Castano Group, a creative agency and frequent collaborator of Haskell and its innovation and investment arm, Dysruptek, recently earned an Addy Award from the Jacksonville, Florida chapter of the American Advertising Federation (AAF) for creating Haskell’s Big Pitch launch video.

Using AI-generated footage and characters, the two-minute video follows Hamzah Shanbari, Haskell’s Director of Innovation, as a business-casual baby, inviting Haskell team members to submit their ideas for the 2025 Big Pitch Event. This company-wide event invites team members to submit innovative ideas to improve the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry. The winning concept is funded and piloted with support from Haskell and Dysruptek.

The firm was founded in 2016 by Creative Director Kedgar Volta and Vice President Joash Brunet, both of whom share a commitment to creating things that matter, a value familiar to Haskell.

“We primarily work in three categories, health, education and social impact,” Volta said. “This is part of what we find so amazing about Haskell and the Big Pitch. The fact that anyone in the company, no matter their position or seniority, can submit an idea and have an unbiased chance to see it funded and realized is incredible. To us, that’s social impact, and it’s why we love working with Haskell and Dysruptek.”

The StillGuard wellness pod, another Dysruptek initiative being actively developed in partnership with the Castano Group, required expertise in graphics, sound design and mental health.

“I have a background in psychology, so being able to flex that muscle with StillGuard was really rewarding,” said Courtney McClanahan, Creative Operations Manager for the group.

In addition to their in-house expertise, Castano has a growing network of creative partners and collaborators, allowing them to flex their capacity and resources to match the project’s scope and type.

“Our ability to adjust our teams frees us from focusing on the kinds of projects we can or can’t do and gives us room to focus on getting the best results possible,” McClanahan said. “If we have a vision, we can make it.”

Castano Group’s portfolio includes a diverse range of projects, from television ads to animation, campaigns, branding, multimedia events and more. Since 2019, Haskell and Dysruptek have relied on their creative abilities to deliver media, design and consultations.

“Every time we’ve asked them for something, they’ve overdelivered,” said Hamzah Shanbari, Haskell’s Director of Innovation. “We give them a small concept or a broad description of what we’re looking for, and they’ll run with that and come back with something amazing and nuanced. They’re a fantastic collaborator, and we really enjoy working with them.”

Shanbari was the first Haskell team member to be introduced to the group in 2019 to consult on creative marketing concepts for Dysruptek’s early formation. Since then, Haskell and Castano have collaborated on more than 25 creative initiatives.

“I’m very proud of the diversity of thought and ability from our team,” Volta said. “As a minority-owned small agency, we’re able to pursue a large variety of work in the public and private sectors, all over the U.S.

“Everything we do is in partnership with our clients, and we’re very fortunate to contribute to work that connects with people and makes a positive difference.”

Through Dysruptek, its innovation and venture capital arm, Haskell leads the construction industry in technological development and adoption. Contact the Dysruptek team to discuss your idea “For the Betterment of the Industry.”