OK Social, a dynamic creative studio led by Creative Director Jack Last and Head of Partnerships Jimmy Gordon, has steadily carved out a niche in the global creative landscape. Born out of Jack's freelance journey, OK Social has grown into a fully remote team of designers, animators, and illustrators, tackling innovative projects for a variety of clients.
In this interview, Jack and Jimmy share insights on the company's origins, challenges, creative process, and the strategies that have driven their success. From forging strong industry partnerships to fostering a culture of innovation, OK Social is a prime example of adaptability and collaboration in the ever-evolving creative industry.
How was your company born and where are you based?
(Jack) My journey began in advertising, collaborating with agencies and brands. After going freelance, I started gaining more projects, which led us to bring in other designers, animators, and illustrators to help. This collaborative effort naturally evolved into what is now Ok Social.
We operate as a fully remote team, with members based in various locations. Together, we tackle a diverse range of projects globally. Jimmy is the newest addition to our team, having built a large network in the creative industry the past few years, we brought him on board to help expand our partnerships.
What was the biggest challenge to the growth of your company?
(Jack) Many creative studios face significant challenges, particularly in managing client relationships and leads. As creatives, we often struggle with marketing and sales, which are essential for running a successful studio. It's crucial to ensure a steady flow of leads while providing excellent service to our clients.
Maintaining relationships, building a strong team culture, and securing consistent work are often our biggest hurdles. Additionally, we must manage expectations around upcoming projects and set clear goals for the next quarter and the year ahead. We focus on keeping solid communication and transparency with our partners to ensure nothing is misconstrued and everyone is happy and looped in.
Which was the first huge success that you can remember?
(Jack) There wasn't a single defining moment or achievement for us; it was a series of smaller successes. For instance, updating our website significantly increased our leads, and putting together a strong portfolio made a big difference.
Landing a few notable clients also helped build trust, as working with larger brands can make potential clients more confident in our abilities. Additionally, scaling our team by bringing in new members has been crucial, as it allows us to offer more services and improve our overall capabilities. Ultimately, it’s the combination of these smaller steps that has driven our growth.
What’s the biggest opportunity for you and your company in the next year?
(Jimmy) We both have strong experience working with and supporting larger agencies with animation and motion. This year we have decided to really lean into this knowledge, and tailor our services to create bespoke offerings that go that extra mile to support agencies looking for a reliable partner.
We have been arranging conversations with many of our producer and creative director friends, to really understand what kind of things they look for in external collaborators and how we can improve our processes, operations and structure.
Can you explain your team’s creative process? What makes it unique?
(Jack) Every studio, agency, or company has its own unique process, shaped by the little things they do. For us, being a fully remote team influences our workflow and creative process, allowing for flexibility in how we collaborate and create. This adaptability helps us foster a unique working environment that sets us apart.
How does your team remain inspired and motivated?
(Jimmy) We’re constantly sharing with each other the latest in creative industry and technology trends and improvements to help create a buzz around both creative and emerging technologies.
We also attend many industry events, most recently the two of us attended Paradigms in Rome. We have visits to Stockholm, Hamburg & Amsterdam planned in the coming months to connect and spend quality time with other agencies in the industry.
How has COVID-19 affected your company?
(Jack) COVID-19 actually turned out to be beneficial for us. It marked the beginning of our transition from freelancing to building a team. During that time, we experienced a significant influx of work, which helped us grow and adapt.
Overall, it was a positive time that allowed us to reflect on our direction and goals. Having that extended period gave us the space to really focus on what we wanted to achieve and who we wanted to become as a team.
Which agencies do you gain inspiration from? Do you have any heroes in the industry?
(Jimmy) BUCK are one of my personal all time favourites who I always love keeping an eye on new projects. Electric Theatre Company have produced one of my all time favourite music videos for Pharell, Tyler the Creator and 21 Savage.
(Jack) I've always found inspiration in cartoons and animated TV shows. While they aren't the type of content you typically find in the advertising industry, they have profoundly influenced my creative perspective and love of the craft.
What is one tip that you would give to other agencies looking to grow?
(Jimmy) Invest heavily in your operations. Efficiency in this industry is key. The more you work with larger companies and agencies, the tighter the deadlines and higher the demands.
Having a solid structure from the outset can help you accommodate these demands. It also improves client relations. Being able to work efficiently, deliver on time and keep good communications is one of the most important things when collaborating with others.
How do you go about finding new clients/business? (Pitching, work with retainers, etc.)
(Jimmy) Whilst we do run some outreach campaigns, we’re very fortunate to have a lot of repeat clients who also refer us for a lot of work. Networking and building relationships is also key for us. The creative industry is full of interesting and friendly people.
