Kit Altin’s Guide to Creative Briefing

Our fantastic CSO, Kit Altin engaged in an conversation with Alex Reeves from LBB exploring the delicate balance of logic and magic in the art of creative briefing.

Dive into this piece for a taste of her invaluable insights via

CEO Jamie Elliott shortlisted as Agency Leader

We are absolutely thrilled to announce that our CEO, Jamie Elliott has been shortlisted as Agency Leader at Campaigns’s Global Agency of the Year Awards.

Jamie's leadership has propelled us to new heights, and we couldn't be prouder.

Growing The Gate gang

We are excited to be growing The Gate’s gang by joining forces with the MBAstack team in London to create a leader in joined-up brand and customer experience creativity.

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The AA won Silver and Bronze at British Arrows

We're delighted to share that our campaign for The AA, "It's Ok, I'm with The AA" has secured a Silver in Automotive, a Bronze in Best up to 30-second Commercial, and has been shortlisted in the Integrated category at the British Arrows Awards 2024.

IWD Panel ‘The Women Who Made Us’

In honour of International Women's Day, MSQ hosted a thought-provoking panel discussion titled "The Women Who Made Us."

We're delighted to showcase the powerhouse women who graced the panel: our Chief Client Officer, Vicky Janaway, brought her infectious energy as the moderator, while our formidable Managing Director, Charlotte Wolfenden, whose leadership, and unwavering dedication have been a driving force behind our success, took the stage alongside these fantastic MSQ Managing Directors Rebecca Vickery, Nicola Nimmo, and Charlotte Mullan, sharing their invaluable insights as panellists.

The panel's focus was on inspiration, leadership and empowerment, paying homage to the extraordinary women who have played pivotal roles in shaping the MSQ leadership team.

Here's to celebrating the remarkable achievements and contributions of women everywhere!

Top 5 stand-out marketing campaign for Lexis Nexis

Our 'See What Matters' campaign for LexisNexis Risk was recognised as one of the Top 5 stand-out marketing campaigns of the week by Performance Marketing World alongside leading brands Diet Coke, Interflora and Dr Martens.

Read it here

The Gate at the Drum World Creative Rankings

We're absolutely thrilled to share that The Gate has been featured in The Drum World Creative Rankings 2024 as one of The Most Awarded Agencies in the UK & Ireland!

This recognition is a testament to the incredible talent, hard work, and dedication of our gang.

Read it here

Jamie Elliott featured in the A List

We're absolutely thrilled to announce that our CEO, Jamie Elliott has earned a well-deserved spot in Campaign’s A List 2024.

After a four-year hiatus, this year's A List is back in action, spotlighting approximately 250 of adland's most influential figures in the UK.

Read it here

Chief Client Officer, Vicky Janaway nominated for the iList

We're thrilled to share that our Chief Client Officer, Vicky Janaway has been shortlisted to be in the IPA iList.

The iList spotlights trailblazers advocating for diversity, equity, and inclusion within the advertising industry.

Read it here

Creatives, Becky Reynolds & Hannah Bituin MSQ Young Lions.

Our fabulous creative duo Becky Reynolds and Hannah Bituin have won the MSQ Young Lions competition. They will proudly represent The Gate London and MSQ at this year's festival. This marks MSQ's third consecutive year of bringing along two promising Young Lions to Cannes.

Hannah and Becky joined back in April 2023, and have made quite the impact throughout their time so far. You can read more about them here

The AA shortlisted at British Arrows

We're thrilled to share that our campaign "It's Ok, I'm with The AA" for The AA has clinched three shortlists at the British Arrows Awards 2024.

The Gate launches “A Better Fortune” campaign

On Your Side, the nationwide support and reporting service dedicated to the East and Southeast Asians who’ve experienced racism or hate, launched on Saturday 10th a compelling campaign in collaboration with The Gate London. The initiative, titled ‘A Better Fortune,’ aims to commemorate the Lunar New Year and highlight the alarming acts of hate against the East and Southeast Asian communities in the UK.

East and Southeast Asian (ESEA) communities have shaped UK culture, including Asian food being the UK’s number one takeaway of choice. However, despite this place in the UK’s heart, ESEA communities continue to experience high levels of hate crime across the country. On Your Side was created in the wake of a steep increase in hate crime recorded against ESEA communities during the covid pandemic, which continues today. In response, The Gate and On Your Side seek to leverage the UK's love for ESEA food to encourage support for the community and drive allyship.

Lunar New Year, celebrated from the 10th of February, is a significant occasion marked by hope for a better year ahead. Addressing acts of hate against the ESEA community during this time holds particular significance. Using the medium of fortune cookies, synonymous with ESEA culture and food – the campaign will subvert their messages to fortell of positive actions against hate. Messages that will reframe the recipient as future allies, and act as a poignant reminder that those who love the food should also show the same support and love for the people.

