About
Every discipline, on demand.
A look back to mid-2015, there were calls of “The Agency is Dead” seemed to have reached a peak. This sentiment wasn’t shared by the dvo team, but there was something going on that was leading to a general dissatisfaction for both clients and agency-side people, and we couldn’t put our finger on.
It felt the right time for change so our founder Ben decided to do something drastic. Too often in agency land we pay lip service to change; whether it’s inclusivity, innovation, pricing models or on-demand services. The list is long but fundamentally the change is thin. The industry as a whole, and somewhat as you might expect, is good at talking a good game but light on real change.
The solution? Mothball the agency for a couple of years and go and work client side. Why? Because the perspective needed to do something really different wasn’t going to be found in an agency. Ben spent two years working in a variety of CMO roles, doing some great work, understanding what clients didn’t really like about agencies and most importantly what would really make a difference for them.
Meet the team
Ben Dickens,
Consultant
Ben, dvo‘s founder and MD, takes responsibility for leading the direction of the agency, new business, and client strategy. Ben specialises in working with tech and clean tech businesses in the UK and USA. He specialises in identifying and implemnenting growth opportunities.
Jackie Clode-Dickens, Consultant
Jackie works with with ambitious bar, restaurant and event owner/operators to make their vision and business goals happen. In practice this means she works across marketing (PR, digital, etc), business development (supplier brands) and operations (front and back of house) to create a guest experience that new customers love and existing customers want to come back to.
Laura Hine,
Consultant
Laura works closely with dvo clients to ensure their needs are understood and translated into delivery. With experience both in-house and agency side, she works to across multiple channels to build communications for the client roster.
In addition to the core dvo team, we work with a global team of talent handpicked for each project and client to ensure we can deliver the best for your organisation – The Roster. The Roster comprises of years of accumulated experience across the globe, covering the full spectrum of skills required for you, including planners, creatives, developers and marketers. Your needs are at the forefront of our minds while putting together a crack team of talent for each project.
Our consultants work hands-on and collaboratively with you as a part of your team.
We take ownership of projects whether that’s running the marketing department in smaller companies or delivering specific projects in larger organisations. It means our team gets to do what they love which is working on your marketing.
Our consultants and tailor-made delivery teams embed themselves in your organisation to work with you on project delivery.
We ensure the talent that works on your pitch are the same people that deliver your project.
We really will be part of the team.
Production services as an asset
not a drain on your budget.
Our clients were uncomfortable with the idea of paying for people that weren’t working on their projects and we wanted to get away from doing work just to pay the bills.
So all of our talent; copywriters, designers and developers are part of a talent roster. We bring the right members of the roster onto specific pieces of work when they’re needed so as a client you only pay for the work they do on your project, and nothing else.
Working hand-in-hand with you
Our consultants and tailor-made delivery teams embed themselves in your organisation to work with you on project delivery.
We ensure the talent that works on your pitch are the same people that deliver your project.
We focus on your goals and nothing else so are likely to be in your office or at the end of the phone far more than just for catch-up meetings. Flexibility encourages our creativity and supports delivery without burnout – most importantly it gives us access to a wider talent pool and that’s better for everyone.
Services and work styles to meet your needs.
In a connected world it makes no sense to have production skills in-house.
It’s bad for the client, it’s bad for the work, and it’s bad for the agency.
Our hands-on style injects skills and expertise into the heart of your organisation.
On-demand services back it up with a global delivery team of producers and makers.
Expertise & Values
The shared values that connect us, the deep knowledge to support your success and the hands-on skills to deliver it. This is the way we work and the values that are the foundation of everything we do.
Accountable
We take responsibility, we take ownership of actions and we lead. We'll work out where to go together and take ownership of getting there.
Transparent
From how we charge to how we work to deliver, we're totally transparent. Always.
Happy
A little happy goes a long way. If you're happy and we're happy then the work will be the best it can be.
Collaborative
Working together with you and The Roster is the best way to succeed: we listen to you, and learn with you.
