Dan Shepherd, Head of Digital Investment at Goodstuff, speaks to Justin Pearse, Editor of New Digital Age, about the growth of independent agencies, the power of culture, and how agility and collaboration are shaping the future. Although now owned by Marketing group Stagwell, the agency is still oftenr viewed as an indie.
Let’s start with Goodstuff. What makes you special as an agency?
We’ve been around for quite a while now. One of our long-standing clients is Yorkshire Tea, who we’ve worked with for over a decade. They’re now the UK’s most loved tea brand, which is a big achievement for them and a proud moment for us too.
We’re a full-service agency, covering everything from planning and buying across all media channels. Our heritage is in communications planning, and our insights and analytics teams are brilliant at what they do.
Goodstuff’s not huge in size, but I’d say we punch above our weight. We’ve won a lot of awards and are well known in the industry. Culture is everything to us. We try to live our values, and one of our early slogans was “media and some”. We don’t just think about media, we think about doing the right thing too.
There’s been a lot of talk about the boom in independent agencies recently. What do you think is driving this shift?
I’ve definitely noticed the same. More and more, we’re seeing bigger brands include independents in major pitches. Even smaller agencies within networks are getting a look in. It’s hard to say exactly why it’s happening, but from my perspective, independents have always been known for being agile and responsive, and that’s still a huge strength.
The value networks offer from their trading power used to be a big differentiator. But as independents improve their own trading terms, the pricing gap is shrinking. What remains is that we can be more flexible, more personal, and quicker to adapt.
That’s incredibly attractive to clients, especially when they’re looking to in-house parts of their media. We’ve supported clients on that journey, helping them build capabilities internally while still offering strategic support and consultancy. It’s about working with them however they need us, not clinging to a specific model.
What about talent? Why are people moving from networks to independents?
You only have to look at our own team to see that trend in action. Loads of people at Goodstuff have come from networks and chosen to stay. In fact, more than 10% of our agency has been with us for over 10 years, which says a lot.
I think it’s down to transparency and trust. Our founders, Ben and Andrew, are really open about where the agency is headed and how we’re doing, financially and otherwise. That openness creates a sense of shared purpose. People don’t just feel like employees, they feel like they’re part of the journey. When people believe in where the agency’s going, they stay and grow with it.
And the challenges? What are the biggest hurdles for agencies like Goodstuff?
Scale is always a challenge. When you’re a smaller business, things can swing more dramatically. If a big client has a tough year and reduces spend, it impacts us more than it would a big network. We’ve got to be nimble and ready to adapt.
Another challenge is capacity. If clients increase budgets or ask for something new, we can’t just redeploy people from another department like a big network might. We have fewer people, so we have to be really smart with how we manage resources.
That said, our people are incredibly dedicated. They’ll go above and beyond when needed, not because they’re expected to, but because they genuinely care.
Let’s talk tech. How is AI affecting the way you work?
AI is definitely part of the conversation, especially in our buying tools. Platforms like Meta offer a whole suite of AI-driven options, and we’re using those where appropriate. But ultimately, it’s our job to advise clients on the pros and cons of using AI versus more manual approaches. It hasn’t drastically changed the conversation, it’s just added another layer to it.
We also use AI internally to streamline processes and improve how the agency runs, but the core of our client work is still about understanding their needs and offering the right strategy.
And finally, what are your hopes and challenges for the year ahead?
Our main goal is growth, as always, but it’s about sustainable, meaningful growth. We’re focused on our new positioning, “Only the Good Stuff”, which is all about helping clients invest in the very best parts of media. That means focusing on attention, quality, and effectiveness.
Omnichannel planning is a big challenge. Getting different specialists to work together seamlessly across platforms isn’t easy, but it’s necessary. Attention metrics and better tech are helping us do that.
It’s an exciting year ahead. There are challenges, but also lots of opportunities. As long as we stick to doing the good stuff, we’ll be in a strong place.
