning pieces in the 59th Anniversary GDUSA Awards Annual — seen by over 100,000 colleagues and clients each year. 

This is an outstanding achievement for an in-house studio that’s only been in operation since 2021. Not only are our designers extremely talented, but award-winning talented! 

Congratulations, Maverick Studios Team! 

Arby’s | 2021 Worldwide Franchise Convention Graphics 

Buffalo Wild Wings | Saucy Chicken Sandwich Social Media 

Dunkin’ | 2022 Dunkin’ Logo 

Jimmy John’s | National Pickle Day Emails 

Inspire Brands | Good Citizens Report 

Dunkin’ | American Runs on Dunkin’ Manifesto 

The pandemic brought lots of changes to the workplace and the world in general, but these changes began long before this big shift. Media and the way people consume and react to different marketing methods is evolving at warp speed in today’s time, meaning that adapting quickly and effectively is the only way to keep afloat. The restaurant industry especially faced a lot of challenges during the pandemic in which new thinking became paramount. 

IHAF supplier member, Wripple, spoke to one of our own, VP of Maverick Studios, Chris Phillips, for insider expertise on how he led Maverick Studios through tough times with new strategies to keep our brands relevant in the minds of consumers. When asked about this process, Chris said, “I saw this as an opportunity to expand how the in-house team contributes to the business, building a better future for Maverick”. Chris’ key insights for innovation include creativity, content and seamless teams. 

Creativity is non-negotiable. The average person sees 6,000 to 10,000 advertisements a day, meaning your message needs to be creative enough to break through all the noise. With the pandemic, access to resources in the office was limited.

“The way we worked before the pandemic wasn’t an option,” shared Chris. “We couldn’t have simple photoshoots like we used to—we weren’t allowed. We had a problem, a project, and we had to get creative to make it happen.” 

As Bill Gates famously wrote, content is king. Not only was new content required, but better, think-outside-the-box content was necessary. With the digital landscape constantly changing with new platforms and new ways to reach consumers, Chris and Maverick Studios had to up their content game, “The way content is consumed and the way customers make decisions are different now. The reach has changed significantly”. Getting the consumers’ attention above all other media is the key to success. 

Seamless communication across teams translates to better products and happier clients. Chris knew this and shifted to a system that used hyper-collaboration, with a focus on unity across all project teams. Freelancers were employed to help to close the gap in client needs, and seamless communication with them was vital as well.

“Our key objective in using freelancers was to give our team the room it needed to rapidly expand and evolve their roles given the new reality we faced. Engaging specialists allowed us to manage surge capacity and be more nimble and quicker to market,”.

This seamless communication has maintained its presence in Maverick Studios even with team members who work remotely. 

As for the future of Maverick Studios Chris is confident in his team. “The pandemic shined a light on what Maverick Studios can deliver. We are more integrated, and the results show it. By moving forward boldly, our future is bright. However, vigilance is still essential.” Maverick Studios is never satisfied and continues to push for more creativity and improving from previous efforts. Thanks to Chris’ guidance along the way, the future is bright for Maverick Studios. 

For more information, visit ihaforum

Maverick Studios is ramping up its game in every way possible! To do so, our Production Team got together with the Atlanta-based company, XR Virtual Production. Now, we Mavericks can use cutting-edge technology and cut costs without compromising on the maximization of production quality and impact.

Watch the video above for a glimpse of what working with XR Virtual Production means for Maverick Studios, our unique brands, and all the exciting productions we’ll go on to create.