Boutique and revolution are words seldom found in the same sentence. But some of the freshest work around is emerging from a new breed of hybrid outfits determined to bridge the traditional divide between concept and execution. Never call them agencies. They prefer 'creative collective' or 'creative enterprise'. They are causing a small revolution among client attitudes with their can-do independent boutique approach.

Two such crossbreeds are The Brooklyn Brothers out of New York and The Glue Society, based in Sydney, Australia, each equally as comfortable crafting a concept as they are implementing it.

The Brooklyn Brothers was founded in 2001 by writer Guy Barnett and AD Callum MacGregor. They met at Ogilvy & Mather in London in 1990. Barnett transferred to New York in 1995 and a year later invited MacGregor to join him. In 1999 they followed executive director Bill Hamilton to JWT. But after a decade creating successful work for brands like IBM, American Express, Jaguar and Merrill Lynch, they decided large agencies weren't for them.

"Slow moving, not nimble, lots of smart people but not smart as an entity, so many disparate voices," is how Barnett puts it. The turning point was winning the Sun Microsystems account at JWT. "We showed them 28 campaigns and they didn't buy any. We were flying between New York every week for meetings and it seemed the wrong way to spend our time."

But they didn't make life easy for themselves. When in June 2001 the advertising industry was entering a major recession, they decided to strike out on their own. Although they occasionally had to subcontract from larger agencies to make ends meet, the early signs were encouraging: they quickly built a portfolio of "tiny" assignments from small clients.

There's never been a plan, says Barrett. Success has depended on organic relationships and contacts prepared to fill gaps in an instant. Work for Xenadrine and most recently, a series of spots for CNN that gleefully exploit the foibles of its top-flight reporters, all bears their irreverent hallmark. But The Brothers also recently hit the headlines with a searing PBS spot for the United Nations mine action group - "a different side of us that we want to promote: we aren't just about comedy."

Barnett senses a lot of clients are no longer looking for long-term partnerships. "They'll take ideas from anywhere: a big agency or two guys in an office," he says. The mood has changed. Many top US corporate marketers are ex-agency and know how to fashion a variety of creative relationships. "The idea of full service has gone away. This is much more enjoyable. We're talking to clients who are looking to buy ideas. They know what we can do and are ready to buy it."

Who and what you know is key in terms of getting work. Barnett says new technology has been an enabler: you don't need a large TV production force to get things done. "We know enough people in the business to get small teams together service our clients," he adds. "And there are a lot of small TV production companies out there for us to work with."

Dividing their time between creative work and direction isn't a science. There's account handling, managing the production process, selling... and sweeping the floor. Though they'll only direct if they write the work themselves; otherwise they'll hire a director. "You've got to be willing to take on a variety of roles but that's what makes it fun," he says. "You're never doing one thing, you're doing 20. Fortunately, we have ADD, which helps..."

Of course it's hard work, says MacGregor. You work a lot of weekends and you're constantly thinking about different challenges. "You get to be quick at being good, because you need the talent to solve a problem quickly and come up with a solution. If we have one talent it's our ability to come up with ideas, but that isn't necessarily a saleable quality. So we also have to get through as much work as possible."

Meanwhile down in Sydney, another couple of Brits have been running The Glue Society since foundeding it in 1998. Jonathan Kneebone and Gary Freedman met working at Young & Rubicam, but like Barnett and MacGregor were frustrated by a lack of creative freedom. Ambitious directors would leave to join production companies and find their writing talent sidelined.

Most of The Glue Society's work - an even split between creative and directing - is currently produced for agencies around the globe. "We're working on several writing and directing projects internationally," they say. Both guys acknowledge the differences between creating and producing work, but say that all within the six-strong collective have a good understanding of both sides. Their portfolio has gathered momentum with work for Virgin Mobile, The Weather Channel and Canon. Most recently, they say, "Chicken Fight" which they directed through @radical.media for Burger King (Crispin Porter+Bogusky) "presents a taste of what's to come, projects that require a new way of working to live up to the opportunities."

Kneebone says this is down to more progressive clients and creative directors who understand that the industry needs this new approach. "It's especially exciting because no two jobs are the same," he adds. "But it always comes back to the communication. That's why it's important that we have blended the skill set of writing and execution - and allow people to work with us on a project basis."

And what if the tide turns and megastores edge out boutiques once more? There aren't enough hours in the day to consider it. Back in New York, Barnett says the industry has always gone through swings. If it reverts, "we'll either be a big agency by then or we'll be swallowed by one. But if we expand, it will be through relationships rather than acquisition. It's about the collective effect." Vive la Revolution.

www.brooklynbrothers.com
www.thegluesociety.com