Nestled in the picturesque fields of Filleigh, Devon, Bray Leino stands as a testament to the power of thinking outside the box—literally. While most agencies have traditionally gravitated toward the hustle and bustle of London, Bray Leino’s founders took a bold step in 1973, establishing their agency far from the city’s chaos.
Today, under the leadership of Executive Creative Director Nicola Roberts, the agency has grown into a £60 million global powerhouse, blending the tranquility of its surroundings with an unyielding drive for creativity and innovation.
In this interview, Nicola shares insights on the company’s unique journey, the challenges of growth, and the exciting opportunities that lie ahead. She also gives us a peek into the distinctive creative processes that keep her team inspired and ready to tackle the ever-evolving demands of the industry.
How was your company born, and where are you based?
Back in the day, when every agency and their dog was based in London, our trailblazing founders had this brilliant idea: why not set up shop somewhere truly inspiring? And what better place than North Devon? Imagine it—this was 1973, long before emails or mobile phones, and a drive to London was a solid six-hour adventure!
Fast forward to today, and we’ve grown into a £60m global agency, proudly standing as one of the UK’s top B2B and B2C agencies. The same entrepreneurial spirit remains. There’s something special about the place.
What is the biggest challenge to the growth of your company?
Knowing where to focus and trying to be disciplined in that. There are so many hold-on-to-your-undercrackers opportunities, whether that be working with new partners, collaborating with start-ups, and of course all the possibilities with AI. The challenge is knowing where we need to focus and not becoming distracted.
Which was the first huge success that you can remember?
In my time at Bray Leino, winning the Thatcher’s Cider account and working with Aardman.
What’s the biggest opportunity for you and your company in the next year?
We’re lucky to be working with some very ambitious clients, from consumer brands to B2B powerhouses. And we offer a vast range of capabilities that can help them achieve those goals and grow.
We’ve got this knack for diving deep into the heart of their business, figuring out what truly makes them tick, and then turning those insights into ideas that make a real difference.
Can you explain your team’s creative process? What makes it unique?
What makes us different is how we work. Picture this: coming up with ideas while the waves crash around you or the wind whispers through the trees... It’s like nothing I've ever experienced. And a totally different vibe compared to the chaos of city life.
We also don’t confine ourselves to one type of channel. There are no brick walls. We’ve got the freedom to explore any idea in any format, which means we can experiment with fresh techniques and approaches. Having an in-house production team, innovative digital people, as well as a media department makes it one big playpen.
How does your team remain inspired and motivated?
Keeping the creative juices flowing is key in a company like ours. That’s why we have something called Creative Brainfood. It’s a regular inspirational session packed with all the stuff that makes you go, “oh, wish I’d done that!”. We also offer “Trunky want a Bun”. It’s an opportunity for people to stick their hands up and say – I want to go see/visit this place or space. It feeds curiosity.
How has COVID-19 affected your company?
It’s changed everything. Now, talent can come from anywhere—thanks to TEAMS. The world is open to play. We’ve also become more mindful of time. We have a “No meeting, we’re eating” blocked out in our diaries, to make sure people spend time away from Macs and desks.
There’s also monthly Wellness Wednesdays. People are encouraged to jump in the surf, walk on the moors or do downwards dog.
Which agencies do you gain inspiration from? Do you have any heroes in the industry?
Fortunate enough to have worked with a fair few talented people, like Nikky Bullard, Caitlin Ryan and Cilla Snowball. North stars. Don’t want to be predictable and say Uncommon – but hard not to! They don’t follow the beaten path. British Airways is class.
What is one tip that you would give to other agencies looking to grow?
Employ people that are different to you. Like attracts like. When you mix things up and break up the tribes, interesting things happen.
How do you go about finding new clients/business?
As an Agency, we know there are particular kinds of Clients that fit with us especially well. Food and beverage brands. Healthcare brands. B2B businesses. Family businesses. And any business that needs the breadth of capability only we can provide. Our new business team focuses on those businesses we know we can support like no other agency can.
We’re also quite selective regarding who we pitch for, we’re careful not to have a leaky bucket and so our first standpoint is always to deliver brilliantly for the Clients we have. After that things like a sense of partnership and creative ambition are important factors for us in what we choose to pitch for.
What’s your one big hope for the future of the industry?
That diversity becomes the norm. I absolutely love, love, love Orange's "WoMen's Football" ad. They used deepfake tech to show big-name male football stars like Kylian Mbappé doing amazing things, but halfway through, you realise it was actually players from the French women’s football team. Wouldn’t it be a great day, where people weren’t surprised by that? In the meantime we SAY WAT? Where are they, when diversity isn’t present.
Do you have any websites, books, or resources that you would recommend?
Definitely check out The Do Book Co. And Paul Arden’s It's Not How Good You Are, It's How Good You Want To Be is an absolute gem.
But to be honest, read, see and experience everything and anything. Don’t fall in the trap of thinking, oh that’s not my kind of thing.
Be the eyes of your audience.
Be the sponge.
