‘Brutal simplicity of thought.’ M&C Saatchi’s founding principle is clear in the distinct lack of corporate jargon employed by Jo Bacon, Group CEO at M&C Saatchi UK.

The agency's reputation as Margaret Thatcher's favourite not only means that it carries a distinct heritage, it is one of the most recognised brands in the agency landscape. In a world where agency brands are disappearing, M&C Saatchi has achieved that ever-elusive enduring brand fame.

2025 marks 30 years of the agency brand. Yet rather than simply lean back on heritage for growth and direction, the agency is focused on re-establishing its position as the world’s largest independent creative network. Under the unifying principle of creating and curating ‘cultural power’ for its clients, M&C Saatchi is poised for a full global rebrand in March this year. 

Bacon understands culture-driven marketing because she earned her marketing stripes at MTV, arguably the world’s first influencer brand. She was also an instrumental force in one of the most successful brand and agency partnerships of modern history at WPP with Dove. A brand which successfully redefined how to market beauty products to women. While Zaid Al-Qassab, Global CEO at M&C Saatchi Group, was formerly Chief Marketing Officer at Channel 4, arguably one of the most creative culture-first brands in the UK.

Bacon was attracted to M&C Saatchi not just because of the longevity of the agency brand, but the fact it is a business built on entrepreneurialism. “One of the most exciting things for me is that we are a rare breed. We are the biggest global independent agency. We have that UK centricity but we also have the global footprint,” she explains. 

Cultural power

Just as ‘curiosity’ has become such a catch-all marketing term it is now used to sell everything from wine spritzers to snacks, ‘culture’ is another term that is increasingly ubiquitous in marketing circles. 

Yet while many agencies have adopted the language and spirit of cultural relevance, M&C Saatchi’s approach is heavy on substance.

“Cultural power is all about authentically understanding the brand’s role in culture,” explains Bacon. 

“You must be really clear on the brand’s role in culture, its relevance to its audience, and the authenticity of its partnerships. This all starts strategically; you have to be clear about the strategic direction the brand is taking.”

It is a holistic starting point which stretches across the agency's capabilities in tandem with a brand’s ambitions. “The answer isn't always advertising. The solution could start in communications,” adds Bacon.

The talent advantage

The people creating these solutions are clearly of exceptional importance to Bacon’s strategy. She is vocal about the importance of talent in driving both agencies and brands forward and is clearly relishing the opportunity to bring together a squad of creative and strategic ‘Avengers’.

“We are bringing together an ‘Avengers Assemble’ roster of talent at every level,” says Bacon. She credits the diversity of skill sets both in the agency’s London HQ and globally. “We are constantly on a talent hunt,” she adds.

While Rob Doubal and Laurence Thomson do not wear capes, a 12-year track record of creative hits at McCann UK, led to the duo's appointment as Global Joint Chief Creative Officers in April last year, underlining that creativity remains an agency’s biggest superpower.

In an industry where process is rising up the agenda, Bacon maintains that brilliant people are still the most important agency differentiator. Key to M&C Saatchi’s proposition is the fact that the agency is full of talented specialists combined with creative and expansive strategic thinkers.

“Clients need to be agile to create a community that's right for every brand,” she explains. Whether that community is built via an experience, influencer or filmic storytelling is dependent on the core brand strategy.

Playing the long game with purpose

Prior to joining M&C Saatchi, Bacon led the Ogilvy global team for WPP across Unilever. A brief which encompassed managing brands across beauty and homecare categories. The brief encompassed management across all markets, incorporating the iconic Dove brand. 

A brand and agency partnership successfully redefined the entire beauty category through its progressive approach to marketing to women. Dove is a brand that has successfully proven that purpose, done well, is a phenomenal growth driver.

Working on the Dove brand has had a significant impact on Bacon’s view of how brands can drive culture. When it comes to influencer marketing, she brings the understanding of working with a trailblazing brand in both understanding influencer culture and utilising social commerce. She is passionate about the opportunities afoot for brands in the social first, experiential and influencer spaces.

Bacon believes the opportunity lies in greater integration and moving away from silos. She points to the benefit of M&C Saatchi’s integrated offering as a differentiator. Bacon views the agency’s competitive advantage as combining deep specialism and scale with agility. Unifying the agency’s offering for big brands under the ‘cultural power’ umbrella is viewed as key to growth. 

In an industry where influencer marketing is still treated by some brands as a ‘bolt on’, this integrated approach brings the discipline upstream.

“What you need is a long term strategy that is stable, but also the agility to adapt,” Bacon explains. She cites Unilever as an example of a brand that creates the framework to be responsive. In short, traditional brand sign-off processes are not fit for purpose in an age of culture-first brands. “You need to be responsive to a moment in time. To be ready to go strategically and have that agility,” she adds.

The AI advantage

Of course, it is not possible to interview the CEO of a leading creative business without the conversation turning to the impact of AI. Yet, just as writers look forward to a time when AI can do the washing up, Bacon has a refreshingly pragmatic and people-first approach to AI.

“From an agency perspective, AI is a means to an end. In many cases, it is about process. You still need brilliant strategy and creative excellence,” she explains. 

When it comes to talent she believes that data and AI can be embedded through processes and help to streamline. In essence, AI offers effective tools for effective ways of working. While the ‘strategic clarity and vision setting’ is down to individuals. 

“Data and AI can be embedded throughout our businesses. But when it comes to talent the core skill sets remain people who are strategically brilliant who can build that brilliant and enduring brand platform,” she adds.

A new era of influence

Brilliant brand platforms help create the foundations for a team to know when to speak and when to be silent. “When the brand has an authentic voice you can be agile and confident enough to act,” says Bacon.

This agility and cultural power is dependent on strong brand and agency partnerships. “That strong partnership of trust is a strategic foundation, you know you can leap when there is trust,” she explains. 

“Now more than ever we are even more an extension of our clients' businesses,” says Bacon, adding: “We have all worked client side. I have built content businesses. Brands are now operating in a newsroom environment. You need to be able to walk in the footfall of conversational culture.”

To keep up with this pace brands and agencies move away from slow and cumbersome sign-off processes. Death by a thousand amends does not build culture-first brands.

It is a shift which is having a significant impact on how marketing and agency leaders work together. “It’s a Whatsapp relationship rather than an email. To succeed you need to be able to shortcut decision making,” says Bacon.

Bacon is clear on the unique opportunity the agency holds. “Culture is what moves audiences,” she explains.

This creative clarity is equally evident in what drives Bacon as a leader. “The best creative work still gets me out of bed,” she explains, adding: “I love the work that emotionally engages people and gets people excited.” The kind of work that successfully creates cultural power.