The more people you can meet and build rapport with, the more you find opportunities presented to you. You also make some awesome friends along the way!
What’s your one big hope for the future of the industry?
(Jimmy) Regarding AI, I hope that a good balance can be found in the industry. One which harnesses the benefits of increasing creative capacity and ability, without threatening people’s jobs.
I also hope that companies don’t lose understanding of the importance of the human input in work, as we see more end clients beginning to use their own AI solutions in-house.
Can you share a defining moment in your company's journey that shaped its identity or direction?
(Jack) It’s difficult to pinpoint a single defining moment in our company’s journey that shaped our identity. Jimmy and I often discuss how our direction is ever-evolving.
What we are now won’t be what we are forever; we change and adapt with each project and every new team member we bring on. I appreciate our flexibility, as it allows us to grow and steer our path continually.
How do you foster a culture of innovation and experimentation within your team?
(Jack) Fostering a culture of innovation and experimentation is always a challenge, but it’s something we need to prioritise. We've started implementing time blocking, setting aside specific periods for the team to explore new ideas, AI, and innovative tools.
Without this dedicated time, experimentation can easily be overlooked amidst our daily tasks, so it's essential for us to make it a part of our routine.
What measures do you take to ensure diversity and inclusion are prioritised within your company?
After a successful past couple of years, we are now in the position to look to grow our company from the ground up.
With upcoming job openings in the next 6 months, we look to utilise platforms such as Creative Lives in Progress and If You Could Jobs to help us access a diverse pool of talent to bring into interviews and hire from. Our studio also remains remote focused, enabling us to have a greater global reach for potential candidates.
Can you describe a project that challenged your team creatively and how you overcame any obstacles?
(Jack) One project that significantly impacted our team's creativity involved working with health and medical clients. Initially, we faced challenges due to the extensive legislation and compliance requirements in this sector, which were much stricter compared to FMCG brands.
Overcoming these obstacles required us to adjust our approach and develop a more precise and granular way of thinking. This experience ultimately enhanced our creativity, as we learned to navigate complex constraints while still delivering clear and compliant messaging.
How do you balance maintaining your company's unique creative voice while meeting the diverse needs of clients?
At OK Social, we pride ourselves on our energy and individual personalities. Our company's tone of voice is shaped around our own.
Despite working with a variety of end clients, our main audience are the agencies we support. These are down to earth creative people, so utilising our own creative personalities benefits us in connecting with these people.
What strategies do you employ to adapt to changes and trends in the industry while staying true to your company's values?
(Jack) To adapt to new challenges and trends while staying true to our company values, we prioritise experimentation and innovation. We regularly examine industry trends and reference other studios’ work, as well as advancements in technology.
This helps us understand not only the creative landscape but also operational improvements that can benefit the company. By focusing on small enhancements—like streamlining onboarding processes or optimising project management—we ensure that we evolve without compromising our core values.
Can you share a memorable client success story that exemplifies your company's approach and impact?
(Jack) We recently worked on a project focused on clarity around contraception after pregnancy for the NHS and it was an incredibly rewarding experience. We had a lot of creative freedom in terms of style, design, and messaging, ensuring that it was clear for both healthcare professionals and patients.
The client was thrilled with the outcome, and we appreciated the collaborative process we established together. We love involving our clients at every stage, from storyboarding to animation, allowing them to be part of the journey and see how the project develops.
In what ways do you invest in the professional development and growth of your team members?
(Jack) We invest in the professional development and growth of our team members by setting aside dedicated time for personal development, such as hour-long blocks between projects. This allows everyone to focus on their skills and interests.
Working with talented designers and animators fosters a collaborative environment where we can share tips, tools, and insights. Additionally, our flexible work hours and remote setup promote a healthy work-life balance, enabling team members to manage their schedules effectively and pursue their growth at their own pace.
Can you discuss a time when your company had to pivot or innovate in response to unforeseen challenges, and what lessons did you learn from that experience?
(Jack) We've definitely had key moments where we needed to pivot. Early on, we focused heavily on social media work, but as more agencies began doing in-house projects, we shifted to producing longer-form content that could be adapted for social media.
This adaptability is central to our mindset; we believe we're never truly done evolving. Everything about us—our tone of voice, website, work, and team—should always be improving. Embracing this adaptive mindset keeps us ahead of the curve and ready for whatever changes come our way.
Do you have any websites, books or resources that you would recommend?
(Jimmy) I recently read the book ‘Tribes’ by Seth Godin which I would highly recommend. The book gives great insight into what leadership is and how to curate and lead a passion team.
It’s also interesting to help think about how you engage with your audience of prospective customers. I feel that anyone in a role working with others should check this book out!