As the CCO and founder of Bear Meets Eagle on Fire, Micah Walker is a difficult man to pin down. But B&T’s own Sparrow managed to do it, sitting down with Walker to ask 10 very quick questions, including the one we’ve all been asking – just where did that agency name come from?
1.What’s the backstory on your agency name Bear Meets Eagle On Fire?
I wish there was a more interesting story, but it was just equal parts frustration and a reflection of how my brain works. Naming your own thing is hard. I could say it fit some unspoken ethos to be distinctive and curious and that’s what made it stick, but the truth is it just felt right.
2. Your work is distinctive & different with cut through … how do you embed that in everything you do?
We don’t have a blueprint that we always follow, just a belief that you need to do smart things in imaginative ways if you hope to make even a small dent in the universe. There’s enough work out there for brands that just blends in with everything else, and to me that’s not just boring, it’s a waste of money.
3. The agency’s positioning line is: We help good people and brands think and make things differently. The question previously explored this different aspect; however, can you explain how you select good people as clients?
Everything we do really comes down to the ambition and the quality of the people. On both sides. We always weigh up the ambition and opportunity of the project of course, but we also follow our instincts on the people we believe are looking for genuinely respectful and productive partnerships.
4. Your clients range from smaller niche brands such as Rollin Insurance to a monolith like Telstra, how do you balance & service both?
We assemble differently based on the opportunity by design, so that’s just a part of what makes Bear what it is. It means we can flex strong when we need to on various projects or across one project, but it also helps us avoid the trap of thinking of headcount as the measure of growth. It is different, and it takes more up front planning, but it’s worked well for us so far.
5. Your agency’s talent is very senior and experienced; has it been challenging to recruit them in an industry that’s obsessed with young and fresh talent?
It’s not like we have an age gate or anything, we just believe working with experienced and proven talent is
the best way to get to great work. In my experience fresh or imaginative outcomes, come from people who are curious and care hard, more than it is about age anyway. When it comes to finding talent, we’re always and never looking, if that makes sense.
6. The agency is 5+ years old how do you maintain the boutique studio vibe as you grow & prosper?
Hold true to your principles. Hire the right people. Don’t be greedy.
7. Your trophy cabinet must be full. Do clients really value Awards?
When you build a culture around making great things, the accolades will come, but we certainly don’t design our thinking around awards. There’s a grossness to that way of working that’s just not very appealing to me. I think most clients feel the same.
8. With the current economic headwinds, are your clients still investing in big, different creative ideas?
There are always conditions we can’t control, and I feel fortunate we’re busy. I wouldn’t say we’ve seen the appetite for creativity change with our current clients, but marketing budgets as a rule, do tend to shrink when confidence is low. It’s also a time for opportunity if you can find the right partnerships.
9. What’s one thing that’s not on your LinkedIn profile?
I spend most of my free time in the kitchen.
10. Important last question: do your parents know what you do?
Not really.
