How do you innovate a creative + communications network?

How do you transform a 90-year-old legacy network structure building on what is already successful while transforming to meet the future? This is the question that not just the creative and communication agencies ask themselves, but many businesses who have developed large footprints over a period to time. Footprints and structures that were designed for a different time; a time where change was slower, the future more transparent and the world more predictable.

It was a question that we asked at H+K as we looked to ensure that the agency became a more organic structure; alive and capable of being in a state of constant evolution to flex to the constant changing conditions that our clients face on a day-to-day basis. An agency that was always well placed to help our clients; agile, creative, expert and driven by constant innovation.

As part of the blueprint for the transformation there are six foundational pillars; one of those is ‘Open Innovation’ designed to allow our agency to constantly move forward, always ‘innovating’ from within. We are building the philosophy into every part of our business; our legacy services, our operations, our recruitment process, and our training – not just limiting it to new products and services that we are developing for our clients. Most importantly ‘open’ means it is the responsibility of everyone; it is open to all and the responsibility of all. It is only by making it open that it becomes part of our culture and the agency becomes alive with change.

One thing that experience tells us is that talking about change does not deliver change. It has to be seen, observed and demonstrated. As the architect, systems thinker and futurist Buckminster Fuller observed; ‘You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.’

In order to demonstrate our ambition of ‘Open Innovation’ we have created a series of eight connected Innovation + Creative hubs around the network. Built on our core communication skills they will deliver a consistency of sector knowledge and specialist expertise to both local and global clients. A fluidity of skills between these hubs will ensure our clients have the right people, at the right time, in the right place.

In our hubs you will find creative strategists working alongside sector specialists, experts in digital planning + optimization with public affairs consultants, and creative directors working with content + publishing strategist, data analysts and communication consultants – all focused on the same client-centric goals.

Across our innovation and creative hubs we are broadening the scope of services that we are able to provide, deepening our expertise and are transforming the way our clients engage with us – innovating the future of communications.