Creative agencies often face a balancing act between ambitious growth and maintaining the quality that defines their work. For Studio AntiGravity, that balance has shaped every stage of its journey, from its origins as a freelance practice to becoming an independent agency known for bold branding, strategic thinking and meticulous attention to detail.
In this interview, Studio Director Rachel Cook shares how the Manchester-based agency approaches creative challenges, embraces innovation without losing its human touch, and believes that original ideas, empathy and craftsmanship will become even more valuable in an AI-driven future. She also discusses the studio's culture, client relationships and the philosophy behind creating work that goes beyond expectations.
How was your company born and where are you based?
Studio AntiGravity was founded by Jordan Yates (based in Manchester), after almost a decade working as a freelance creative. After years of building brands, websites and campaigns for a large range of different businesses, forming the agency felt like the natural next step so he could take on bigger, more ambitious projects and continue with his collaborative energy and high creative standards. I joined at the start of 2026 as Studio Director to help him grow the business further so although it’s early days for me, I’m so excited to see what we can achieve!
What was the biggest challenge to the growth of your company?
One of the biggest challenges has been learning how to grow without compromising the standard of work we want to be known for. We are still in the early stages as an agency, so growth has been deliberately steady and considered. For us, it has never been about scaling quickly for the sake of it, but more about building the right team, taking on the right projects and making sure every client still gets the level of care, creativity and strategic thinking that Studio AntiGravity was built on.
Which was the first huge success that you can remember?
It was probably when we landed our first retainer client and began our ongoing work with them! We’d been working on a few initial projects when they invited us to work with them on a longer term, more consistent basis.
It was our first chance to really focus on giving a brand that ‘always on’ creative approach and help them ensure they're firing on all cylinders across all channels consistently. Being given that opportunity to grow with them as a brand really felt like a landmark moment, and we still continue to work with them to this day!
What’s the biggest opportunity for you and your company in the next year?
With the rise of AI hitting the creative industry, the human side of what we do is more important than ever. So in the next year we’re going to be focusing more on the human side of branding and brand experiences, what genuinely connects with people/audiences etc. So you can expect to see more print, popups and event-led experiences/brand activations that help our clients build real-life community around their brand.
Can you explain your team’s creative process? What makes it unique?
Our creative process is built around understanding first, creativity second. We spend time getting to know the business, the audience and what the brand really needs to achieve before we start developing ideas.
Once we have that foundation, we move into creative direction, concept development and design, always ensuring that creatively it ‘wows’ the client and elevates how they look and feel. But also making sure that the outcome will actually work and deliver them incredible results.
What makes our process unique is the level of care we put into the detail. Jordan, our founder, has always pushed the team to deliver the extra layer in every project, what he calls ‘the cherry on the cake’ - the thing that takes the work beyond what is expected.
That might be a small interaction on a website, a thoughtful detail added to a brand project, a motion moment, a more considered way of presenting an idea, or something the client did not know they needed until they saw it. We always try to find that added value, because we want our clients to feel like we’ve not just delivered the brief, but really gone the extra mile on it because we value them and the experience they have with us.
How does your team remain inspired and motivated?
We keep the team inspired by creating a culture where people feel trusted, involved and able to contribute. We have a relaxed and flexible approach, but we are also ambitious about the quality of work we produce, so it's important that everyone feels they can bring ideas, speak honestly and add real value to the direction of the business.
We also care a lot about wellbeing and work-life balance. Team activities, flexibility and an open working environment all play a part in keeping people motivated, and it is something we are keen to protect as we continue to grow.
Which agencies do you gain inspiration from? Do you have any heroes in the industry?
We are really proud to be part of a creative industry that’s full of people doing brilliant, ambitious work. Inspiration can come from all sorts of places (agencies, freelancers, campaigns, exhibitions, conversations, culture), and we think staying connected to that wider creative world is so important for our development and staying inspired.
Agencies like Ragged Edge are a great example of brand work with real clarity and confidence, and we have a lot of respect for M&C Saatchi too, who we have worked with in the past and whose creative standard speaks for itself.
We are also really inspired by the independent creative scene, especially here in the North. There are incredible freelancers and independent creatives such as Dave Sedgwick, Jane Bowyer and Jodi Fox, whose work shows how much talent exists outside of the traditional agency model. For us, inspiration comes from people who are pushing ideas forward, doing work with personality and raising the standard of the industry as a whole.
What is one tip that you would give to other agencies looking to grow?
