Hasta La Creative!

Engine Group agency Deep Focus has consolidated its West Coast operations in Los Angeles and closed its San Francisco office.

Deep Focus founder and CEO Ian Schafer attributed the decision to “unpredictability of San Francisco markets” and the “rising costs of maintaining an office out there,” adding, “we decided to consolidate to a position of strength.”

The Los Angeles office launched in mid-2015 with Engine Group utilizing staffers from its entertainment agency Trailer Park to fill out the operation. Deep Focus’ L.A. office is still a relatively small operation, employing around a dozen in service of Neutrogena, as well as unspecified local clients.

Schafer says that Deep Focus’ west coast operations have been collaborating with Trailer Park on creative and production work and will continue to do so.

Approximately eight people were laid off as a result of the San Francisco office closing. Adam Walden, who has served as that office’s president since January of 2016 and previously held the general manager title after his former employer Noise was absorbed by Deep Focus, decided not to make the move to Los Angeles.

Deep Focus L.A. does not currently plan to hire a new president.