SMS Group introduces creative residency

Much like an artist residency, experiential agency SMS Group recently introduced a creative residency programme where a creative expert is invited for three-month stints. Instead of hiring an expert to work on just one project – as some creative agencies do – SMS will use their invited creative across a multitude of live experience projects.

“Being in a people’s business, we wanted to create a model that would allow us to tap into some of the best talent in the world,” said Daniel Seyferle, chief creative officer for SMS Group. “This creative residency stimulates and inspires our team and the agency’s long-term development.”

Seyferle added that creatives are chosen across a diverse pool of backgrounds, nationalities and skillsets. “Taking into consideration the nature of live experiences tying together a myriad of disciplines, we select creatives from all professional walks of life – art, theatre, architecture – anything connected to our field”, he said.

On the agency side, he said the programme will help the group provide a diversity and freshness in creative answers – both of which are what clients seek.

The most recent creative resident is British show designer Robin Rawstorne who has been working with the agency on a number of projects. He said the experience has been refreshing and “unlike anything he has ever done before”.

He added: “Growing a team takes time and being able to work with the [agency] on multiple projects over a longer period of time allowed us to explore together, build trust and evolve in a way that you couldn’t get on a single project."