On their first day in the office, new hires at Juliet aren't given the customary welcome of a branded Moleskine. Ryan Spelliscy, the agency’s founder and chief creative officer, says they’re let loose with $50 and asked to bring back stories of audiences they love.

In the journalism world, this is called “shoe-leather” reporting, pounding the pavement to find compelling subjects and experiences. Juliet, a Toronto-based agency with an office in Los Angeles, is showing why this approach isn’t just for old-school newspapers. Personal stories touch audiences in a way that ordinary market research can’t.

“So many people can walk around agencies and describe a persona,” Spelliscy says. “But can they actually describe the person, and the conversations you’ve had with them?”

At the core of any Juliet project, Spelliscy says, is a willingness to send staffers into the field to learn everything they need to know about a brand’s audience