"I've come to realize that there is a link between
architecture/design and output," says Law, who, like each of
the employees, can call just three things at St. Luke's offices his
own - a cell phone, a locker, and a satchel. Everything else, from
the
massage chair-looking workstations near the reception desk to
the couches on the second level, is up for grabs each morning. That
baby picture on the desk may or may not belong to the person who is
currently occupying it.
Law feels that the structure allows the group to use the building
to help them work. "Here, you have to know what you're doing before
you know where to go, whereas at most offices you know where to go
but you don't always know what you're doing," he says.
One thing they're not doing at St. Luke's: worrying about the
myriad awards the ad industry bestows upon its own. Their focus is
on doing great work for the clients, not winning awards for
themselves.
Their unconventional approach appears to be working: They won more
business in 1999 than any other agency in
Britain, and had revenues
of $27 million in 2000, up $10.5 million in just four years. But
while they're a small, unorthodox company, their top clients are
large and conservative. St. Luke's has the two largest accounts in
the UK - British Telecommunications and British Sky Broadcasting -
as well as IKEA and HSBC, one of the largest
banking and financial
services organizations in the world.
"We've never had the funky client. I love the paradox," says Law,
who also recognizes that bigger companies can better handle the
risks associated with more creative advertising.
Not surprisingly, St. Luke's is not a 9-to-5 office. The
presumption is that everyone works at his or her own capacity. Says
Law, "It's not unusual to see people taking a nap here."