CB Q&A with BMEOF’s Micah Walker: “Surround yourself with interested and interesting people and you’ll do interesting things”

This year Bear Meets Eagle On Fire took out the 2022 Campaign Brief Small Agency of the Year title, selected from all Australian agencies with under 30 employees. Here Micah Walker (pictured), CCO and founder of BMEOF, chats exclusively with Campaign Brief…

CB: Bear Meets Eagle On Fire recently celebrated its 4th birthday. What are you most proud of over those four years?

Micah Walker: If it had to be just one thing, it’s the people in our studio that make Bear what it is.

I know that might sound a bit twee, but it’s true, and we have talented humans that work and care hard, even when no one’s watching.

Nothing really works if you don’t find the right kind of people for what you’re trying to do, so these folks choosing to be here rather than somewhere else, has been the best validation for me.

Of course, I’m proud of the work we’ve made and of the relationships we’ve built, but that only happens if you have the right kind of people.

CB: Your structure is a bit different to most agencies. Can you talk about that?

MW: As an industry we advise brands not to try and be everything to everyone, but as creative companies, we don’t often follow that same advice. So, from the start, the one thing I knew was that Bear shouldn’t just be a smaller version of everything else.

It had to have a different philosophy and revenue model if we wanted to be a more creatively driven business.

I didn’t have all the answers on how exactly to do that from the start, but I knew if clients were looking for more flexibility and expertise, Bear had to be something more elastic and specialised.

I won’t get into all the details of how that works here, but in short, it means fewer more experienced people, less layers, more output-based agreements, and a more bespoke approach when it comes to team shape.

It‘s not for everyone, but so far, it’s worked well for us and our clients.

CB: What traits do you look for when you’re deciding who’s right for BMEOF?

MW: Self-driven people who care harder. Decency. A sense of humour.

You can always help guide people to make better things, but you can’t teach them to care, so for me that’s just an essential trait. Not about awards or fame, but about doing something different that solves a real problem.

You can also build a culture and energy around awards and that whole thing, but for me life’s too short come to work every day and only focus on that kind of stuff.

I also just think a sense of humour gets you through the intense times, so having a group of folks who can surprise and entertain one another just makes it all easier.

Surround yourself with interested and interesting people and you’ll do interesting things.

CB: From small social projects to big films, the craft of your work stands out. Why is craft so important to you?

MW: I think the word craft often gets thrown around like it’s a decorative or polishing process, which bugs me a bit.

For me, and our studio, craft is everything we do.

Of course, it’s also the tasteful choices and skill with which you make the things you make, and I’m proud when people tell us they recognise and appreciate that in our work, but I think it’s so much more than that.

It’s casting, culture, ideas, and a way of shaping the way you do business.

CB: Your studio space has a unique feel to it. Does that matter? Does it impact your work?

MW: Well, like I mentioned we often have people working with us from wherever they are, but for the people who do come and work from the studio, it was important to have a space that was worth coming in to.

I needed that too.

I mean, it’s a modest studio, but I still want it to be somewhere people liked being and working.

I do think the character of a space affects everyone, and a lot of spaces feel like they’re built for something other than the people working there, but that’s a whole other conversation.

On a much different budget, I’d have built a chef’s kitchen in the middle of an open studio space, and I’d just hang out there reviewing people’s work or meeting with clients while making them delicious things to eat.

That’d make me happy. I’m a feeder, apparently.

CB: You and your team have spent a lot of time at some of the best agencies in the world. What do you bring to BMEOF from those experiences?

MW: I’d be lying if I said that was always the plan, it’s just kind of happened that way.

I guess looking back it makes sense that people who have experienced a genuine commitment to creativity at places like Wieden + Kennedy or Droga5 or BBH would have some shared values and ideas, but it’s not like working at those places was ever a prerequisite for joining Bear.

I also don’t want to draw any false parallels; those are truly iconic agencies, but in my own experience when the culture is built around making great work, it shows.

CB: What kinds of projects are keeping you busy at the moment?

MW: We’ve been working on a brand design and launch campaign for a new US shoe brand which is good fun.

We’re deep into another round of work for NRMA under the platform we created for them last year, and about to kick off new work for ROLLiN’ as well, so that’s a nice mix of opportunities.

We have another design only project, which is very different, more industrial, so that’s cool.

There are some other interesting projects in the pipeline as well, but it’s a bit early to talk about those.

CB: Where do you see Bear Meets Eagle On Fire in 10 years?

MW: That’s an interesting question. I’m not sure I have a great answer.

I think having another studio outside Australia is very likely. Launching one or two of our own brands would make me happy, but other than that, I just hope we continue to be productive, and that genuinely talented and ambitious people want to work with us because they like what we do.

That chef’s kitchen office thing would be nice too.