We chose the fortune cookie as it’s a symbol of ESEA presence in the Western world. Though it is not universally associated with all ESEA communities, its existence is evidence of a long and complicated history of migration, discrimination, and racism. It serves as a complex diasporic symbol that shines light on why we need to support the ESEA community in the UK. It is a reminder that services, such as On Your Side, the nation’s first support and reporting service for ESEA communities in the UK, play a vital role in ensuring the safety and well-being of the community.

Acknowledging the fortune cookies’ historical ties to racialized history, through highlighting its roots, we attempt to show the complex relationship between the fortune cookie and its connections to racialised narratives. Utilising the fortune cookie to encourage people to stand against racism and hate transforms it from a once controversial symbol into one of strength and empowerment. We hope that our “A Better Fortune” campaign will spark further discussion on racism in the UK, and encourage those who need support to reach out.

The campaign unfolds across various mediums, including out-of-home, social, and digital platforms. On Tuesday, 13th February, The Gate and OYS will be distributing Fortune Cookies throughout China Town, intending to capture people's attention and initiate discussions about the cause. On social media, influencers, both allies and members of the ESEA community, will unbox Fortune Cookies, sharing personal experiences and thoughts to promote a better understanding and allyship. The Gate produced the campaign in collaboration with Brave Spark. The organisation Asian Leadership Collective supported the development of the campaign.

Hannah Bituin and Becky Reynolds, Creatives of The Gate, said: “With one of us being from a South-East Asian background, who has grown up with hate and has found it to become the norm, we wanted to do something about it. With a fortune cookie being synonymous with the community, we will help people, including allies, stand up for what's right.

Rob Bovington, Creative Director of The Gate, said: "To challenge perceptions and rally allies, we chose to grab people’s attention at the opportune moment. A fortune cookie is not only culturally relevant, it’s the perfect medium to engage a captive audience - encouraging lovers of Asian food, during a meal to show love and support for the ESEA community in the face of hate."

Victina Tse, Project Manager of On Your Side, said: “Lunar New Year is a significant time for celebration, reflection and coming together. It's fitting that during this period, we draw attention to the acts of hate against the ESEA community. 'A Better Fortune Cookie' seeks to harness the UK’s love for ESEA food to encourage understanding, support, and unity while also making sure ESEA communities know we are there to support them if ever they do experience hate”

Read more about the campaign here

‘Inclusive Leadership in Turbulent Times’ at The Gate of Inspiration

In our latest Gate of Inspiration, we were honoured to host Verica Djurdjevic, Chief Revenue Officer at Channel 4, for her enlightening session "Inclusive Leadership in Turbulent Times."

Verica's insights underscored the vital importance of contemporary leaders exercising compassion and mindfulness in their actions.

CSO, Kit Altin in the Gerety jury

We are thrilled to announce our very own Chief Strategy Officer, Kit Altin has been selected to join this year’s distinguished Executive Jury for the Gerety Awards 2024.

ACD, Jo Ratcliffe in Top 25 Creatives List

Delighted to announce our Associate Creative Director, Jo Ratcliffe, has secured the 12th spot in David Review's prestigious Top 25 Creatives List.

Chief Client Officer, Vicky Janaway shortlisted as Mentor of the Year

Delighted our Chief Client Officer, Vicky Janaway, has been shortlisted for Campaign UK’s Inspiring Women Awards 2024 in the Mentor of the Year category.

Strategy Partner, Francess Gibss in Kantar Panel

Our fantastic Strategy Partner, Frances Gibbs was part of Kantar’s 'New Effectiveness Resolutions For Year-Round Success' webinar alongside some of the brilliant minds behind 2023's most effective campaigns. They discussed the commitments brands should make to increase marketing effectiveness in 2024.

Growth Director, Marina Hidalgo in the BD100 List

Our Growth Director, Marina Hidalgo Blanco, has secured a spot on The BD100 List for the second year running. She is recognised as one of the UK's 100 most influential Business Developers, proudly representing The Gate London amongst a remarkable group of people dedicated to building inspiring relationships and crafting innovative solutions for clients.

'Mail Unleashed' returns

'Mail Unleashed' returns for a second series with some of the industry's leading CMOs and thought leaders.

Read more here

AkzoNobel appoints The Gate as creative B2B agency for EMEA

We're thrilled to announce we've won the AkzoNobel creative B2B business in EMEA, spanning broadcast, POS, social, print, digital and direct across the UK, Spain, Belgium, France, Netherlands, Germany, the Nordics and Italy - for brands including Dulux Trade, Sikkens, Herbol, Procolor and Trimetal.

The win follows a competitive pitch handled by Booster Consulting, which involved a number of global marketing groups, according to MSQ.

Stephen Maher, network lead at MSQ, said: “The multichannel nature of the work plays to the strengths of MSQ, requiring joined up thinking and an appreciation of how we can flex our creativity across different markets.

Read more via Campaign