Launched d in 2020, Lifelong Crush was originally intended to be a supporting act for parent co. Broken Heart Love Affair. Now the only time LLC and BHLA cross paths is when their coffee mugs get mixed up in the office kitchen.

For the better part of the last two years, LLC has been building out its own brand, capabilities and reputation, entirely separate from BHLA. Its motion to become selfruled was spurred on by creative powerhouses Christina Yu and Derek Blais stepping into co-CCO roles in 2023. “When we arrived two years ago, we strategically redesigned Lifelong Crush to be its own entity,” says Yu.

For example, for Kruger, a client that both agencies pitch work for, BHLA takes care of master brand platforms while LLC handles culture-focused work; things like the “Cashmere Collection” or “Ultraluxe Guide.”

In fact, the “Ultraluxe Guide” came to fruition after hearing that the bathroom tissue category was keeping Kruger CMO Susan Irving up at night. That’s when Blais and Yu pitched the idea to create a Michelin Guide, but for restaurant bathrooms, to Irving. She bought the idea on the spot and rolled it out four weeks later. It was too brilliant to pass up, Irving told strategy.

“The idea came from the insight that everyone talks about restaurant bathrooms, but no one is setting a standard,” says Blais. The agency went whole-hog on the guide’s development, hiring bathroom inspectors, restaurant experts and interior designers to evaluate and rank the most luxurious restaurant bathrooms in the country.

“I feel proud of the multi-dimensional, multichannel approach we pulled off,” says Yu. “We want [more] clients who are looking for more than just a typical campaign.”

Inspired by its moniker, Yu says the agency’s focus is to develop “unconstrained ideas” that “stick with you, that leave a lasting impression. You never forget your lifelong crush. We aim to create brands that occupy people’s minds in that way… [And] we watch for those genuine reactions that signal we’ve created something that’ll work.”