When frustration with the traditional agency model sparks a revolution, you get Transmission – a London-based powerhouse born fifteen years ago from a simple idea: cut the red tape, unite the team, and put clients side-by-side with the people doing the work. 

From their breakout Kent County Council TV campaign to global projects for MoneyGram and Omaze, partners Lee Climpson, Matt, and Adam have built a studio where transparency, agility, and genuine care aren’t just values on a wall—they’re the engine behind every pitch and production. 

Today, Creativepool is proud to showcase Transmission in our Company Spotlight and catch up with Lee to celebrate the bold agency that refuses to settle for “business as usual.” 

How was your company born and where are you based?

Transmission was born out of frustration with the traditional agency model. At our previous agency, Matt (our MD), Adam (our Creative Director), and I kept running into the same issue - too many silos. Account managers worked in isolation, production was kept at a distance, and clients often felt disconnected from the creative process. 

I had a few long-standing client relationships and brought Matt and Adam into the fold. Very quickly, a new way of working began to take shape - one built on transparency, agility, and genuine care. Clients who’d felt overlooked elsewhere found something different with us. 

We didn’t set out to reinvent the wheel - just to strip away the unnecessary layers and do the job properly. Based in London, we’ve grown by staying close to the work and even closer to our clients. We've now been working together for over 15 years, and that same founding spirit still drives everything we do. 

Clients work directly with the people actually delivering the work - from beginning to end. It creates efficiency, keeps everything connected, and ensures that what we promise at the start is exactly what gets delivered at the finish.

What was the biggest challenge to the growth of your company?

Face to face time with clients post-COVID has been the big one. We’ve always prided ourselves on long-standing client relationships. Building rapport remotely just isn’t the same and getting face time with clients, old or new, still remains harder than pre-COVID, which slows that all-important trust-building. 

But we’ve tackled it head-on. Whether it’s a weekly check in or a monthly in-person meeting, the team jump on every call with energy. We’ve doubled down on the basics like being approachable, nimble, and delivering great work without the faff.

Which was the first huge success that you can remember?

Definitely when we produced our first TV campaign as Transmission. We had just landed a pitch win for Kent County Council, producing a road safety campaign alongside agency Zest. It was our first proper test as Transmission, running independently and showing we could play at the top level. From concept to delivery, we owned the process. 

It wasn’t just about making a TV ad, it was about proving we could lead on big, meaningful projects and deliver with polish and punch. The whole team pulled together, rolled up their sleeves and knocked it out of the park.

That campaign gave us the confidence and credibility to say, “We’re here, and we’re ready.”

It’s still a standout moment that signalled we weren’t just another boutique agency, we were here to make serious work, and do it our way. It also gave us the confidence and credibility to aim even higher, with our next big project being a global campaign for MoneyGram.

What’s the biggest opportunity for you and your company in the next year?

AI really is offering us exciting new creative tools. We’re not replacing humans, far from it. But combining AI with our team’s creative vision is streamlining workflows, from voiceovers to CGI. It’s giving us incredible tools that help us focus on the stuff that really matters like storytelling, strategy and craft. 

We’re also expanding our team further to lean into every new business opportunity that comes our way.  The next 12 months are about scaling up and expanding our offer without losing what makes us Transmission. 

How does your team remain inspired and motivated?

We’re deliberate about keeping the fire alive. Weekly creative workshops bring the team together to share work, both ours and others', that excites and inspires. It’s not just about “what’s good” but why it works and how we can push further. We’re also big on diverse voices. We collaborate with a wide network of in-house and freelance talent to keep our perspective fresh. 

Regular check-ins help team members see their growth path clearly, and recently, we rolled out an employee assistance programme, and mental health first aid training to support each other better, professionally and personally. When people feel seen, heard, and supported, they bring their best. And that’s when the magic happens.

What’s your one big hope for the future of the industry?

We’re actively building a more inclusive team because different voices create richer work. If a brand truly wants to reach more people, it has to represent more people, not just on-screen, but in the thinking that leads to the work.

The future needs to be less about trends and more about truth – creative that’s informed by real experience and shaped by many perspectives, not just a few. That’s the direction we’re committed to.

Can you share a defining moment in your company's journey that shaped its identity or direction?

The Omaze partnership was a game-changer. It started small, but as our collaboration grew, so did Transmission.

Back then, Transmission had just four people. Fast forward, we’re a team of 35, with capacity to take on bolder briefs and bigger ideas. Omaze didn’t just give us growth, it gave us momentum. We built trust, scaled operations, and proved we could grow alongside our clients.

What strategies do you employ to adapt to changes and trends in the industry while staying true to your company's values?

When AI burst onto the scene, we didn’t freeze - we moved. 

We ran workshops, set playful challenges (like creating a film from the word disco), and gave our team space to explore. That motion, driven by passion not panic, helps us learn fast and move smart. But we’re clear: AI is a tool, not the idea. 

Passion In Motion means leading with people. Real creativity starts with experience and collaboration. That’s especially true with voice AI - where a voice is someone’s identity and livelihood. If we use AI here, we do it transparently and with care. 

We also bake experimentation into our process - testing new formats, platforms and ways to connect. 

When our team explores together, fear turns into momentum. Tech will keep evolving and so will we. 

But our compass is set: stay passionate, stay in motion, and stay true to what matters.

Do you have any websites, books or resources that you would recommend?

Absolutely. Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller is a staple for me. It reframes how brands should talk, putting the audience at the heart of the narrative, not the business. It’s a great guide for crafting stories that actually resonate. 

Then there’s David Ogilvy’s Ogilvy on Advertising – a classic for a reason. It’s grounded, insightful, and helps you cut through the fluff of a brief to find what really matters. 

And of course, How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. It’s not just about work, it’s a life guide. Communication, empathy, conflict resolution - it’s all in there. We’re in a people business, and that book reminds us of the human side of everything we do. 

Those three sit at the heart of how I think and how we operate at Transmission - story-first, insight-driven, and rooted in empathy.