Multi-platform content studio STK gets its moniker from the phrase ‘Shoot to Kill’, which has become something of a guiding mantra of efficiency and high quality for them. “The term ‘Shoot to Kill' is about precision, it's about doing things once and doing it properly,” says founder and executive producer Max Clark. “And that has increasingly become our calling card.”
“We are at a really interesting junction in our journey, but equally in the industry in terms of what is coming and who will prosper, and what that looks like. I'm really excited about shaping that.”
As the media landscape has evolved over the seven years STK has been active, Clark now sees a unique opportunity for a nimble, highly efficient content shop like his, and believes the offering STK has is increasingly relevant in today’s industry. Here, Clark talks to DCA about how he sees the world and STK’s offering.
Efficiency with quality
With 15 years big agency experience behind him, cutting his teeth in social-focussed content production studios within the likes of Saatchi & Saatchi, winning various industry awards, Clark observed how the rise of digital platforms began to alter the balance for in-house production studios. He started to see another potential way, where the brilliant creative ideas often left on the table could be executed and optimised for these new channels.
Budgets needed to go further, and speed was of the essence, but quality could not be compromised. “It's not just about being able to do things with less,” says Clark. “It's not just about being able to do things fast, but doing that and doing it at an extremely high level, because no one ever asks how much time you had or how much money was spent, just how good it was, and how impactful it was for a client.”
Working nimbly and just “making it happen” Clark leads a team he says “go above and beyond to deliver” on tight deadlines, and with challenging budgets. And from the output, viewers would be none the wiser. One example of this was being brought in by a tech client for The Olympics six weeks before the delivery deadline, with media already scheduled. They were able to adapt the creative strategy for the platforms where media had been bought. “We tied that all together. It was a multi-platform shift. So we were able to plan for those multi-platform executions, even at that stage. It wasn't an afterthought.”
Your guide to platforms
While it’s clear STK thrive under pressure, they really come into their own when they’re able to contribute their platform-specific expertise to the media choices too. “It feels now like it's in our client's sights,” explains Clark. “They understand the value in being able to bring these ideas in at the start and being able to maximize a shoot day.”
As a result, STK have been able to work in a way that allows them to create much more content, perfect for online audiences, with tight budgets, sometimes being able to develop a plan that gets six months worth of additional social-driven content for brands’ platforms. “This model of working is STK at its absolute highest,” says Clark.
Beyond the technology expertise, the human powered talent at STK is what makes the small company so popular. Its size enables direct communication and a more intimate relationship with clients. “We're extremely passionate,” explains Clark. “It creates great work, and it's just nice to turn up to work when you're loving what you're doing.”
An opportunity to expand
“We see a huge amount of optimism and excitement for the future of the industry, which is coming in a time where it's been tough,” says Clark. “It's tough for agencies, it's tough for brands, it's tough to make great work, but we really see these barriers as opportunities to create great work that can expand.”
STK see themselves as a partner for taking clients into new territories and onto new platforms. “This is a multi-platform world that we're living in,” explains Clark. “We think there's something like 48 channels or platforms that brands could be using in their mix. Realistically, we're probably looking at 6, 8, 12 maximum, and it's not about being on them all, it's about having a strategic approach aligned to which ones your audience are on.”
Clark and the STK team are buzzing with enthusiasm for what this means for the work they produce, the content they make for clients and even offline experiences. “It's an exciting time. I think where there's a lot of fear, we're really excited about the opportunities that are going to inherently present.”
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