My biggest tip would be to take hiring, culture and how you present yourself as an employer seriously from the very beginning. An agency is only ever as strong as the people inside it, so attracting and keeping great talent should be seen as part of your growth strategy, not something that comes later.
The best creatives want to work somewhere that feels exciting, ambitious and supportive. If you can build a culture where people feel trusted, inspired and proud of the work they are doing, that naturally feeds into better ideas, better client relationships and a stronger agency overall.
How do you go about finding new clients/business? (Pitching, work with retainers, etc.)
A lot of our growth has come through word of mouth, referrals and the genuine relationships we’ve built over the years. We really pride ourselves on that. For us, new business has never just been about chasing the next project; it has been about building trust, doing good work and making sure people enjoy the process of working with us :)
We also put a lot of value on staying connected with our network, meeting people face to face and being active in the wider business and creative community. Some clients come to us for one-off brand, website or campaign projects, while others become longer-term relationships where we continue supporting them as their business grows.
What’s your one big hope for the future of the industry?
Personally, my big hope is that as AI becomes more present in the creative industry, it actually makes real human creativity even more valued. There is no doubt that AI can be useful, but the best creative work still comes from taste, instinct, empathy, craft and lived experience.
I hope the industry continues to recognise the difference between something that has simply been generated and something that has been properly thought through, shaped and crafted by experts. If anything, I think the rise of AI should make people value original ideas, strong creative direction and hand-crafted work even more.
Can you share a defining moment in your company's journey that shaped its identity or direction?
I think it's when we worked on Peak Costs' brand with Lex Rex Comms. Peak Cost's are a Cost Law firm and traditionally Law Firms in every sector have all looked the same - so we decided to pivot and go against the grain whilst still being true to the brand's core principles - what it resulted in was a brand which overwhelmingly cut through the noise, and allowed them to sky rocket above competition. So much so, they often tell us about how much the logo stands out at the conferences and events they go to, and how often their clients comment on it!
That was a real penny drop moment for us - our work has always been bold and creatively ambitious, pushing the envelope as much as we can, but seeing the actual compounding effects from having a distinct brand that dramatically helps your business stand out and seeing how thrilled the client was to get those results was an absolute joy.
So for us now it's not just "be different" it's how can we build brands that are bold enough to not only stand out, but to have their message heard loud and clear.
How do you foster a culture of innovation and experimentation within your team?
We foster innovation by creating a culture where ideas are welcomed, challenged and pushed so everyone knows they can contribute freely. It's important to us that the team feel confident bringing thoughts to the table, trying new approaches and looking for the extra layer (or ‘extra cherry’ as we call it) that could make a project more distinctive or valuable.
We also encourage inspiration to come from everywhere, not just design platforms or scrolling through Pinterest. It might come from travel, exhibitions, books, conversations, signage, interiors, fashion, architecture or just noticing things while out and about. The more varied the references, the more interesting the creative work becomes and the more we can innovate with brand new ideas and concepts.
Experimentation is a big part of that too. We want our team to feel excited about exploring their own creativity, whether that is through personal projects, learning new tools, testing different techniques or bringing fresh references back into the studio. That sense of curiosity helps keep the work moving forward and stops us from falling into the same patterns.
What measures do you take to ensure diversity and inclusion are prioritised within your company?
We are committed to fair and inclusive hiring, flexible working and making sure different voices and perspectives are welcomed within the team. But this thinking goes further than who we hire, we also try to be mindful of inclusion in the work we create, from accessibility on digital projects to considering how different audiences will experience a brand, campaign or piece of communication.
We are still growing, so it is definitely an ongoing responsibility for us to ensure we build a studio where people from different backgrounds feel welcome, can progress and do their best creative work whilst they’re with us.
Can you describe a project that challenged your team creatively and how you overcame any obstacles?
One of our first year-long contracts was working with a large, well-known Holiday brand where our role was to ideate and create engaging digital campaigns that give the brand a unique user experience and get people booking holidays. However, just as we signed on with them for a year, Covid struck and no one was going on any holidays…
So, naturally this created a huge challenge. How do you sell holidays to people that can't go on holiday?
One of our ideas was centred around safe travel in the UK (once things opened up a little), exploring it in ways that they hadn’t before. We created a campaign that ‘brought’ aboard destinations to the UK, for example, did you know there is a place called Egypt in Bradford? That campaign was a huge success, and from there when the flights opened up we built a second campaign called “Once Famous” focused on destinations that used to be really popular but aren’t anymore. This really struck a cord with the more covid-concious travellers, allowing them to book a holiday without fear of it being too busy!
