Creative Director Troy Longie grows into GIANT role

April 8, 2025 | Giant, a strategic full-service marketing firm headquartered in Duluth, Minnesota, welcomes industry vet Troy Longie as their fractional Chief Creative Officer. Longie will bring senior creative strategy and leadership to Giant after helping build brands like Apple, Subaru, The North Face and Blue Cross Blue Shield.

“We exist to guide the complex—and there’s no one better-suited than Troy to help us do just that,” said Jena Mertz, Giant Chief Strategy Officer and Owner. “His big brand experience, strategic thinking and creative prowess have already elevated our performance and transformed our client partnerships. We love Troy’s vision, energy, passion and leadership.”

“I’m thrilled about the opportunity to work with this gem of a firm,” said Longie. “I’ve been working with Lisa and Jena (co-owners) for nearly a decade as a freelancer. I’ve watched the agency grow into what it is today, and the trajectory of growth they’ve experienced is no surprise to me. These ladies are incredibly smart with brilliant marketing minds. I’m humbled to be a part of it.”

As CCO, Troy will help lead the Giant client roster, which includes the Softwood Lumber Board, Think Wood, the Green Building Initiative, Valor Data Centers, GPM, Duluth International Airport, Communications Engineering Company and HCTec, among many others. “There are a lot of amazing creative opportunities here. I’m excited to help make an immediate impact. But I’m mostly looking forward to working with these people more and more every day. I’m proud to be a Giant.”

##

Giant is a difference-making firm that’s committed to guiding the ambitious through the complex. Channeling deep expertise, clear communication and strategic acumen, Giant helps its clients elevate their presence and achieve meaningful impact. Whether positioning for M&A, developing performance-driven sales and marketing alignment strategies, creating a nuanced client experience program or mapping stakeholder engagement to streamline the permitting process, navigating highly complex matters is Giant’s forte.