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Naples, Florida – July 29, 2026 - Dragon Horse Agency, a Naples-based business and marketing services firm, has been selected as a finalist in Gulfshore Business Magazine’s 2026 Best of Business Awards in the Best Advertising Agency category. The recognition places Dragon Horse among the Southwest Florida businesses earning the confidence and support of clients, peers, and the broader business community.
For Dragon Horse, a previous recipient of the award in this category, the distinction of being named a finalist holds significant meaning as it is awarded by the community that has been the agency's foundation since its inception in 2015. The firm collaborates with organizations at various stages of development, ranging from well-established companies and regional leaders to non-profit organizations and emerging brands. While the scope of their operations varies, their core objective remains immutable: to comprehensively analyze business dynamics, formulate an optimal strategy, and deliver substantive, innovative business marketing solutions tailored to specific objectives.
“We extend our sincere gratitude to all who voted for Dragon Horse Agency in Gulfshore Business Magazine’s “Best of Business" awards, in the Advertising Agency category. Such recognition is a distinguished honor, and its significance lies in the value it confers,” said P. Blake Renda, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Dragon Horse Agency. “This distinction reflects the trust placed in our team and the work we are privileged to conduct alongside our clients. As a fiduciary to brands, we have long maintained the foundation that truly impactful advertising begins with sound business strategy, which in turn drives creativity and earns engagement.”
The Gulfshore Business Best of Business program recognizes organizations serving Southwest Florida’s business community. Dragon Horse’s finalist selection follows more than a decade of work across business strategy, technology, innovation, brand development, advertising, digital marketing, media placement, web design, and more. Rather than treating these services as separate pieces, the agency connects them around a client’s larger business goals through its groundbreaking DragonONE platform.
DragonONE is the agency’s model, integrating business strategy, brand development, creative execution, and media. It is also supported by DragonIQ, which focuses on digital visibility and performance across search, advertising, and the changing ways people find information online, and DragonAI, its business analytics platform. These platforms are designed to give clients a more seamless, connected view of their business and marketing, with fewer gaps between planning, execution, and measurement.
“This recognition belongs to the people behind the work,” said Julie Koester, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Dragon Horse Agency. “Our team asks the hard questions, listens closely, and cares about getting the details right. Our clients invite us into important conversations about their businesses, and we never take that trust lightly. We are grateful to everyone who supported Dragon Horse and proud to stand alongside other finalists who contribute so much to Southwest Florida.”
Dragon Horse Agency was founded in Naples by P. Blake Renda and Julie Koester with the idea that business consulting and marketing should not operate in separate lanes but in their convergence. That belief continues to shape the agency’s work today and shifted the industry as a whole.
The agency’s Southwest Florida roots have also influenced the way it approaches relationships. In a business community where reputation travels quickly, and partnerships often span years, responsiveness and accountability matter. Dragon Horse works to be the kind of partner that can help a client address an immediate need without losing sight of the brand's larger direction.
The Gulfshore Business Magazine “Best Advertising Agency” finalist recognition arrives as businesses are facing a fragmented environment. Audiences move between platforms while making decisions. Dragon Horse assists clients in comprehending these dynamic components while safeguarding the clarity and consistency of the brand.
For the Dragon Horse team, this finalist designation serves as both an expression of gratitude and a reaffirmation of the rigorous standards expected by clients, to which Dragon Horse Agency remains strictly bound. The agency will continue investing in the people, ideas, and technology needed to help organizations communicate more clearly and make better marketing decisions.
“Awards and recognition give us a reason to pause and say thank you,” Renda added. “Then we get back to the work. Our responsibility is to keep earning the confidence behind this finalist selection by assisting our clients in moving forward with conviction, clarity, discipline and creative power.”
Dragon Horse Agency sincerely thanks its clients, partners, employees, and the Southwest Florida community for their ongoing support. We also extend heartfelt congratulations to all the organizations celebrated in Gulfshore Business magazine’s 2026 Best of Business awards.
Dragon Horse Agency is an innovative business-marketing consulting firm headquartered in Naples, Florida. Renowned for its DragonONE, DragonIQ, and DragonAI models, integrating business strategy, creativity, and data intelligence to deliver engagement and driven results. From luxury and lifestyle brands to emerging startups and nonprofits, Dragon Horse empowers clients to elevate their message, expand their reach, and make a meaningful impact through creativity and strategy.
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