About me

In 2009 Michael founded award-winning agency Impero as an innovative, risk-taking creative agency. Designed to do one thing and one thing only: make tired brands famous again.

First founded in London, Impero has now expanded into Latin America with its second office in Buenos Aires.

Impero aims to represent a new breed of creative agency: independent, made up of digital natives and with a culture that reflects the world around us. Boasting a 77% female workforce and 100% gender pay parity, with six out of seven of its departments run by women, Impero believes in honesty, transparency and meritocracy at all times.

Equally, in a sector obsessed with data and vanity metrics, Impero believes in the value of technology and data only when it is used to create real work real people really see, that penetrates culture and shows tangible benefits for brands and their customers.

Michael has become an industry thought leader on themes including 'making branded content people will actually care about' and 'Engaging Gen Z: how to engage the next generation of consumers'.

Beyond Impero, Michael is also the founder and director for the UK's first dedicated LIVE social content agency, Live & Wired. Set up in April 2017, the agency ideates and produces live social content to create ideas that consumers want to engage with.

Originally from New Zealand, Michael created his first online startup as a teenager; New Zealand's largest online dining guide (Menus) and later Australasia's most visited movie publication (Flicks), both of which were acquired before Michael set up Impero.

Michael's work

Pop My Lunch

RJ Smith Branding and Website

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