VCCP launches new production and digital studio Girl&Bear

VCCP Group has announced the launch of a new global content studio, Girl&Bear. According to the group, the company will offer content creation, production services and bespoke tech solutions to clients.

VCCP has launched a new production studio led by Anthony Austin, Claire Young and Dan Montalbano

What has VCCP launched?

• Girl&Bear is to offer content production capabilities across film, audio, print, photography and digital production.

• The new studio will draw together 250 staff across VCCP, with the group saying it will still work with external production agencies.

• VCCP’s new studio is set to offer clients a new proprietary software platform, The Pathway, which will enable asset creation at a greater scale by automating certain parts of the production process. “The system is designed to guide clients through the increasingly complicated world of multi-format, multi-language and dynamic creative production and enable the delivery of crafted work at scale and pace, across all channels,“ said the agency in a statement.

• Girl&Bear will be led by managing director Claire Young, executive head of production Anthony Austin and global head of operations Dan Montalbano. Austin joins from BBH London, where he was executive creative director. The trio will report to VCCP London chief exec Andrew Peake and group chief creative officer Darren Bailes.

• Founding clients include Domino’s, mobile network O2 and hard seltzer brand White Claw.

Why has VCCP launched a new studio?

• VCCP is positioning Girl&Bear as a competitor to other network production divisions, and as a means of providing clients with the vast amount of creative assets required to run major marketing campaigns today.

• Founding partner and group chief exec at VCCP Adrian Coleman said: “Content creation and production is something we have always offered to our clients and, as the making arm of VCCP, Girl&Bear now elevates our production offering globally, bringing further cohesion to our Group and a challenger proposition to other networks.”

• Young said: “I’ve always wanted to reimagine production and creating Girl&Bear has enabled us to supercharge our making offering and evolve the industry model. We know that creativity is a business multiplier and we believe that great production doesn't need to be a choice between pace, scale or craft – we’re in the business of ‘and’.”

• Austin added: “VCCP has always produced beautifully crafted work. With Girl&Bear we will build on this legacy while bringing a fresh approach to production through new ways of making, new technologies, new formats, and always seeking out the best and most exciting talent. Girl&Bear empowers our makers to have a louder voice within the advertising ecosystem. They are an energetic, highly-skilled and passionate bunch, and I’m excited to be joining the team.”

• Young said Girl&Bear would engage in sustainable production practices from the outset and is working with Greenshoot and AdGreen to ensure the right measures are in place. The studio is already working towards B Corp status, the group said.

• Young continued: “As the challenger content studio, we also wanted to address other areas of production we felt weren’t working and change them for the better. Our ambition is to put our people and the planet right at the heart of our business.“