The Gate | We take bigger leaps with fewer steps.

This week, we’re heading across the pond to speak to David Bernstein, Chief Creative Officer at The Gate NY.

How was your company born and where are you based?

Our company was born 151 years ago. And while its name and ownership has changed a few times, its home base has always been New York.

What was the biggest challenge to the growth of your company?

In the early days, we had such a low profile, it was hard to get into pitches. There weren’t many clients who’d ever heard of us. Now that we’ve had some success in the financial services, insurance and energy business, we’d like to get a shot at larger, more global brands in those sectors (while still retaining our current clients).

Which was the first huge success that you can remember?

Winning the State Street SPDR ETF business from DDB. It was ten times larger than any account we had at the time and gave us a chance to do work on a national and, eventually, international stage.

What’s the biggest opportunity for you and your company in the next year?

Pitching (and hopefully, winning) business with our sister companies in the MSQ network.

Can you explain your team’s creative process? What makes it unique?

Like most ad agencies, our creative process starts with seeing what the competition is doing and crafting a strategy that stakes out some new and interesting area. This, of course, is followed by a lot of staring off into space and idle chit-chat until someone blurts out a good idea. The truth is, our creative process isn’t all that unique. But our creative people are.

How does your team remain inspired and motivated?

Beyond following and entering the global award shows, we also get regular presentations from our sister MSQ companies. So we get to see the latest thinking in AI, experiential campaigns and the metaverse.

How has COVID-19 affected your company?

Like everyone else, we learned to work remotely. Which is something we still do on Mondays and Fridays. But it’s nice to be back in the office. There’s an energy and comradery you just can’t duplicate on a Zoom call.

Which agencies do you gain inspiration from? Do you have any heroes in the industry?

The usual suspects. Wieden + Kennedy. Adam and Eve. Droga 5. And TBWA/Media Arts Lab (for the Apple work).

What is one tip that you would give to other agencies looking to grow?

My tip is, only pitch accounts you’re 100% committed to winning. Because if you can only give it 50% of your attention, you probably won’t be successful. And you will have wasted all that time in a losing effort.

How do you go about finding new clients/business? (Pitching, work with retainers, etc.)

We try to increase our odds getting clients through self-promotion (like the Apology Tour campaign we did to celebrate our 150 birthday), social media, newsletters, updating the search consultants and working with our sister companies in the MSQ network.

What’s your one big hope for the future of the industry?

My hope? That industry insiders will stop writing articles about the death of advertising. As long as people have products to sell, agencies will figure out a way to sell them.

Do you have any websites, books or resources that you would recommend?

Dave Dye’s “Stuff from the Loft” blog and podcast for inside the industry inspiration. And Malcolm Gladwell’s “David and Goliath” book for outside the industry inspiration.