Poor SA exchange rate = smallest London ad agency

29 Dec 2015

Instead of digging its head in the sand and waiting for conditions to improve, Cape Town-based advertising agency startup Kilmer & Cruise took one look at the local economic crisis and decided to open office elsewhere - it's a PO Box in London.

The smallest London ad agency

An exchange rate in excess of R24.00 to £1 at the close of business on Friday, 11 December led to some creative thinking at Kilmer & Cruise. True to the agency's agile nature, they opened their 'London office' within a few days, on Wednesday, 16 December. A brave move, but "with an exchange rate like that we could only afford something the size of a PO Box. In fact, our agency is a PO Box in London," explains managing director, Danny de Nobrega.

It's believed to be the smallest agency in London and possibly even the world.

The latest addition to London's advertising scene, Kilmer & Cruise London occupies a modest 0,06 m² space at Suite 600, 275 New North Road in the North of London. And while space is a concern, De Nobrega quips that it allows them to save on things such as desks, chairs and bulky printers, whose effect on the creative process is negligible.

Competition in a box

The agency's creative director, Francois Wessels, comments on the competitiveness of the London advertising scene: "We see this more as an opportunity to collaborate with London agencies than directly compete with them. Having access to our world-class creative talent at a very attractive rate will surely appeal to both UK agencies and brands. Although our London office will have much of the same agency culture, all output will take place in the Cape Town studio. Our agency was founded on the ethos of agility, creativity and collaboration and this gives us an ideal opportunity to put all three at play."