"We never set out to become an agency," admits Ben Collins, co-founder of TrueGroup. "We accidentally became a multi-service agency because clients kept asking us to do more."
In an industry where agencies typically launch with grand manifestos and carefully crafted positioning statements, TrueGroup's organic evolution offers a refreshing counter narrative. What began as a production company has transformed into a full-service content agency with a reputation for flawless execution.
Evolution through client demand
TrueGroup's journey began 20 years ago when, then a commercials director, founded a production company specialising in digital content. Their award-winning 3D department soon attracted gaming clients seeking assets, which eventually led to building entire games using platforms like Unreal Engine.
"We were doing a lot of work on the corporate side with clients like Regus," Ben explains. "They wanted to sell rentals without having people come on the floor—essentially optimising the sales funnel through immersive experiences."
This demand prompted the launch of Walktrue, a venture focused on bringing immersive elements into the property space. When Patrick partnered with his co-founder Patrick Lambert who brought property industry expertise—they expanded into VR and AR while continuing to run the production company alongside it.
The evolution didn't stop there. As clients requested more services, the team found themselves designing national print campaigns, developing strategic visual guides, building web platforms and creating content across multiple platforms. Eventually, they consolidated these capabilities under TrueGroup, a full-service content agency spanning design, branding, UX/UI, video content, and immersive technologies.
Their recent acquisition of BrandXChange added outreach capabilities—paid and organic social, PR, and SEO—completing their transformation into a comprehensive agency structured around three divisions: corporate, crypto, and consumer.
Execution as differentiation
In an industry where "creativity" is the rallying cry, TrueGroup has carved out a different niche: impeccable execution. While this might seem unsexy compared to the bean bags and creative chaos of traditional agencies, it's precisely what has attracted their client base.
"A lot of the clients we've picked up recently have resisted coming to people like us because they're like, 'I've worked with creative agencies before—you'll never be on time, you charge a fortune,'" Ben reveals. "My response is always that we've literally tailored the business to be the antithesis of that."
Making clients look good
When asked what their longest-standing clients would say about working with them, Patrick's answer reveals another dimension of their practical approach: "We work quite hard to make the person who's hired us look good, as opposed to necessarily ourselves."
This client-centric philosophy has fostered remarkable loyalty. One client even attempted to include a clause in their contract stipulating that TrueGroup would follow them to any future employer—a testament to the agency's "wherever you go, we go" commitment.
Ben highlights the success of a particular client who commissioned a video series from TrueGroup which generated £2 million in new revenue within a week—a success the agency deliberately ensured was attributed to their client rather than themselves.
The perfect client
TrueGroup has identified a clear niche: large companies with small marketing teams. This combination allows them to make a significant impact while maintaining the close relationships and streamlined processes they value.
"Our perfect clients are actually massive, but their teams are small," Ben clarifies. "When the teams get too big, it becomes challenging. We're really helpful to smaller marketing teams where we can actually action the help and impact that we want to have."
This positioning aligns perfectly with their "extension of your marketing team" promise—a claim many agencies make but few deliver on. TrueGroup has built systems and workflows that allow them to integrate seamlessly with client teams, offering 24-hour support and rapid turnaround times.
"We've actually challenged ourselves with that," Ben says. "We've built this retained model with 24-hour support, with a workflow and system which means we can literally plug in anywhere and be the creative content and growth engine to any marketing team."
The practical creativity
TrueGroup's practical approach doesn't mean they lack creative vision. Their work for The North Face—creating a virtual reality experience where customers enter a freezer in-store, don a VR headset, and climb Everest—demonstrates their ability to blend innovation with practicality.
"What was really exciting about that was how successful it was at driving sales in-store," Patrick notes. "The conversion rate was something like 20% on the first day."
Their solution-oriented capabilities extend beyond technology. When Timberland wanted to increase foot traffic, TrueGroup created an in-store repair service —a simple but elegant solution that aligned with the brand's sustainability goals.
Leveraging new technology for greater impact
Looking ahead, TrueGroup is excited about the potential of AI and other digital tools to enhance their capabilities while maintaining their lean, agile structure.
"What's most exciting right now is the digital tools being developed. They allow us to do more whilst keeping the team small," Patrick explains. "It feels like the best of both worlds—we're able to work remotely, trust each other, know each other, work in that small unit, but confidently take on six or seven-figure projects."
TrueGroup has "walked their own talk" by launching their own digital products and platforms, which they believe will help them better understand client challenges firsthand. Additionally, they're investing in their podcast as an alternative to traditional newsletters, recognising the growing prominence of audio content in the marketing landscape.
In an industry often fixated on the next big idea, TrueGroup's focus on execution offers a compelling alternative. As Patrick observes, "Ideas are cheap—90% of a startup is how it's delivered, not how somebody came up with some amazing new idea."
"We're doers," Ben concludes. And in today's marketing landscape, that might be the most valuable proposition of all.
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