In an industry where agencies often struggle to balance creative excellence with practical business outcomes, Tommy has carved a distinctive path since its founding. What began as a freelance collaboration between three former colleagues has evolved into a dynamic agency with a unique approach to client challenges. One that prioritises entertainment value and technological innovation while maintaining the entrepreneurial spirit of its early days.
From freelance roots to global presence
Tommy's origin story reflects the collaborative ethos that continues to define the agency today. Co-founders Will Tunstall, Marcus Foley, and Chris Edwards, initially went freelance separately after their previous agency was acquired. They soon realised they were “better together" and joined forces - with Will handling creative, Chris managing strategy, and Marcus on marketing.
Their first significant business decision proved pivotal: arranging free office space in exchange for consulting services with a PR agency. This strategic move minimised overheads while providing access to prestigious clients including BT, Xbox, and Samsung, with entertainment clients like Paramount Pictures soon following.
The agency's name itself reflects their people-first philosophy—named after Will's son Tom, it served as a reminder of what they were working for during those inevitable late nights meeting client deadlines.
Entertainment heritage driving distinctive work
Tommy's roots in the entertainment industry have fundamentally shaped their approach to all client work. Having worked extensively with Hollywood studios, streaming platforms, and major media brands, they developed an instinctive understanding of how to capture audience attention in increasingly crowded digital environments.
"Entertainment clients are always on the lookout for the latest platform, the latest place they could show up, the latest technology they could use. We grew up with that mindset of constantly looking for the next big thing."
This entertainment heritage has evolved into a formal framework that guides their approach to all client work. The agency recognises that in today's attention economy, merely capturing attention isn't enough - brands must deliver substantive engagement that rewards the audience's time investment.
"Nowadays, audiences don't need to stop to watch a message from a brand," notes Tunstall. "There's no platform where they need to sit still and read a marketing message. To reach an audience that has the ability to just keep scrolling or turn away or skip, there has to be a level of engagement and entertainment that gives them a reason to continue to pay attention."
Innovation as standard practice
Tommy's work consistently pushes technological and creative boundaries, with the team priding themselves on their willingness to experiment with emerging platforms and technologies. This approach is exemplified by their work for Netflix's German production "Blood Red Sky," which transformed a conventional movie premiere into an interactive experience.
"We took the whole set from the movie, a jumbo jet," explains Tunstall. "and invited influencers to come to this event hosted like an airport check-in. They all sat on the plane to watch the premiere, but they weren't aware there were secret cameras streaming the event live on Twitch."
The innovation came in giving the Twitch audience control over what happened during the premiere, with actors emerging and audience members being "taken away" in a reenactment of the film's hijacking plot. The result was transformative—a movie with initially limited awareness became number one in 57 countries.
Their attitude toward innovation has put them at the forefront of expertise in augmented reality, anamorphic billboards that appear three-dimensional, and innovative applications of AI. For cryptocurrency exchange Binance, they created "the metaverse's first-ever reality TV show"—a six-part Dragon's Den-style series shot entirely within the metaverse to promote the company's lab incubation programme.
Collaborative client relationships
Tommy's approach to client relationships emphasises strategic partnership over vendor/client dynamics. The agency values clients who see them as collaborators rather than mere executors, a perspective that builds the trust necessary for innovative work.
"When clients see us as strategic collaborators and not just people to hand something over to, that trust leads to more freedom, which leads to better work," notes Chris.
This collaborative approach begins with thorough onboarding processes, including kickoff sessions that explore not just the immediate brief but the client's broader business context. Tommy often embeds team members within client offices to better understand internal processes and challenges.
Critically, the agency balances short-term wins with long-term strategic gains. "We spend quite a lot of time trying to identify what are the quick wins that they need now so that their boss understands that this is a successful partnership versus what are the long-term gains," explains a senior team member.
Navigating the future
Like many creative agencies, Tommy is navigating the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on their industry. Rather than viewing AI as a threat, they see it as reinforcing the need for genuine creativity and human insight. “AI is fantastic, there's a million uses for it, but it is still a tool—it's not going to create something truly distinctive that's never been seen before. There still has to be someone with a good eye, good taste, and imagination behind the wheel."
Looking ahead, Tommy sees increasing opportunities in the tension between digital saturation and real-world experiences. As younger generations seek authentic connections beyond screens, the agency's ability to connect physical and digital touchpoints positions them well for future client challenges.
"People want to go out and experience stuff in the real world," Tunstall observes. "Being the connective tissue where we can guide that experience across different touchpoints, that's what we've always done and hope to do more of."
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