In this series, we are celebrating some of the agencies that won big at the AdNews Agency of the Year Awards this year.
To reflect its gradual transition from mobile specialist to full service digital, Mobeseek rebranded as AFK (Away From Keyboard).
In 2016, stepping into a world where consumers seamlessly move from screen to screen, merging its tech foundations with an increased focus on creativity.
The need to not be “typecast as a mobile agency” was the prime reason why founder James Sugrue took the bold move to rebrand his agency to AFK last year.
“People thought we only did mobile apps and sites but really we have pivoted into a full blown digital agency that works across all platforms, and into games, and even virtual reality and augmented reality.”
In its seventh year, the entity now known as AFK aims to go well beyond what might once have been traditionally expected from an agency, priding itself on innovation. A focus on cutting-edge thinking led to the launch of an ‘Exploration Division’ in Sydney that enables the team to develop and test product prototypes and keep their finger on the pulse with the latest technology.
“The world is moving so fast and the technology advancements are coming on us so quick you have to do something new in the digital space,” Sugrue said. “We try and identify trends that are at the start of the innovation curve and build prototypes around them to help us and our clients better understand the technology.”
When brands make their moves in the technology space and choose to invest in VR or the profitable world of gaming, Sugrue believes his agency has a competitive edge, having its own skin in the game to investigate the potential.
“We balance the mixture of innovation with real return. Every project that we do drives ROI back to the client and that is in our DNA. Brands will have no choice very soon, they’ll have to be brave and jump in because if you aren’t innovating you will be left behind,” he said.
As an example, in 2016, after taking part in a ‘hackathon’ selection process, AFK worked on the redevelopment of the CBA Intranet, and ended up building a state of the art news and publishing platform.
At the beginning of last year, AFK launched a redesigned digital presence for Mini, followed closely by a distinctive site for each of their dealerships. This new website launch was backed by a digital campaign using Atlas technology to measure and understand cross-device behaviour. The campaign was so successful that later in the year Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg handpicked the AFK case study as an example of best practice. Even more pleasing, it led to the agency picking up the Mini New Zealand account.
Brave clients are a passion point for Sugrue, who says pushing the boundaries sits at the core of AFK: “We wouldn’t take money from a client if they wanted to do something that was outdated. If you look at CBA, their three-day ‘hackathon’ to create a prototype was what got us excited.
“The brand doesn’t have to be the most innovative in the world but they have to have an appetite to push boundaries and challenge conventions.”
Not only has the rebrand of AFK lifted the agency’s moral, it also increased its revenue by 55% in 2016 as clients expanded the agency’s role on their business. Sugrue is looking to expand the Sydney office, as well as the office in his home country – Ireland.
“We were delighted to win Small Agency of the Year, Independent. The push now is to get to the next level with our end goal to become a stronger and bigger agency - but to make sure we preserve our identity and values,” Sugrue said.
With AFK beating out digital hot shops to win big at this year’s Agency of the Year awards, the business is one to watch this year as it steps up its presence in the Australian market.
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