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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

They’re hard at play


Marcus Brown of Seven2 Interactive checks on the Web site of the movie

Visitors to a startup Spokane online marketing agency might stumble across workers on their lunch break playing Nintendo games in an office hallway decorated with game characters.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise. Employees of three-year-old Seven2 Interactive designed the MySpace page for Nintendo’s Wii console, and sites for the Nintendo World store and the game “Mario Hoops 3-on-3.”

Seven2 produces Internet content, such as Web sites, games and online ads, for national companies. Co-founders and owners Nick Murto and Tyler Lafferty said they refinanced their houses to found the firm, but have since grown it into an 18-person outfit that has created multimedia-rich content for big names, from MTV to AT&T and Netflix.

“For us, it’s cool to be a part of those brands,” Lafferty said.

The company also has spawned a spin-off business, 14Four, which handles contract multimedia work for other ad agencies. Started this year, it employs eight and could outpace Seven2 in growth, the founders said.

Seven2’s second-story office in a downtown building hints at the style of its founders, and their efforts to foster a fun workplace.

Each of the three conference rooms is named after one of the parts of the game Rock, Paper, Scissors, and one wall has a built-in iPod jack. Employees gather on oversized, carpet-covered steps built into another wall for morning meetings.

Many cubicles are covered in action figures or other toys, and each employee has a company-issued Mexican wrestling mask, part of an inside joke that spills over into the company Web site.

“We’re still excited to come to work every day,” said Murto, 36.

The owners declined to disclose revenue figures, but said the company has been profitable since its first year. Seven2 projects start at roughly $25,000 and range into the hundreds of thousands of dollars, they said.

The founders said they don’t think too much about competition, partly because there’s so much of it. They concentrate instead on building relationships that land them desired clients, Lafferty, 32, said.

While Nintendo uses a variety of agencies, Seven2 is smaller and “more hungry for your business and they are also more nimble and flexible about things,” said Dan Owsen, senior manager of Web marketing for Nintendo.

Murto and Lafferty started the company after quitting Spokane-based advertising firm Miller.WhiteRunkle Inc. Lafferty said Miller.WhiteRunkle pursued legal action, alleging they took some of the firm’s clients. Lafferty contended Seven2 did not make off with clients, although the two companies had some in common.

Ed. Miller, president and CEO of 46-employee Miller.WhiteRunkle, declined to elaborate on the legal matter, saying it was settled by arbitration.

Seven2 projects aim to fulfill a variety of client goals. While Nintendo wants people to spend time exposed to its brand, AT&T might want fewer customer service calls about a business phone and Netflix could ask for more sign-ups, the owners said. Designers use Adobe Flash, Photoshop and Illustrator, while programmers use Microsoft-based development tools.

One of Seven2’s latest projects is the Web site for New Line Cinema’s recent Jackie Chan action movie “Rush Hour 3,” www.rushhourmovie.com.

“They just had a particular kind of non-L.A. charm,” said Aaron Sugarman, senior vice president of interactive marketing for New Line Cinema. “There’s just something about (their) personality, they’re kind of low-key and hardworking and funny.”

Another recent project, a game for the Nickelodeon show “Blue’s Clues,” lets children dress up characters in different outfits.

“It’s fun to see the guys developing it here and also have my 4-year-old at home playing it,” Murto said.

The owners are considering expanding 14Four, formerly Motiv Interactive, to New York. Seven2’s name is based on 72 dpi, the resolution of some Web graphics. And 14Four is double Seven2.

“At the end of the day, if you’re going to make money and you have to pay your mortgage, why not be doing something that excites you, that you find interesting, that you’re passionate about?” Lafferty said.