Founded in 2023, London-based studio YeahNice is proving that small teams can do big things. Strategy Director Matt Huckle shares how a challenger mindset, a no-nonsense approach, and a commitment to being nice have shaped the studio’s rise.
There are tons of agencies out there that claim to be fast and fearless, but we can safely say that YeahNice is one of the few that actually walks the walk. The London-based studio, founded in 2023, has built a name for itself by cutting through the noise and helping brands in tech, lifestyle, and entertainment find their edge through creativity, clarity and a touch of attitude.
Positioning themselves as “a creative brand and design studio for challengers”, the team prides itself on doing more with less, favouring sharp ideas over slow processes and direct collaboration over layers of hierarchy.
“For us, being a challenger isn’t about market share,” says Matt Huckle, the studio’s strategy director. “It’s a state of mind. Everyone’s got a challenge on their hands, whether you’re a start-up or a blue chip.
“We like working with clients who look at those challenges with a chip on their shoulders and the desire to find the angle that’s going to win.”
That challenger energy runs deep through the studio’s structure as well. Matt explains how YeahNice was created as a direct reaction to the teams’ experience at bigger agencies, saying: “We saw how much time and budget can get lost in layers of process and hierarchy, and we wanted to build something leaner, faster, and more creative.”
It’s an approach that’s clearly working too because, in its first year, YeahNice has expanded beyond its tech roots into cosmetics, founder-led businesses, and fintech, while adding in-house motion design capabilities. The founders are still hands-on in the work, though – “no suits calling the shots”, as Matt puts it – which makes the studio feel closer to a creative collective than a traditional agency.
Culture without the clichés
For all its creative ambition, YeahNice’s culture is strikingly straightforward. Its values read more like a mantra than a manifesto: “Creativity leads the way,” “Don’t f*ck about,” and “Be nice.” Each one reflects a deliberate decision to strip away the unnecessary and focus on what matters.
“‘Creativity leads the way’ is our number one value,” says Matt. “It guides all our decisions, from how we approach new business and board meetings to always putting the work first, even if that means over-delivering.”
The second – more blunt but equally important – speaks to their reputation for agility and reliability. “We’re agile, we do what we say we’ll do, and we deliver on time,” he adds.
Then there’s the third: “We’re called YeahNice, so we’ve really got to be ‘Be nice’.” It might sound simple, but for a studio founded by people who’ve lived the agency grind, kindness and enjoyment are non-negotiable. “Creative work should be fun,” Matt says. “Clients tell us they enjoy the process as much as the outcome, and that matters to us.”
Strategy meets speed
The YeahNice team is compact but balanced, with two creatives, one strategist, and a client services lead. According to Matt, that combination means every discipline has a passionate voice at the table.
“Client service is in brainstorming, strategy feeds directly into design, creatives think about delivery,” he says. “What ties it together is shared ambition: each of us is constantly pushing to do better work and build the reputation of the studio.”
That mindset shows up in projects like HeySavi, a technology brand redefining how online search works. “Not exactly a small goal,” Matt jokes. “We had to create something that communicated a new user journey to both investors and early adopters.” The resulting visual identity – built around a flexible speech-bubble device – distilled a complex proposition into something simple, memorable, and scalable, which perfectly encapsulates the YeahNice philosophy of “find the truth, distil it down, and build something flexible.”
Another standout is the ‘You’ve Got What It Takes’ campaign for Female Founders Rise, a community of nearly 10,000 female and non-binary entrepreneurs. Created pro bono, the campaign used dynamic visuals, animated statistics, and interviews with real founders to inspire others to take the leap into entrepreneurship. It’s the kind of purpose-driven work the team wants to do more of.
A simpler, smarter process
“Don’t f*ck about” isn’t just a motto either. “Our process is simple because it doesn’t need to be complicated,” says Matt. “We use a tried-and-tested framework to take us from discovery to delivery that can flex as we need it to.”
Every project begins with direct interviews to get under the skin of the brief, with creatives involved from day one. Matt explains: “That means there’s a direct line between the client and the people doing the work.
“The result is sharper work, faster turnaround, and a process clients actually enjoy.”
That lean structure allows the studio to “do more with less”, pushing budgets further without compromising creativity. It’s a model that appeals to start-ups and global brands alike (basically anyone tired of red tape and ready for a more human approach).
Tech, AI and the craft connection
YeahNice works with a wide range of technology clients, but its relationship with tech isn’t blind enthusiasm. “There are two things AI will never give you: authenticity and craft,” says Matt.
The team has experimented with generative AI for exploration and prototyping, but always with human control at the core. “It allows us to do amazing things that used to take us hours,” Matt explains, “but it’s just a tool and – like any tool – it’s how you use it that matters.”
They’ve even gone so far as to develop branded AI prompts for clients, helping in-house teams create consistent assets while staying true to the brand. “But there’s always a person in charge at every stage,” he adds. “We’re never going to rely on a largely unproven technology based on probability to try and create unique and exciting creative. What really excites us is craft.”
Beyond launch: keeping brands alive
For YeahNice, success is measured by longevity, not just the initial delivery of a shiny new identity. “We want clients to come back because they want to, not because they have to,” says Matt.
This means providing clients with the tools and confidence to manage their brands independently, while offering ongoing support through regular brand check-ins and campaign extensions. “It’s one of the reasons we’ve had a 100% return rate so far,” he adds, “and as those relationships deepen, the work only gets stronger.”
Small but mighty
Matt believes that being small is YeahNice’s biggest advantage. “We’re a speedboat, not a tanker,” he laughs. “We can move quickly, make decisions fast, and get to great work without bureaucracy.
“Clients work directly with senior creatives rather than layers of account teams, and they trust us to deliver in ways bigger agencies often can’t.”
The studio’s challenger mindset is also part of their own DNA. “Being a challenger ourselves, we understand the mindset of our clients and share their urgency,” says Matt.
Looking ahead, YeahNice is channelling that energy into growth. With new client wins on the way and ambitions to break into the drinks and spirits sector (they even blended their own whisky earlier this year, “for research purposes, of course”), the studio shows no sign of slowing down.
So, among the process-heavy agencies and jargon-filled decks, YeahNice is making a name for itself with a philosophy that’s refreshingly human. Creativity first, no faff, be nice. Sometimes, it really is that simple.
