No half punches

In an era of fragmented media and shrinking attention spans, some agencies are responding by doing more. Full Punch is doing the opposite—doing less, better. Founded by Mike Leslie and Chris Zawada, the Vancouver-based independent agency is built on a simple belief: strong ideas, delivered with conviction, outperform scattered efforts every time. The name isn’t just a brand. It’s a philosophy.

“Too many brands are throwing half punches. They’re trying to be everything to everyone across every channel—but without the budget or focus to do it well. We help brands narrow in, take a stance and follow through. That’s how you throw a Full Punch."
Mike Leslie.

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Where Strategy and Creativity Work as One

The partnership works because of contrast. Leslie approaches business challenges through positioning and strategic clarity. Zawada brings the creative instinct that turns insight into impact. But at Full Punch, those disciplines aren’t siloed.

“It may sound cliché, but the word partner matters. We didn’t want strategy in one room and creativity in another. The strongest ideas happen when both are shaping the work from the beginning.”   
 Chris Zawada

That integration is foundational. Strategy isn’t a handoff. Creativity isn’t decoration. They develop in tandem—each sharpening the other.

Building a Brand That Reflects the Belief

If Full Punch helps clients build brands with focus and conviction, the agency holds itself to the same standard. From day one, Leslie and Zawada set out to create a shop defined by collaboration, optimism and cultural awareness. In an industry where ideas are routinely challenged—and often killed before they have a chance to grow—the founders believe mindset matters. Their guiding principle? What’s the best that can happen?

“It keeps us moving forward. It reminds us to push ideas further and collaborate openly—with each other and with our clients.”
Mike Leslie

Like many independents, Full Punch operates with a lean team. But that’s intentional. Growth, for them, isn’t about headcount. It’s about impact.

“When teams are smaller, ownership is stronger. The people touching the work feel responsible for making it great.”
Chris Zawada

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Strategy and Creativity in Your Corner

As in-housing rises and the traditional agency-of-record model continues to evolve, Full Punch has defined its role clearly: strategy and creativity in your corner. Rather than replicating what internal teams already do, the agency positions itself as a focused outside perspective.

The boxing metaphor runs deep. When a brand is in the ring, pressure is constant and decisions move fast. Being “in the corner” means sharing the stakes—while still seeing the broader fight unfold. That balance—embedded yet objective—allows Full Punch to understand the shorthand, pressures and politics inside an organization, while still pushing for stronger, sharper ideas.

Getting Everyone in the Ring

Even the creative process has been rethought. Leslie and Zawada believe the traditional creative brief often feels static and uninspiring. So they built their own collaborative model: the Warmup and Workout. Instead of a linear briefing process, the Workout brings everyone into the room early—agency team, client stakeholders, production partners, media collaborators. The goal is candour, energy and shared ownership from the outset. The process also builds trust between creative teams and clients from day one.

Recent work for Marvel Contest of Champions illustrates the impact. Initially envisioned as a standard video game trailer, the Workout reframed the brief entirely—unlocking a more culturally resonant approach and expanding the way the audience would experience the campaign.

At Full Punch, the philosophy is simple: focus harder, collaborate earlier, commit fully.

Because in a crowded ring, half punches don’t land.