‘Clients are looking for a shakeup’: how a new virtual agency plans to revolutionise the industry
While the notion of working the typical 9 to 5 job has been immortalised by many, the confines of working in traditional ways are being shattered by the founders of a new virtual agency, which aims to redefine the agency model and create more productive and effective ways of producing work.
R to L: Wade, Brown and Bicknell
Spearheaded by Dave Brown and Troy Wade, both formerly of Brand Union alongside David (Bic) Bicknell, the co-founder of Tin Horse and Echo Brand Design, Brown&co – The Brand Collective has been created to challenge industry norms and create better, and more flexible ways of working both for clients and the agency’s global network of freelancers.
The idea is simple. The omnichannel agency will draw on a global pool of senior collaborators who will work remotely on projects while being creatively and strategically directed by the core team. An important part of the model – and an issue raised by both freelancers and clients alike will see Brown&Co try to use the same team of freelancers on a project to provide both consistency and work satisfaction.
Speaking to The Drum, Wade, Brown&Co's head of strategy, explained why the time was right now to open a virtual agency. “Our industry has been in decline for a long time and for good reason. Clients keep saying they are not getting the value that they used to get and they keep saying they are not getting the solutions that they used to get. Agencies are saying they don’t get the money that they used to get, and so can’t attract the same level of talent that they used to attract.”
Using this as a springboard, the trio looked at how they could try and solve some of the problems in the industry. “We thought we could start another [agency] but we are going to end up going the same way,” continued Wade. “So we had a look at psychology and behaviour economics and behavioural sciences, and we found that people want to work differently. In fact, people can work faster and more productively and effectively by not working in the way that we are currently working.”
As part of the agency’s research they questioned “thousands” of freelancers from a range of disciplines, including product design and digital, to find out their wants and needs, what they enjoy doing and how Brown&Co can best draw on a particular expertise for whatever client brand challenge might come its way.
“By not having high overheads we can offer better value to clients, and we can also offer value to freeleancers,” said Wade. “We also spoke with clients and again the feedback is consistent. So, this model we believe is the solution to those problems. It allows people to work flexibly, but be part of a collective, to offer value to clients, to allow people to work in the way that they like to work as individuals. We are not process driven anymore, we have become product driven. As long as you deliver the goods on time, to a certain standard and quality you can do it anywhere that you want to.”
While virtual talent pools for freelancers are not a new premise, Brown&Co is much more than that, it is a full-service agency, providing expertise across multiple disciplines from consumer to corporate branding, interior design to product branding, with a focus on using the best freelance talent to deliver client briefs.
“Traditionally, the word freelance was a little derogatory, and that word in the studio has never felt that what you are getting is top people,” lamented Bicknell, head of 3D design. “[Freelancers are treated as] a desperately needed resource to help you out and they are treated like that. And what you realise is there is some amazing talent out there. In the old days people maybe thought if you were freelance you couldn’t get a job, but that is so incorrect, most of the people I’ve worked with over the years are now not employed full time at agencies.”
So far Brown&Co has created a new corporate identity, branding and packaging for Thorndown paints, a new consumer and professional brand, which due to launch later this year, and completed a project on a Personal Care brand with teams in Australia and South Africa.
“The insight I’m getting is that they [clients] are looking for a real shakeup and a revolution in our industry and a completely different attitude to agency and brand owner work,” added Brown, head of 2D at Brown&Co. “They want flexibility, responsiveness, and it’s been coming for a long time.”
The agency is investing heavily in technology to guarantee seamless connection between its team members, regardless of where they are based. Another distinctive advantage of the business is not having the overhead of premium office space or paying for unutilised human resources, so clients only pay for what they need.