Brand agency embraces the metaverse to create next-gen apprenticeships

DA Creative Studio is a disruptive brand agency that hasn’t allowed the pandemic to decelerate its ambitious plans for ongoing growth. Over the last two years, CEO and Creative Director, Calvin Innes, has adopted the latest technologies and ways of working to enable the agency to expand into other cities in 2022.

Calvin Innes, CEO of DA Creative Studio

“We’ve created a powerful hybrid working model that allows our digital creatives and PR strategists to work however suits them best,” said Calvin. “Some come to the office twice a week, others are based entirely at home, and a fair few are here every day because they can’t get enough of the can-do spirit and innovative vibe.”

The agency’s Hull-based studio has been redesigned to allow social distancing without inhibiting the social side of working. With a large open-plan office, multiple meeting rooms, a media studio, individual work pods and even an indoor bar and garden, team members can work as separately or communally as they wish.

“We’ve ensured that distance is never a barrier to communication and collaboration,” adds Calvin. “DA Creative Studio uses everything from Google Meet and Zoom to Slack and Monday.com to guide workflow and encourage discussion. We truly value coming together to throw ideas around and develop the next big campaign, with our remote workers being just as integral to the process as those based here in the studio.”  

Looking ahead to 2022, Calvin is already investing in the DA Academy, which will offer apprenticeships and training opportunities to young people in Hull. This will be followed by additional recruitment cycles in London, Edinburgh and Manchester, helping to develop young talent and shape the next generation of designers, web developers, content creators and brand positioners. 

Calvin said: “The DA Academy is the natural progression of our hard-earned reputation for disruptive marketing. In recent months we’ve honed our offer to focus on brand, content marketing and digital PR. Everything we do fits within these three core services, giving young people the opportunity to enter a highly expressive and fast-paced sector whilst gaining the skills they need to excel in their careers.”

DA Creative Studio currently has 23 team members and the target is to double this figure in 2022. As well as expanding across the UK, the agency also has its sights set on Europe, which necessitates an intake of multilingual digital specialists.

“We’re going heavy on content creation and working with many digital artists and musicians to create a portfolio of NFTs. We fully embrace the metaverse, cryptocurrency and Web3, so you can expect a wide variety of exciting and game-changing activity coming out of DA Creative Studio in 2022.”

To find out more about current and future opportunities at DA Creative Studio, please visit www.drunkanimal.com/careers