The capital’s campaign pros
London is abuzz with creative energy. It’s why we love being based here, running printing jobs for everyone from Boiler Room to WeWork, Dover Street Market to Google. The UK creative industries generate over £100bn a year for the UK economy, employing more than 2m people – many of whom work in its innumerable supply of advertising and creative agencies which have sprung up over the past two decades.
We’ve rounded up a list of some of the most innovative agencies out there right now. Whether you’re in the market for a creative agency, or simply looking for some inspiration for a fresh perspective on how you sell your brand or business, it’s worth having a look at these agencies and the different approaches they’re taking.
Kindred
Putting an emphasis on creating “positive change” through their work, Kindred have worked with local councils, charities and police to highlight the issue of modern slavery through a touring exhibition that led to widespread coverage. They have also worked with the National Citizen Service on their ‘Change Your Summer’ campaign to encourage teenagers to have an active, volunteer-focused summer, using influencer videos, memes and Snapchat.
Appnova
Based in London, New York and Rome, Appnova are specialists in digital design who have worked with clients in fashion, beauty and lifestyle, helping them to finesse their e-commerce operations, branding, digital marketing strategy, SEO and social media. They’ve worked with luxury womenswear brand Joseph, for instance, to make their online presence more cohesive, working with their in-house social team to produce campaigns that were in tune with the brand’s in-store experience.
Mother
One of the bigger players in the creative agency world, Mother have carved out a reputation for their bold, big impact campaigns. Starting out in London, they now have bases in New York, LA and Shanghai. They recently worked with femtech brand Elvie to destigmatise the taboo around breastfeeding, marking Mother’s Day 2019 by inflating five giant breasts across London’s skyline, making it more open for anyone who wants to breastfeed in public.
Brave
An agency who (as their name suggests) underscore their willingness to take risks in their work, Brave have worked across a range of sectors, with clients ranging from Red Bull to Age UK and Superdrug. They recently worked with Manchester City, Heineken and water technology firm Xylem to create “Raining Champions”, a limited-edition beer made with purified rainwater. The aim was to make fans aware of the water shortages faced by much of the world and encourage them to think differently about water challenges and solutions – like using recycled water to help tackle shortages.
Atomic
Toting their expertise in data and VR, Atomic are a five-year-old agency who have worked with the Royal Opera House, Homebase and Cancer Research. They recently worked with Hatton by Design, an idea they loved so much they invested in it, created the brand and launched the business. It’s a service which allows men to design and buy diamond jewellery online.
Creature
Creature is an independent advertising agency, founded in 2011, who were named one of 1000 Companies To Inspire Britain by the London Stock Exchange in 2017. Their clients include Carling, Good Energy, The British Red Cross, Anchor, Tetley and adidas. They recently worked with renewable energy supplier Good Energy on a re-branding exercise, re-designing their logo and refreshing the brand’s identity and guidelines. It followed the launch of a wider campaign ‘Just Be Good’ last year, which aimed to help take the brand to a wider audience, positioning them as being a company that is more than just an energy provider.
Collider
Positioned to engage consumers around modern forms of communication, Collider’s approach is honed around keeping consumers’ attention in a crowded, information-heavy world. They recently worked with Bookatable, the leading online restaurant reservations service in London, to create an experiential activation at Victoria and Waterloo Station, where players had thirty seconds to bounce a pinball around a delicious-looking London, where landmarks were given a culinary makeover – The Globe became a cronut, St Paul’s was served up with a cloche for a dome, and The Shard turned to wafer.
Good
Started in 2004, with offices in London and Glasgow, Good have set out to “do good work for good people”. They have worked with major brands including premium whiskey brand Tamdhu, 3D printing company Stratasys and thermostat maker Honeywell. They recently worked with rugby team Glasgow Warriors on a refreshed identity, creating a new logo system that combined elements of previous logos with a fresh look at the club’s Glasgow heritage.
Karmarama
Partnered with Accenture Interactive, Karmarama take a technology-minded approach to their work. Their clients include Lidl, Just Eat and the Guardian. One impressive recent campaign was for alcohol-free beer brand Lucky Saint, featuring black and white images of a saintly nun drinking a Lucky Saint Unfiltered Lager and a cryptic Bible verse.
Isobel
Isobel is a big-hitting agency who’ve worked with the likes of Brewdog, Fab ice lollies and estate agents Savills. They have helped new brands establish themselves, such as fintech start up Wealthify, which is looking to change the way people save money. Creating an emotionally charged campaign across TV, radio, Facebook and Instagram, they looked to cut through the typically drab financial advertising.
Printing t-shirts for your creative business, brand or start up? At ICON Printing we offer fast turnaround printing with an extensive catalogue and our expert team are always happy to help with any design queries. Get a quote in minutes online.