CORE SERVICE: MARKETING & CAMPAIGN DEVELOPMENT
You can’t have a great campaign without a great idea.
Every company or brand must tell a story and not just a story, but a good story. Our leadership thrives on strategy mixed with creativity and originality. We specialize in digging deep to understand the goals and dreams of our clients, the challenges they encounter, and the barriers for engagement so that we can showcase who they are with clarity, excellence, and heart. It’s not always about being sentimental, but it is about feeling something. After all, last time we checked, you still need humans to buy-in to your brand.
CORE SERVICE: VIDEOGRAPHY
Our creative agency and qualified production facility foundational services includes videography, from commercials and action-packed promotional videos to storytelling videos and extended narratives for both broadcast or episodic distribution. And from technical training videos to social media reels, or from video podcast and segments for mass markets and cable or streaming, we have extensive experience in visually capturing the stories of individuals and creating content that is engaging, emotional or heartwarming, inspiring, activating, and celebratory of the humans behind each and every video or photo we have the privilege to create.
We’re comfortable being on-site for live-action, in-person capturing of content, and have been able to utilize our personable creative crew to disarm and make more comfortable those being interviewed and those who are on the other side of the camera, while also being respectful and maintaining our position behind the scenes.
CORE SERVICE: PRINT
Imagine what’s possible by printing with Helm. We’ve outfitted spaces and venues from The Fillmore to Lincoln Financial Field, and have printed everything needed from launching in-person and online boutiques, to multi-faceted event or mailing campaigns. Printing with Helm is so much more than what you may have seen being branded before.
It’s about creating opportunities for memories which last, increasing brand awareness, and ensuring your narrative makes its way in the world through every method possible… print included.
SUPPORTING CREATIVE SERVICES
You’re invited to our in-house intelligence.
Every creative service we’re capable of is strategically crafted to support your projects or campaigns, from ideation to execution. What does that mean for you?
You can print merchandise with us while we film your promotional video. You can have us design your next logo while writing your next email campaign. You can record your podcast with us while also increasing your digital presence.
We do it all so you don’t have to. Forget about going through multiple agencies or contractors when you can have a creative crew journey with you towards your goals. If we can create all that you need , and give you value adds along the way, why wouldn’t you keep it all in-house with Helm?
AWARD-WINNING
While we care more about our clients than our accolades, we do appreciate the recognition we receive from respected organizations, as it builds trust with those we serve.
We’ve had the honor of receiving several awards for our work, both national and international, including for our leadership, which is a testament to the quality of our work and the character of our creative crew.
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Women in Business Award
SILVER WINNER, 2020Helm x Katalyst
“Helm x Katalyst: Two Women Coming Together to Change the Events Industry”
Category:
Company/Organization AwardsSub-Category:
Women-run Workplace of the Year - More than 10 EmployeesIndustry:
Advertising, Marketing, and Public Relations -
PLATINUM WINNER, 2021
“The Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center Grand Opening Celebration Recap Video”
Category:
Electronic Media/Social Media/Interactive Media I Video160Event:
The Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast CenterClient Featured:
Four Seasons -
GOLD WINNER, 2021
“Fashion Touchdown 2020: Making a Virtual Impact”
Category:
Video/Audio I Video/Film I 301. NonprofitClient Featured:
Big Brothers, Big Sisters Independence -
Women in Business Award
BRONZE WINNER, 2022Ashlee Hollis
Category: Woman of the Year - Marketing, Advertising, and Public Relations
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Helm Creative Studio
Creativity & Social Impact: The New Industry Standard
Excellence in Community Service: Leadership in Organization
Elijah & Ashlee Hollis
Shaping the Future for Youth & Creatives
Excellence in Community Service: Making a Difference
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Elijah & Ashlee Hollis
Our Founders, the President and Chief Storyteller of Helm, received a citation from the City of Philadelphia for their commitment towards positive social impact within the city. Through their outreach initiatives with The Story Factory, their connections with the 26th Police Precinct and KCAPA, and events which benefit the city as a whole, they are uplifting the lives of the families who make up our community, from a Thanksgiving food drive to a toy giveaway and holiday celebration, and other people-driven events throughout the year. -
Helm Creative Studio
“Reuniting the Brave, San Diego - Robert Irvine Foundation”
Gold, Documentary
Captured in April 2023, it was one of their first Reuniting the Brave events at Camp Pendleton, where veterans reconnected after years apart. Helm captured video footage, photos, and audio clips of those who served, and their families, firsthand as they bonded over memories shared together.
