Good people.
Great ideas.
_Who we are is defined by our people
And it always has been. From our three founders to our current team of ten, we’re all brilliant in our own wonderful way. And while our passions, approach, and styles may be different, we all share the same curiosity and commitment.
That’s why, no matter what we’re creating, we bring imagination, energy, and expertise to each and every project.
Luke Farquharson
Creative
Ellen Teale
Senior Creative
Hannah Hall
Design Apprentice
Millie Jones
Account Manager & Copywriter
Dan Gurney
Mid Weight Creative
Ed Smallman
New Business Director
Alice Lyons
Senior Account Director
Paul Irwin
Creative Director
Steve Johnston
Creative Director
Phil Dean
Founder
_Our team
Luke Farquharson
Creative
From crafting identities and creating our in-house typeface to becoming a maestro of motion and having his work displayed in The Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, Luke has applied his talent to a wide variety of clients over the last four years. A retired DJ with exquisite taste in both food and fashion who has recently restored a vintage mountain bike, we’re beginning to wonder if there’s anything he can’t do.
LinkedIn
Ellen Teale
Senior Creative
Over the last 8 years, Ellen has worked across branding, campaigns, book design, packaging, and websites for big name brands and smaller unknowns. Whether it’s food & beverage, financial services, entertainment, or luxury travel, she’s all about getting under the skin of a brand and bringing it to life. When she’s not in the studio, she loves nothing more than to mooch, potter, and people watch in galleries, parks, and pubs - usually in London, but more recently much, much further afield. (But she’s trying not to make travelling the world in 80 days her whole identity).
LinkedIn
Hannah Hall
Design Apprentice
Currently studying digital design at Middlesex University, Hannah is our resident digital design apprentice. Growing up in Zimbabwe, she moved back to the UK in 2022, bringing with her a passion for travel and sustainable design. When she’s not busy studying or conjuring up eco brand worlds, she can be found taking the mick out of our Creative Director Paul. Naturally.
LinkedIn
Millie Jones
Account Manager & Copywriter
Clients get to work with Millie as both an incredibly diligent account manager and an eloquent and articulate copywriter. With a breadth of experience spanning professional services to the performing arts, Millie has worked across brand creation and evolution, brand narratives and messaging frameworks, and even written a script for Dame Judi Dench. When she’s not piecing together the perfect brand story or project plan, she can be found making a mini masterpiece at the collage workshops she runs in South East London.
LinkedInInstagram
Dan Gurney
Mid Weight Creative
Dan has worked in agencies ever since graduating. Starting in copywriting and account management, he found his true calling as a designer five years ago. Ever the multidisciplinary, his creative work spans finance, tech, charities, and festivals, and his brand and illustration work have helped launch the Bold Bean Co and UK Wallball (yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like). He also has a degree in Biology and recently walked the Camino de Santiago. Fair dos.
LinkedInInstagram
Ed Smallman
New Business Director
Ed has brought his unbound energy to multiple agencies, across a myriad of disciplines, in a multitude of places including London, New York and Melbourne. From purpose-led and experiential through to brand and advertising, he’s worked across entertainment, energy, sports and music. When he’s not front and centre at a progressive house night or pounding the pavements of Tooting Bec, he’ll no doubt be plotting how to work his newest pun into a conversation near you.
LinkedInEmail
Alice Lyons
Senior Account Director
Experiencing both global full service and small creative agency life, Alice has worked across brand strategy & creation, brand and tactical campaigns, TV and radio advertising, social and digital, and marketing for the last 12 years. Hailing from the Wirral, she has also lived and worked in New York, Sydney, and the Caribbean. She loves music, cute pubs, her rescue dog, cooking, fancy dress, the beach, the sun, the colour purple, tuna sandwiches, and, even though she won’t admit it, Below Deck.
LinkedIn
Paul Irwin
Creative Director
For the last 20 years, Paul has worked in both boutique and fully integrated agencies across all sectors from professional services to the performing arts. Whether he’s developing brands, defining strategies, or directing brand films, he leads every project with passion and precision. A wonderfully witty wordsmith with a gift for storytelling, Paul is also a part-time actor (who keeps his showreel well away from the studio). Despite not making it to Hollywood just yet, he was once lucky enough to hold a certain Dame’s Oscar. Not that he ever mentions it…
LinkedIn
Steve Johnston
Creative Director
With over 28 years in the industry, Steve has extensive experience working on global brand projects and start-up creations across the US, Australia, Europe and the UK. As well as developing his award-winning design and illustration styles, Steve is also our in-house AI master. Outside of the studio, he is a frustrated music producer and photographer, a published author, and has featured in many design & art related books and magazines. He is also a massive dork.
Instagram
Phil Dean
Founder
Once a graphic designer, always a graphic designer. Phil’s vast brand experience over 40 years, both working in and leading boutique agencies and PLCs, covers the entire spectrum. From research to full blown implementation, he’s consistently worked with global brands at a senior level. As well as running his own agency, Phil is an artist with work exhibited in London and around the UK, a published author with two books on Urban Sketching, and also the man whose niche London knowledge knows no bounds.
LinkedInInstagram_Our team
Phil Dean
Founder
Once a graphic designer, always a graphic designer. Phil’s vast brand experience over 40 years, both working in and leading boutique agencies and PLCs, covers the entire spectrum. From research to full blown implementation, he’s consistently worked with global brands at a senior level. As well as running his own agency, Phil is an artist with work exhibited in London and around the UK, a published author with two books on Urban Sketching, and also the man whose niche London knowledge knows no bounds.
