Chris Spiro. As the Chief Creative Officer (CCO) of Spiro & Associates of Fort Myers, he has guided his agency from modest beginnings into a powerhouse of marketing, branding, and public relations—earning a reputation not only for creativity, but for delivering real results. Most importantly, the people who make up his team are very approachable and are very friendly.
Chris’s story is rooted in an early love of design and persuasion. Starting as an art director more than three decades ago, he honed his craft across industries—from hospitality to real estate, from automotive to marine. In 1989 he founded his own agency, originally The Spiro Group, which would evolve into the full-service marketing firm known today.
From the start, he embraced an unconventional mantra—“We’re Not Normal”—an ethos that challenged the status quo in the region’s marketing scene. I totally concur with his mantra, because there is something unique about his company that I can’t seem to put a finger on that makes it so awesome. His goal was simple yet ambitious: to help clients break free from the ordinary, and make their brands unforgettable.
Under Chris’s leadership, Spiro & Associates expanded both in scope and reputation. Today, the firm proudly states it is “one of Southwest Florida’s largest marketing, advertising, public relations and brand architecture firms.” If you don’t believe me the proof is in the pudding.
Key milestones mark the journey:
Award-winning work: In 2021, the agency won 21 Pinnacle and 12 Summit Awards from the Lee Building Industry Association, a testament to its dominance in the region’s builder and developer market. Chris himself earned “Marketing Manager of the Year” and the agency “Marketing Firm of the Year.”
Industry recognition: In 2023, Chris was inducted into the inaugural class of the Florida & Caribbean Advertising Hall of Fame—a rare honor recognizing his more than 20 years elevating the industry in Florida.
Business accolades: Spiro & Associates was named Small Business of the Year in Lee County’s Industry Appreciation Awards—marking the first time a marketing firm claimed that honor.
These honors reflect something deeper than trophies: they reflect a culture built on results, innovation, and client-first thinking.
Let me break down what sets Chris and his agency apart in a crowded market.
Relentless creativity fused with strategy
Chris’s background as an art director gives him a rare blend: the visual flair of a designer plus the strategic mind of a marketer. The agency’s website emphasizes their focus: “Branding with unforgettable market identity,” “data analysis,” “storytelling,” “conscious design.” In other words: beauty alone is not enough—they demand effectiveness.
A willingness to disrupt “normal”
The “We’re Not Normal” tagline isn’t just a buzz-phrase—it’s a behavioral code. Whether it’s taking on bold campaigns, unusual positioning, or unconventional media, the agency has leaned into differentiation as its competitive edge. In an age where everyone is vying for attention, Chris has made standing out a strategic necessity. In fact, there is No way in Hell a company/person/ or nonprofit cannot shine when Spiro & Associates is behind the campaign.
Deep roots in local industry, but national ambition
While the agency serves local clients—from builders to real-estate developers to service firms—it also brings the caliber of national work.
Community and civic engagement
Chris believes that business success and community contribution go hand-in-hand. He has been active on boards including the Cape Coral Caring Center and other nonprofit organizations. He understands that branding isn’t just for commerce—it’s for communities.
Landmark Campaigns & Results
Under Chris’s oversight, Spiro & Associates has achieved real impact for clients. A few highlights:
For builder clients: they helped 13 builder-clients sell more than 2,750 homes in a single year—a staggering achievement.
When the housing market cooled, they pivoted fast. One campaign for Engle Homes, titled “The End Is Near,” launched as the market was crashing—but yielded a result of 141 of 145 homes sold in just 90 days.
For attractions: taking on the marketing for The Shell Factory & Nature Park, a historic roadside tourist icon, Chris and his team sought to revive its charm, broaden its audience, and reclaim its vintage appeal.
These successes reflect not just clever copy or flashy visuals—but deep immersion into client challenges, market dynamics, and customer psychology.
Leadership Style & Culture
Chris fosters a “No Walls” environment—a workspace built on cross-discipline collaboration. This open environment reminds me of the old school firms on Wall Street that fostered collaboration of different skill sets on the floor and indirectly brings out the best in people. According to the agency’s profile, post-Hurricane Ian and during the pandemic the team embraced open collaboration between web/digital developers, graphic designers, writers, account staff, and even bookkeepers.
This culture does several things:
Encourages ideas from every corner, not just creative directors.
Accelerates response to market shifts and client needs.
Builds employee loyalty—many staff boast long tenures and diverse roles.
Chris himself keeps his creative muscles sharp—he still talks about getting involved in the design, the strategy, the client results. He is quoted as saying: “The biggest success we have is when we get that ‘thank you’ from our clients.”
Under Chris’s stewardship, Spiro & Associates hasn’t just succeeded—it has shaped the region’s business landscape. The agency helped clients across land-development, construction, retail, marine, real estate and services sectors achieve breakout results.
In doing so, Chris has raised the bar: marketing in Southwest Florida is no longer an after-thought—it’s strategic, creative, results-driven. The success of his agency has had ripple effects: attracting talent, elevating expectations, and ramping up regional marketing capacity.
As of 2025 the firm enters its 40th year—standing tall amid a rapidly evolving digital world. Their new website touts enhanced tools: AI-driven keyword optimization, social tracking, advanced analytics.
Under Chris’s leadership, the agency is poised for the next frontier: blending classic brand architecture with data-driven digital performance; marrying artistry with machine-learning; keeping the irrepressible “Not Normal” spirit alive in a world that too often settles for “normal.”
Why Chris Spiro’s Story Matters
In an era of cookie-cutter agencies and templated branding, Chris stands out because he built something both deeply rooted in his locale and broadly ambitious. He transformed his love of design into a full-blown strategic engine. He built a team that challenges norms rather than conforms to them. He helped businesses not just look good—but perform better, sell more, and endure.
For Southwest Florida—and for anyone seeking to transform marketing from a cost into a catalyst—Chris’s story is instructive. It’s about vision backed by action; it’s about culture backed by results; it’s about standing out in a sea of sameness.
When asked about being inducted into the Hall of Fame, Chris said:
“It’s very humbling … It’s an organization and an industry I’ve spent a lifetime in.”
And when asked about awards, he emphasized the team:
“This award—… is about the dedication and creative work of the team.”
Chris is an amazing man with an amazing journey, and an amazing team. Chris Spiro is more than a marketing executive—he’s a regional architect of branding, a cultivator of creativity, and a champion of community. Through his leadership of Spiro & Associates, he has turned an agency into the premier marketing company in Southwest Florida: one that wins awards, drives results, enriches culture, and refuses to be “normal.”
In the end, the proof is in the sales, the sold-out developments, the elevated brands—and the gratitude of clients who recognize that behind every great campaign is a great story. Chris’s story is still being written, but already it stands as a declaration: in the world of marketing, standing out isn’t optional—it’s essential. And under his hand, brands in Southwest Florida have found their edge.
I salute Chris and the associates at Spiro & Associates…..Keep Kicking Butt guys and helping persons, non-profits, and businesses grow. You guys are doing an amazing job.