Helm Creative Studio
“Where Creativity is the Curriculum - St. Laurentius Elementary School”
Bronze, Pro Bono
Helm received an award for content captured through our impact initiative to support local schools and creativity for students, including the school in which we’ve started our pro bono photography classes. In partnership with St. Laurentius, we captured footage for them to use as marketing collateral and wrote the script for supporting their initiatives to keep creativity at the forefront of a young person’s education and development.
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Spots : “Creative Station”
The Story Factory
Our home in The Story Factory was chosen as one of the “Spots” for Philly Current Magazine’s annual PC Picks, highlighting people and places within Philadelphia. We were anonymously nominated and are honored to have been recognized for a space which we’ve cultivated and created with creativity and impact in mind. Our mission to build stories out to build people up is recognized in this distinction and we will continue to value people over production from Philadelphia, to the rest of the world.
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“Maverick of the Year”
Ashlee Hollis
Silver, Business Service Industries
Our President and Founder, Ashlee Hollis, received a silver Stevie Award, as a part of the American Business awards, in recognition of an individual executive or manager who’s affected the most positive change on his or her company and/or industry since 2022. As the premier business program awards in the U.S.A., the American Business Awards are open to all organizations, public and private, for-profit or non-profit, large or small. Ashlee shares the national silver distinction with only two other business leaders, and only six other business leaders in the category, as a whole.
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Gold Winner, 2024
“Why Human Storytelling Means More Than AI Storytelling”
Category Corporate Image, Electronic Media/Social Media/Interactive Media, Video
Helm Creative Studio
Helm received a gold Hermes Award, which recognizes creative work internationally, for our “Being Human in an AI World” campaign. With a spoken-word video from our President and Founder, Ashlee Hollis, in addition to work from the entire team through merchandise, video, collateral, and more, Helm took a stand as a company who does not rely on AI for their creative ideas or skill. The emphasis on valuing people over production and human connectivity in an ever-increasing digital age continues to reflect our creative culture and health.
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Creating With a Cause for Local Organizations Within Philadelphia
Helm Creative Studio
Excellence in Community Service, Skills Based Community Service
Pro Bono: March of Dimes
Transforming a Rectory into a Creative Center
Helm Creative Studio
Excellence in Community Service, Company Community Service
Community Partnership: St. Laurentius School of the Arts & Sciences
Helm won two awards with the international Communitas awards for excellence in community service. With our commitment to making creativity and social impact the industry stranded, we were supported in our first win for our pro-bono work with March of Dimes, in which we’ve donated time and creative services to support the organization’s mission and the stories of those they’ve featured over the years. In addition, we won for our pro-bono work with St. Laurentius School for our support in their transformation of a rectory into a creative center, along with our launch of a photography program in which our team instructs and exposes seventh and eighth graders to the art of photography.
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Philadelphia Ballet
Philadelphia Ballet Shoe Campaign
Video - FundraiserAlongside world-class ballet company and nonprofit organization, Philadelphia Ballet, Helm Creative Studio won a gold MUSE award in their international competition for our up-close look at the grit and grace of a dancers’ most essential tool: the ballet shoe. With an annual shoe budget of nearly a quarter of a million dollars, men’s shoes utilize approximately forty thousand dollars of that budget, moving through nearly one thousand pairs of shoes per year, respectively. We captured the original video content of Principal Dancer, Ashton Roxander, The Deborah and Kurt Hilzinger Principal Dancer with Philadelphia Ballet.