LinkedInInstagramPaul Irwin
Creative Director
For the last 20 years, Paul has worked in both boutique and fully integrated agencies across all sectors from professional services to the performing arts. Whether he’s developing brands, defining strategies, or directing brand films, he leads every project with passion and precision. A wonderfully witty wordsmith with a gift for storytelling, Paul is also a part-time actor (who keeps his showreel well away from the studio). Despite not making it to Hollywood just yet, he was once lucky enough to hold a certain Dame’s Oscar. Not that he ever mentions it…
LinkedInSteve Johnston
Creative Director
With over 28 years in the industry, Steve has extensive experience working on global brand projects and start-up creations across the US, Australia, Europe and the UK. As well as developing his award-winning design and illustration styles, Steve is also our in-house AI master. Outside of the studio, he is a frustrated music producer and photographer, a published author, and has featured in many design & art related books and magazines. He is also a massive dork.
InstagramEd Smallman
New Business Director
Ed has brought his unbound energy to multiple agencies, across a myriad of disciplines, in a multitude of places including London, New York and Melbourne. From purpose-led and experiential through to brand and advertising, he’s worked across entertainment, energy, sports and music. When he’s not front and centre at a progressive house night or pounding the pavements of Tooting Bec, he’ll no doubt be plotting how to work his newest pun into a conversation near you.
LinkedInEmailAlice Lyons
Senior Account Director
Experiencing both global full service and small creative agency life, Alice has worked across brand strategy & creation, brand and tactical campaigns, TV and radio advertising, social and digital, and marketing for the last 12 years. Hailing from the Wirral, she has also lived and worked in New York, Sydney, and the Caribbean. She loves music, cute pubs, her rescue dog, cooking, fancy dress, the beach, the sun, the colour purple, tuna sandwiches, and, even though she won’t admit it, Below Deck.
LinkedInMillie Jones
Account Manager & Copywriter
Clients get to work with Millie as both an incredibly diligent account manager and an eloquent and articulate copywriter. With a breadth of experience spanning professional services to the performing arts, Millie has worked across brand creation and evolution, brand narratives and messaging frameworks, and even written a script for Dame Judi Dench. When she’s not piecing together the perfect brand story or project plan, she can be found making a mini masterpiece at the collage workshops she runs in South East London.
LinkedInInstagramEllen Teale
Senior Creative
Over the last 8 years, Ellen has worked across branding, campaigns, book design, packaging, and websites for big name brands and smaller unknowns. Whether it’s food & beverage, financial services, entertainment, or luxury travel, she’s all about getting under the skin of a brand and bringing it to life. When she’s not in the studio, she loves nothing more than to mooch, potter, and people watch in galleries, parks, and pubs - usually in London, but more recently much, much further afield. (But she’s trying not to make travelling the world in 80 days her whole identity).
LinkedInLuke Farquharson
Creative
From crafting identities and creating our in-house typeface to becoming a maestro of motion and having his work displayed in The Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, Luke has applied his talent to a wide variety of clients over the last four years. A retired DJ with exquisite taste in both food and fashion who has recently restored a vintage mountain bike, we’re beginning to wonder if there’s anything he can’t do.
LinkedInDan Gurney
Mid Weight Creative
Dan has worked in agencies ever since graduating. Starting in copywriting and account management, he found his true calling as a designer five years ago. Ever the multidisciplinary, his creative work spans finance, tech, charities, and festivals, and his brand and illustration work have helped launch the Bold Bean Co and UK Wallball (yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like). He also has a degree in Biology and recently walked the Camino de Santiago. Fair dos.
LinkedInInstagramHannah Hall
Design Apprentice
Currently studying digital design at Middlesex University, Hannah is our resident digital design apprentice. Growing up in Zimbabwe, she moved back to the UK in 2022, bringing with her a passion for travel and sustainable design. When she’s not busy studying or conjuring up eco brand worlds, she can be found taking the mick out of our Creative Director Paul. Naturally.
LinkedIn_What makes us, us
_Curious
We’re curious
We always have
one more question.
We always have
one more question.
_Committed
We’re committed
To the work we do
and the stories we tell.
To the work we do
and the stories we tell.
_Imaginative
We’re imaginative
Never forgetting the
fun in a grown up world.
Never forgetting the
fun in a grown up world.
_Passionate
We’re passionate
When we're in,
we're all in.
When we're in,
we're all in.
_Compassionate
We’re compassionate
We care. About our
work and our people.
We care. About our
work and our people.
_Expressive
We’re expressive
We know how to get
our ideas across.
We know how to get
our ideas across.
_Our clients
and partners
and partners
_What’s in a name?
When falsehood can look so like the truth, who can assure themselves of
certain
happiness?
Mary Shelley, Frankenstein
_Certain happiness
2015-forwards
2015-forwards
Certain happiness. That phrase (which almost became our name) was the original intent behind setting out on this adventure in 2015.
3 people who wanted to cut a different path to their experiences in previous agency lives. No presenteeism, no constant late nights to ‘prove our worth’, no aim of becoming 100 strong, no global offices, and certainly no bean bags. Just good people with great ideas.
From our humble beginnings in a temporary tree house in Hoxton to our current home in the old school original creative epicentre of London, Soho, our approach to studio life hasn’t changed; be proud, be passionate and, most importantly, be yourself.
_Phil Dean, Founder