This year, BBJ&K are proud to be turning 10! Starting with a simple belief that there was room for an independent media agency built around strong relationships, curiosity and a genuine commitment to doing a great job for clients.
Emma Baxter and John Keane have both worked across media owners and agencies before joining forces, bringing different experiences but a shared understanding of the industry and, importantly, each other’s work ethic.
The agency landscape looked very different in 2016. Data, technology and the way audiences could be understood and reached have transformed dramatically since then. What hasn’t changed is the importance of people, relationships and trust.
The early days certainly weren’t without their challenges. Within the first 18 months, a national client went into administration having booked a six-figure campaign with the agency. It was a huge test for a business that was still finding its feet, but the relationships BBJ&K had built with clients and media owners helped the agency navigate its way through it.
It was an early lesson in the importance of strong partnerships and one that has continued to shape the way BBJ&K operates today.
From those early beginnings, the agency has evolved significantly. The clients have grown, the campaigns have become more complex, and the team has grown to 25 people. Along the way, BBJ&K has worked across an increasingly broad range of sectors, channels and challenges, while continuing to operate independently.
For all the changes in media over the past decade, people remain at the heart of the agency.
The team today brings together different experiences, disciplines and perspectives, but there is a shared curiosity and commitment to getting things right. Whether that means going the extra mile for a client, solving a problem at short notice or simply taking genuine pride in the work, that attitude has become an important part of the BBJ&K culture.
Just as importantly, the agency has been fortunate to see people grow during its ten years both those who have built long careers within BBJ&K and those who have gone on to new opportunities elsewhere. Seeing people develop and succeed remains one of the most rewarding parts of the journey.
And then there are the clients and media partners who have been part of that journey too. The trust placed in a relatively new independent agency in those early days helped give BBJ&K the foundations to grow, while the relationships built over the years continue to be a huge part of the business today.
There have been plenty of milestones along the way.
The pandemic was undoubtedly one of the biggest challenges. Like many businesses, BBJ&K had to navigate a period for which there was no playbook, while adapting to an entirely new way of working and supporting clients and colleagues through enormous uncertainty.
There have also been some much happier milestones not least buying the agency’s own headquarters on Mary Street. After years of renting, walking through the door with the keys felt a little like buying your first home. It was a tangible sign that BBJ&K had put down roots.
But perhaps nothing quite compares with seeing a client’s campaign come to life whether that’s on television, radio, out of home, in print or across digital channels. Knowing that the team has played a part in helping a business achieve its objectives is still one of the most rewarding parts of the job.
Turning ten isn’t about looking backwards and stopping there. If anything, it feels like the start of another chapter.
The next ten years will bring plenty of change, particularly as technology, data and AI continue to reshape the media landscape. BBJ&K wants to embrace those opportunities while retaining the things that have always mattered: great people, strong relationships and a genuine understanding of audiences.
There are new sectors to explore, new clients to work with and existing relationships to reconnect with. Most importantly, there is still plenty that the agency wants to achieve.
Ten years ago, BBJ&K started with two people, a handful of relationships and a belief that an independent agency could build something meaningful.
Ten years later, that belief is stronger than ever.
BBJ&K’s story has never been just about the two people who started it.
It belongs to every person who has worked here, every client who has trusted us with their brand, every media owner and partner who has helped bring campaigns to life, and everyone who has contributed something along the way.
Some are still part of BBJ&K. Others have moved on to new chapters. Some have never worked here but have played an important role in helping the agency get to where it is today.
Every one of them has left their mark.
So, as BBJ&K celebrates ten years, the biggest feeling is gratitude for the people, the partnerships, the challenges, the opportunities and the memories that have shaped the agency.
Here’s to the first ten years, and to everything still to come.
Written by:
Emma Baxter and John Keane
Co-founders of BBJ&K
