Agency profile #3: Magic People Voodoo People
Can you tell us a little about yourself?
I’m Asbjørn. A guy who’s been working in communications for a decade or so. I’ve been on the client side a couple of times, but mostly I’v been at different agencies. Since 2006 I’ve devoted my efforts to the digital space, but before that I dabbled in PR and internal communications. So I guess you can say I’ve been around the block a couple of times. Today, my main focus is digital strategy, concept development and copy writing. And I’m also the guy that handles clients, to the extent they need to be handled :)
And in terms of Magic People Voodoo People, I think the best way to describe us is a digital creative agency. It’s always hard to label things, especially since the digital space is so fluid and in perpetual development. At our core we do digital strategy, concept development and design, but we have a really tight network of people that do all sorts of related stuff (illustration, motion graphics, development, film etc.) and we try to set a team for each task that we believe will make the most of the project.
What’s the story behind Magic People Voodoo People? How did the name come about for instance?
Basically, Søren (designer & creative director) and I both worked at the same agency some ten years ago. We clicked, and have been friends ever since. After a couple of different moves we ended up working together at Hello Monday for a couple of years. A defining period, professionally, since it’s an agency that insists on doing high quality work, and pushing the boundaries - and on having fun doing so. I think those are the most important things we’ve taken with us from working there.
Anyway, when I went on to do my own thing in 2013, Søren was quick to follow. Since then, we’ve focused on surrounding ourselves with the very best freelancers and niche agencies, as a natural way of scaling.
The name not only evokes sweet, sweet musical memories from the nineties (yes, we’re that old). It also speaks to the fact that our way of doing business revolves around the people we work with. Some do dazzling visuals and experiences, and some do less visible, but equally important work. The magic and the voodoo, I guess.
Can you tell us about a recent project and what the secret is behind collaborating successfully with a client?
We try not to keep secrets, so sure.
Our most recent launch is beoplay.com/h8, a site that was developed in close collaboration with the awesome team at B&O PLAY, and some very cool people on our end: I Like to Play (AKA front-end developer Michael Vestergaard), The Woerks, director Simon Ladefoged and music production company D4ZED.
It was an intense process, and everyone really worked their asses off, and I think a defining factor in the process was transparency. Everyone spoke to everyone, and everyone respected each other’s professional opinions and experience, but also the fact that good ideas can basically come from anyone on the team.
Also, there was a real sense that everybody had a chance to take something meaningful with them from the project. The goal first and foremost was to present a truly great product in an inspiring way, and give customers a great experience. But underlying that were also the individual ambitions of everyone around the table. The Woerks and their crew are serious when it comes to bringing film to digital platforms, B&O Play are always looking to up the ante in terms of product sites, and we (MPVP & ILTP) are still in a phase, where every product is a potential stepping stone to even greater projects. That type of energy is pretty special.
We’ve talked to a lot of agencies about internal workflows and processes during this project. It seems like there’s definitely room for improvement. What’s your take?
There definitely is. And processes are kind of a double-edged sword, because on the one hand they can be really helpful in making everyone feel at ease in a project and ensuring progress and what not. But on the other hand, very rigid processes can sometimes be a straitjacket. Also, no two projects are the same, so the real challenge is finding a way to work that is flexible but recognisable. We’re not the most process-driven agency around, but we do our best to pass on our calm to the clients.
Can software tools play a role in helping agencies do better work?
Well, craftsmanship is craftsmanship, so if you suck at what you do, no tool in the world will help you not suck. That said, the right tool can facilitate collaboration and that can definitely be a cornerstone in doing good work. Especially if your setup is anything like ours; heavily collaborative, asynchronous and without a rigid hierarchy and ditto approval processes. So, yes and no, I guess.
How do you see the future of agencies?
I don’t think it makes sense to talk about *the future* of agencies. I think it makes sense to talk about the futureS of agencies. There are some pretty big and strong players out there, and they’ll most likely be able to hang on to that position, and to their way of doing business.
However, it seems as if there is a lot of momentum around small agencies, and constellations of boutiques that bring different things to the table. Clients are certainly more open to working with networks of specialists, and the talent out there is seriously spectacular. So I’m guessing we’ll see a lot more small agencies making waves in the years to come. You could argue that I’m betting my livelihood on it. If you’re interested in more ramblings from me on the way we envision our future as an agency, I did a quick review of 2014 and some thoughts on running a network based creative agency. You’ll find it here.
- - - -
Liked this profile? Having talked to dozens of people and different agencies over the past weeks, we’re keen to bring some of those insights to you. Tell us what kinds of stories or content you’d like to see here in the future.
Oh, and if you’d like to get infrequent updates about the new tool we’re building for agencies, along with insights and stories, make sure to sign up here.