Overall, we managed to turn a massive challenge for a travel company, into several really creative and impactful campaigns that got picked up in the press and gained a lot of attention. It’s a project we’re really proud of!
How do you balance maintaining your company's unique creative voice while meeting the diverse needs of clients?
For us, maintaining our creative voice doesn’t mean making every project look the same. The client, their audience and goals always come first, so the work has to be completely fit for purpose… A brand for a hospitality business, for example, should not feel the same as a website for a legal firm or a campaign for a public sector organisation, that’s why all of our work will be different and unique to the client.
Instead, our creative voice comes through in the standard we hold all of our work too. In the way we think, challenge, create and go the extra mile for every brief. Every project we are involved in needs to feel distinctive and grounded in the strategy for that client, rather than simply applying the same style to everything we do.
What strategies do you employ to adapt to changes and trends in the industry while staying true to your company's values?
We stay adaptable by remaining curious about where the industry is heading, whether that is new creative tools, changes in digital behaviour, shifts in culture or the way brands are expected to show up in the world. It’s a fast-moving creative industry, so we keep our nose to the ground with what’s going on and stay open to change.
When it comes to trends, we of course want to ensure our work is modern and present, but we definitely don’t want to create work-based trends just because they are popular right now. Every project we work on is routed in strategy and research directly for that client, their audience and the purpose of their work. So if a new tool or style approach adds value, improves the experience or helps us create stronger work, we will explore it. If it feels like novelty for the sake of it, we are not afraid to leave it alone.
Our values are rooted in creativity, quality, collaboration and care, so the way we adapt has to support those things rather than distract from them. For us, staying relevant is about evolving thoughtfully while still protecting the standard and personality that clients come to us for.
Can you share a memorable client success story that exemplifies your company's approach and impact?
A really memorable project would be a campaign we worked on for a large restaurant chain.
The goal was to bring in more customers on Halloween as they were struggling to get the number of bookings they had anticipated.
Our idea focused on turning one of their restaurants into a digital haunted house as part of their online user journey towards the booking page. It was bold, daring but done in a way that still felt totally on-brand for them. After we went live with the campaign, we had huge success and they received 150 new bookings and 6,000 new customers through the website!
It really showed us the value of brands going that extra mile to build engaging and unique customer experiences, whether that’s online or in person, it gives your customers something to remember and get involved in!
In what ways do you invest in the professional development and growth of your team members?
We invest in our team’s development by giving people real ownership, exposure and support as the agency grows. Because we are still a relatively small studio, team members are able to get close to different parts of the creative process, from early strategy and ideas through to delivery, client conversations and final execution.
We also encourage regular feedback, knowledge sharing and learning new tools or techniques that can strengthen the work. Jordan is very hands-on creatively, so a lot of development comes through collaboration, mentoring and pushing ideas together rather than people working in isolation.
As we continue to grow, we want to make sure everyone has the opportunity to develop their own strengths, explore their creativity and feel like they are progressing with the business, not just working within it.
How do you approach sustainability and ethical practices within your company's operations and projects?
We care deeply about people and the planet, and we want those values to be reflected in the way we operate as a business and the work we create for clients. We are still growing, but our ambition is to keep building the agency in a responsible way, with the long-term goal of becoming B Corp certified.
We are very conscious of protecting our team’s wellbeing, so we don’t encourage a culture of working beyond set hours or over weekends etc., it’s something both Jordan and Rachel experienced when working in agencies and are super keen to avoid it where possible. We want people to do brilliant creative work, but not at the expense of their health, balance or personal lives.
In our projects, we try to make thoughtful choices wherever possible, whether that is considering accessibility, longevity, responsible production, or creating work that has purpose rather than unnecessary waste.
Do you have any websites, books or resources that you would recommend?
Online I tend to look at Creative Boom, It’s Nice That etc. and Substack can be great for regular bits of knowledge and keeping up to date with all things creative & marketing.
Books I love:
‘Failed it’ by Erik Kessels is such a good book! He came in to do a talk when I was at uni and I was so inspired. He helped me get out of my own way, and get out of my head and stop worrying about what I was creating being ‘right’ or ‘perfect’ which I think is super important to allow yourself to experiment and develop more, so I would definitely recommend that book!
I’m also a bit of a hand-drawn type lover so ‘hand job’ by Michael Perry is a long-time fave of mine :)