Inside the Archer Group’s colorful Wilmington offices [photos]

Three decades ago, Todd Miller was the kid in the back of the class doodling, drawing and looking out the window daydreaming.
By high school, he had harnessed his artistic talents, creating award-winning murals and sculptures. But there was another side to him. With little knowledge of design, he chose to study communication design at Kutztown University since it combined his two interests — computers and art.
That degree, plus his experience working at PBS and at various agencies in and around Philadelphia, helped land him a position in 2005 at the Archer Group in Wilmington.
Miller, 38, is now principal and a managing partner of firm, whose mission is to engineer meaningful experiences that inspire action. Miller, along with partner Mike Derins, purchased the digital design agency in 2011 from its founders.

Much has changed in the nine years since Miller began at the Archer Group, which launched in Delaware in 2003. Miller remembers a time when just six employees checked into work each morning.
“Now we’re near 60. It’s the same organization, but wildly different,” Miller said. “As we’ve grown, we’ve been able to bring in some really talented people. The challenges — how do you recruit? How do you keep up with the times? That’s the fun part about it.”
Employees at the Archer Group enjoy company picnics, launch parties, a yearly company gathering with a mini-golf course in the office and other amenities. These benefits, Miller said, help the team enjoy their work, feel invested in the company and deliver results.
“It’s very common for agencies to ask clients what they need and do what a client is looking for,” Miller said. “But if you’re good at digital, clients might say they need a new website, when what they really need is a content strategy or a social media strategy. We map appropriate tactics.”

The Archer Group boasts a client list of three-dozen, including Comcast, Chase, DuPont, Time Warner and Wawa, just to name a few.
One of the organization’s longest relationships has been with Wawa, a Delaware Valley icon.
The Archer team recently wrapped up production on the Hoagiefest 2014 campaign, which is now in full swing. The Archer Group does everything digital for the company, Miller said, as well as its marketing campaigns, store signage, email communications, mobile strategy, mobile website and even the in-store touchscreen hoagie ordering system, which was recently updated.
“It’s really cool work. But it’s also really cool work that works,” MIller said. “It’s fun to see our work get shared and mentioned and it’s great to see people using the things we create every day.”

The Archer Group, Miller said, hopes to continuously evolve and serve its clients in the best ways possible.
“The challenge of digital is that it changes every day,” Miller said. “The awesome part of digital is that it changes every day.”
As more tech companies and creative endeavors are starting to take shape in Delaware, Miller said he is proud of his company’s reputation in the First State, based just off Wilmington’s Market Street.
“Delaware is a badge of honor for us. It’s not Philadelphia and not New York. It’s a little bit of a hidden gem, and we have a big untapped area here,” he said. “It’s quiet, which allows us to focus and be unique.”
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