Home | af&co San Francisco Los Angeles

WELCOME TO af&co.

Fresh Approach. Bold Results.

af&co. is a forward-thinking lifestyle marketing and public relations agency headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area with offices in Los Angeles, serving clients from coast to coast. Our team has successfully launched hundreds of hospitality and lifestyle concepts, offering ongoing marketing and media relations support for many others. Our focus is our passion: hotels & resorts, travel & destinations, restaurants & chefs, wine & spirits, and consumer products.

who we are

And What We Stand For

We bring your brand’s vision to life through innovative strategies and dynamic media engagement. Our team thrives in crafting unique marketing campaigns, building strong media relationships, and driving impactful storytelling to connect with your audience and elevate your brand. We’re excited to meet you and see how we can help you transform your business!

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The Road to Now

Our Story

Over our agency’s 20 year history, we’ve launched more than 500 restaurant, hotel, and hospitality brands, getting heads in beads and butts in seats for businesses around the country. Discover how Andrew got his start, and uncover the story of how we grew from me to we.

Public Relations

Our public relations expertise includes strategy development and press kit development, media relations and outreach, media tours, media interviews, broadcast segments, awards submissions and organizing FAM trips. We leverage creative pitching and deep relationships with local, regional and national media to generate results.

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Marketing

We raise awareness for hospitality brands through launch and relaunch strategies, promotions, partnerships and activations, social media, content development, and email marketing. Working hand-in-hand with our PR team, our holistic approach keeps our clients top of mind.

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Social Media Management

We develop strategic campaigns, monitor trends, create buzzworthy content, and drive audience engagement through organic and paid social media. We build community for our clients directly with their audiences, collaborate with partners, and generate awareness through consistency.

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Event Strategy

From ribbon-cutting ceremonies to restaurant weeks to anniversary celebrations and launch events, we know how to throw a party. Our team handles timelines, invitations, sponsorships, and marketing and PR to spread the word.

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Influencer Relations

We bring in quality social media influencers who move the needle for hospitality businesses, negotiating deliverables for our clients. Through our vetting process, we carefully select influencers to ensure brand fit and generate results. And, we work with influencers to create content that clients can leverage on their own marketing channels, too.

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Creative Services by Carbonate

Carbonate is a coast-to-coast creative agency that builds, reinvigorates, and grows brands and hospitality concepts. Specializing in food, beverage, restaurants, hotels & hospitality tech/B2B, Carbonate’s services include brand strategy, identity development, trend insights and applications, design, and integrated brand communications.

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OUR PASSION IS HOSPITALITY

We are on a mission to elevate and inspire people, places, and products within the hospitality industry, and beyond. With a focus on hospitality and lifestyle brands, our expertise includes: independent restaurants, fast-casual restaurants, boutique hotels, hotel collections, wineries, destination marketing organizations, culinary events, food halls, food and beverage brands, chefs, winemakers, sommeliers, and beverage personalities.

who we work with

Here’s What They’re Saying.

Gott's Roadside

We have been working with af&co. for the past 5 years and the ROI has been incredible. In that span of time we have doubled our number of restaurants, opening in new markets throughout the SF Bay Area. We thank af&co. for being our partner and helping us grow the Gott’s Roadside brand.

CLAY WALKER, PRESIDENT

One Market Restaurant

I have known Andrew Freeman since his early days at Kimpton where he managed PR and marketing. I encouraged him to open up his own company because I had wanted to work with him for a long time. He did, and we were a beneficiary. af&co. is a well-led team of enthusiastic and eager people. They bring bright ideas and are not timid about presenting and exploring them. The af&co. team puts in their best effort on each challenge and opportunity.

MICHAEL DELLAR, PRINCIPAL

Ramen Nagi

After an in-depth search of marketing firms with a boutique hospitality focus, Ramen Nagi has been fortunate to partner with af&co. since 2018. Our objective has been to establish and organically grow a rabid fanbase for our award-winning ramen concept from Tokyo. af&co. has been pivotal in achieving this goal, by developing a coordinated and comprehensive strategy with focus on both digital and traditional platforms, innovation, and most importantly, a total team dedication to our brand. We would wholeheartedly recommend af&co. for their integrity, professionalism, creativity, and results. Everyone at af&co. embodies such a high-energy spirit that lets us truly feel that we are all working together as one. Thank you and af&co. for your wonderful partnership and for your belief in the potential of Ramen Nagi.

EDWARD KO, VP

Rush Creek Lodge

'What We Do' is something many agencies claim on their websites, but you never really know if it’s true, do you? With af&co. we have been grateful to learn that they deliver on all fronts. Pre-pandemic we reached out for help with two very different needs: Evergreen Lodge at Yosemite celebrating 100 years as a classic mountain resort with enormous history, and Rush Creek Lodge at Yosemite opening a brand new Spa, which had the misfortune of opening during a worldwide pandemic. Despite the odds we succeeded, and absolutely couldn’t have done it without them. af&co. brings a constant stream of creative ideas and follow through that results in media coverage and the inspiration we needed to surmount the most challenging hurdles any of us have ever faced. Happy trails indeed!

TERRI MARSHALL, DIRECTOR OF MARKETING

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Lifestyle Marketing & Public Relations

WELCOME TO af&co.

Fresh Approach. Bold Results.

who we are

And What We Stand For

The Road to Now

Our Story

what we do

nobody does it better

OUR PASSION IS HOSPITALITY

people are talkin'

LET'S DO BUSINESS