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Pilgrimage of Motherhood with Jess Buchanan
Helm Creative Studio
Video/Online Video (Campaign) - Inspirational
Helm won a gold distinction with the international VEGA awards for our work with Jessica Buchanan, a kidnapping survivor rescued by SEAL Team Six in 2012, through capturing promotional content for her book. The work features stories from women who are on their own journey of motherhood and the emotions behind it through every step of the process, especially when life doesn't go as planned. On a routine field mission, Jessica was held for 93 days before being rescued. Despite the intense trauma she endured, her passion is to empower others and pave the way for women to find freedom on their journeys. Our creative crew were honored to film the stories of the women featured and create a video promo for her book, Deserts to Mountaintops, which is available now.
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Robert Irvine Foundation
Scotland YOMP 2024
Helm Creative Studio
General- Film & Shorts
Helm won a gold Telly Award for our work with the Robert Irvine Foundation, which sponsors veterans to take an annual trek through the Scottish Highlands on their YOMP Challenge, covering up to 54 miles in 24 hours, in support of veterans and their families. Our very own Chief Storyteller, Elijah Hollis, captured this footage while mostly hiking backwards for over 25 miles to ensure these stories were captured. After the initial acceptance as a contender for the award, the community from our own network and those who support Robert Irvine Foundation rallied to give us the votes that secured the win.
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Bronze Winner 2025
Helm Creative Studio
Company of the Year - Advertising, Marketing & Public Relations
Helm received a bronze International Stevie Award for being listed as Company of the Year in recognition of an advertising, marketing, & public relations organization. Helm received high praise for their creative services and culture from several of the 250 judges who determine the winners, including: “Helm Creative Studio stands out in the competitive marketing and production landscape by not just matching but redefining industry standards. While many agencies focus solely on profitability or superficial CSR initiatives, Helm has built a replicable model where social impact is a core business function, not an add on. Their practice of dedicating a fixed revenue share to philanthropy is rare.”
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Gold Winner, 2025
Helm Creative Studio
Special Event: Supporting the Future: Students Built By BLOCSHelm was a gold winner for the MarCom awards, which recognizes excellence in marketing and communications on an international scale, for their work with BLOCS. Through an extensive campaign for students, featuring individual stories told via video, print, mixed media, and more, Helm created an innovative and strategic way to engage donors while also highlighting the exceptional students who are deserving of the scholarships that they receive via BLOCS.
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Silver Stevie Award Winner
Helm Creative Studio
Women-Run Company for Social GoodHelm won a silver award with the Stevie Women in Business Awards for being a Women-Run Company for Social Good. Our creative work being dedicated to making creativity and social impact the industry standard was the impetus for this win. The Stevie Awards are among the world’s top honors for business achievement, recognizing organizations and individuals across hundreds of categories. The 2025 Women in Business program highlighted Helm’s dedication to a company culture of positive social impact within a competitive global field.
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One Million Dollar Giveback
St. Laurentius School, BLOCS, RIF, Philadelphia Ballet, CHANGE Outreach, and more!
Category: Excellence In Community Service | Organization Community Service | 2.0 Leadership in Organization's Community Service
After ten years in business, Helm made the monumental achievement of reaching one million dollars in donations and in-kind services throughout our time as a company. For each and every creative project we create, a portion is given to other organizations or local outreaches, including through offering services which benefit youth and creative communities. We’re honored to have reached this milestone because we recognize that as we’ve grown as a company, we’ve grown in our ability to make a positive impact. What started out as seemingly a small initiative has grown exponentially and is now a tangible achievement to our mission to improve the lives of others as we create.
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Category : Strategic Client Gifting
To celebrate their clients during the 2025 holiday season, our team created a custom advent calendar in the form of a box with original designs from our Graphic Designer and Client Project Coordinator, Diana Guerrero. The process resulted in working with manufacturers to make a unique design of a large gift box with drawers to hold twelve gifts from local businesses throughout Philadelphia.
This gift proved to be a personable, creative undertaking that resonated with over a hundred of our clients and contacts in deep, meaningful ways. We got to celebrate our own original design and creative capabilities while also highlighting local businesses and the people who make our work even more enjoyable.