One year ago, independent agency jnr. entered the market with nothing but an idea, a name, and a vision. Unlike many agencies that launch with an existing client base or a pipeline of projects, jnr. had zero clients, zero revenue, and zero meetings or pitches lined up.
Yet, as co-founders John Marshall and Ryan O’Connell candidly put it in an exclusive chat with B&T, their primary goal was simple: “Be alive in 12 months’ time.”
Now, a year later, not only has the agency survived – it has thrived.
Their first year has been a mix of big wins, unexpected challenges, and some expensive – but valuable – lessons.
From Zero to Growth: The First Year in Business
Unlike many new agencies that launch with existing client relationships, jnr. started from scratch. “When we launched, there was a perception that all we did was strategic consulting,” co-founders John Marshall and Ryan O’Connell told B&T. “So some clients didn’t consider us for ‘creative’ projects.”
That perception was reinforced by its initial structure. “To be fair, the noise around us opening was based upon a Suit and a Strategist teaming up. That, combined with not having full-time, in-house, creative offering, didn’t help the perception.”
Despite these challenges, the agency quickly adapted. “We learnt from that and moved swiftly to bring creatives into the business. And we have a very big announcement on a massive creative hiring coming very soon…”
This adaptation paid off, with jnr. not only meeting but exceeding its initial revenue goals. “The goal for year one was survival. From a revenue point-of-view, that meant covering costs and paying ourselves (the two founders). We exceeded those goals by such a significant margin, that jnr. now has six staff across Australia and Aotearoa.”
What drove that success? “The reason for that is pretty simple: we won six full-time clients!”
A Standout Campaign: ‘Go on a Robe Trip’
When asked to pick a highlight from their first year, Marshall and O’Connell hesitate. “Don’t make us choose our favourite child! We’re proud of all the work we’ve done in year one!” they joked.
However, one campaign stands out: the ‘Robe Trip’ campaign for RotoruaNZ.
“The ‘Robe Trip’ tourism campaign we’ve created for RotoruaNZ is probably the standout because it’s evidence of all the disciplines and services we offer: business strategy, brand strategy, creative development, production, design, PR, social, and even media strategy.”
Beyond just showcasing their capabilities, the campaign reinforced their belief that the work they produce is driven by great partnerships. “While every agency is biased and loves their own work, we do love this campaign. But we genuinely would not have got to such an amazing output without the partnership with Marisa, Andrew and the entire RotoruaNZ whānau.”
Industry Reception and Unexpected Wins
Despite initial concerns about how the market would perceive them, jnr. has been blown away by the support they’ve received. “In all honesty, the reception has been incredible. Other agencies have been incredibly supportive and ridiculously generous with their advice.”
The types of clients they’ve attracted have also been a surprise. “We’ve also been blown away with the calibre and size of the clients that have reached out to us, or asked us to pitch for their business. We haven’t won absolutely everything, but just to be considered by some of these types of clients is pretty special for us, in year one.”
What Sets jnr. Apart?
In an industry filled with agencies promising fresh thinking, jnr. prides itself on making it a reality. “Our agency was inspired by the energy, fresh thinking, enthusiasm, and hunger to grow, of juniors. Hence our name! Everyone at jnr. lives and breathes this attitude.”
The pair acknowledged that any agency can claim to bring energy and innovation, but they go beyond promises. “We’ve started to bring in AI and technology to help streamline parts of the creative and production process. Making things faster and more efficient for both agency and client.”
Another factor that differentiates them? Their hands-on approach.
“In big agencies, you see the senior and experienced people in the pitch meeting, or when the shit has hit the fan, or when there’s a great piece of work they want to attach themselves to. They don’t really work on your business each day, as they’re too busy sitting in management meetings, running departments, judging award shows, or stressing about revenue targets from their global overlords.”
At jnr., things work differently. “At jnr., you get the energy of juniors with the experience of seniors. That’s precisely why we started jnr. – to get back closer to the actual work.”
Their business model also allows them to offer honest, client-first, solutions.
“Unlike most agencies, our business model isn’t set up to make the majority of our revenue off production. That means we’ve often proposed solutions that aren’t advertising. Pricing changes, renaming products, investing in a sponsorship property, and on one occasion, even deliberately doing nothing, because they were all optimal way to solve the relevant business problem. That’s really helped us build trust with our client partners.”
Client Retention: The Key to Stability
Building strong, long-term, client relationships has been central to jnr.’s growth strategy. “One thing we tell our client partners is that we’re keen to grow with them. They’re putting faith in us by trusting us in our infancy, so we’re dedicated to repaying that faith by building a long-term relationship with them.”
The agency also recognises the harsh reality of retention. “Let’s be brutally honest: in big agencies, losing clients usually means retrenchments. For a start-up in year one, not retaining clients means possibly shutting the agency.”
This awareness kept them focused. “With that reality, there was zero complacency from jnr. in year one, and we’ve learnt that we should always be committed to treating clients in that way.”
That approach has paid off, providing the agency with more stability than expected. “Thankfully, due to our family of 6 client partners, we’ve achieved the stability we probably weren’t expecting until year two or three.”
What’s Next for jnr.?
As jnr. enters its second year, its focus remains clear: deepening client relationships, growing their portfolio, and continuing to evolve.
“The biggest goal is to continue building relationships with our existing client partners and providing them with high-level thinking that solves their business problems.”
But expansion is also on the horizon. “Naturally, we’d also love to grow our client partner portfolio.”
And, of course, there’s still that big announcement on the horizon.
“Lastly, we do have a big announcement coming soon, in the form of a hire, that we feel will turbocharge the agency’s growth and capture the attention and interest of the industry.”
With their unique positioning, strong client relationships, and an ambitious mindset, year two is shaping up to be even bigger for jnr. than the first.
