Mc&T repositions as Here Be Dragons, launching creative and production facility and trends forecasting service

Mc&T, the agency founded by ex-Edelman director Paul McEntee five years ago, has rebranded as ‘Here Be Dragons’.

Paul McEntee, Here Be Dragons founder and CEO explains, “We used our time during the lockdowns to assess how we can future-proof and help our clients position themselves optimally around the rapid change that is happening all around us.

"Here Be Dragons is the culmination of a growth period for the agency in which we have produced braver, more integrated work. This new year will see yet more change and upheaval and so we want clients to know that we are here to help them pivot and evolve.”

Here Be Dragons offers a range of services from PR and press office; SEO; social content; brand strategy; and experiential and media campaigns. In tandem, the agency is launching two new offerings: ‘Here Be Dragons Studio’, a creative and production facility that will be responsible for creative culture and ideation at the agency as well as make content and digital products for clients; and TAILWINDS, a trends forecasting service and publishing tool that will undertake research projects, thanks to a global network of academics, writers and cultural change-makers.

As part of the agency’s repositioning, Here Be Dragons has conducted broad-reaching research into how recent societal upheaval in 2020 has changed the way consumers view their relationship with brands.

Key findings

There is an appetite for creativity and inspiration. Two fifths (42%) of social media users are using these platforms more than they were before lockdown, with TikTok usage up the most (66%), followed by Twitch (50%). Yet 93% of people say that brands and influencers have not inspired them to be more creative.

There is a desire for trust, service and value. When asked what themes brands should base their actions around, Brits’ top responses included saving consumers money (50%) and saving consumers time (30%). These came above helping those who need it most in society (28%).

When thinking about purchasing from new brands, Brits are most likely to find customer service (61%), rapid and reliable delivery (46%) and a responsible supply chain (27%) to be the most important factors.

Brand purpose matters. That said, more than half (52%) would stop using a brand if it didn’t reflect their stance on societal issues: This is what closes the deal; assuming brands have got the basics right.

What’s more, given the consequences of the pandemic, 52% of people are now worried about how employees are treating their staff.

Here Be Dragons has also published an associated whitepaper to outline how to ensure your brand is fit-for-purpose in 2021. From unlocking your purpose, and finding your inner compass; to taking action - by discovering uncharted territory to make an impact; through to telling a story that people will want to share; this includes case studies which outline precisely how this approach wins.

This news follows the announcement that Mc&T has scooped Small Creative Agency of the Year at the Creative Moment Awards, in recognition of its work for brands such as the NHS, giffgaff, Kopparberg and Heineken-backed craft beer company, Beavertown.