The Orange Panther Collective: Network expertise with indie agility

The Orange Panther Collective: Network expertise with indie agility

In the crowded landscape of creative agencies, The Orange Panther Collective (OPC) has carved out a distinctive niche since its 2020 founding—just six weeks before COVID upended the industry. Founded by an industry expert with decades of network agency experience, OPC represents a deliberate pivot away from the traditional agency model toward something more nimble, cost-effective, and creatively liberated.

"We're essentially a small orange speedboat rather than an oil tanker," explains OPC's founder Simon Hewitt, who established the collective after years at prestigious network agencies including M&C Saatchi, AMV, BBC Creative, and Leo Burnett. This metaphor encapsulates OPC's core proposition: delivering network-caliber expertise without the prohibitive overhead costs and lengthy processes that drive clients toward in-housing their creative work.

The collective model underpinning OPC allows for remarkable flexibility—a small core team that expands depending on project demands. This approach delivers rates significantly lower than traditional agencies while maintaining exceptional creative standards. Simon notes, "We build teams based on the brief. We ask the people we think would be best for it if they want to be involved and they get to choose, because if you mismatch strategists and creatives with the brief, the work suffers."

Initially positioning itself as helping "scaleups make the leap into the mainstream," OPC has evolved its client base over time. What began as a 70/30 split favoring challenger brands has inverted, with established brands now comprising the majority of their portfolio. Clients include Pol Roger champagne, the Financial Times, The Week magazine, and Tortilla restaurants to name a few —a diverse roster that spans luxury, media, and fast-casual dining.

Creative leadership with intellectual depth

At the heart of OPC's creative offering is their Creative Partner Nigel Roberts, described as "one of the most awarded creatives in the UK" with an impressive 142 D&AD pencils to his name. The founder characterises Nigel's approach as "very cerebral," combining intellectual rigour with grounded sensibility: "He writes with a craft and a smartness that feels both intelligent, but also relatable. 

This creative leadership manifests in work that balances strategic insight with unexpected execution. For Fentimans drinks, OPC discovered that every beverage is brewed for seven days—a functional insight that sparked a remarkable creative solution: a seven-day advertisement. They filmed a still fermenting for 168 consecutive hours, with the creative director camping on location through snow, hail, rain, and sunshine. This dedication to craft extended to commissioning a mural in Manchester that deliberately took seven days to complete, maintaining conceptual consistency across all touch points.

The silver bullet proposition

OPC positions itself as offering "global network expertise and rigor but with small agency energy, agility, and cost efficiencies." This combination—network-level strategic and creative thinking with indie-agency responsiveness—creates what the agency partners  describe as a "silver bullet" proposition that clients find increasingly compelling.

"The way we work isn’t just a strategy—it’s a proven approach that gets people talking, wins pitches, and drives real progress." Simon explains. This sentiment has translated organic growth by means of client referrals, with many current relationships stemming from previous collaborations. The Financial Times client who moved to The Week brought OPC along, while their Tortilla client previously worked with them at McDonald's and Maldon Salt.

The agency particularly thrives with "shakeup" brands—established companies seeking revitalisation. "We get very excited about brands that need a real shift. So, we love heritage brands that need to rediscover their mojo" Simon explains.

Measuring success beyond awards

While creative engagement matters, OPC emphasises measurable business outcomes. The agency frequently partners with brand tracking companies like Tracksuit to establish clear KPIs and demonstrate effectiveness. Simon stresses the importance of metrics as a means of accountability. "Success isn’t just about feeling like we did a good job—it’s about knowing we did. That’s why we always emphasise clear KPIs. Whether it's sales or brand tracking, having the right measures in place ensures that we understand the impact of our work and keep brands focussed ."

Looking toward the future, OPC sees AI as an opportunity rather than a threat. "I'm genuinely excited about finding out the perfect symbiosis between human and AI when it comes to work," Simon states, envisioning a relationship where "human is driver and AI is co-pilot." This forward-looking perspective aligns with OPC's overall approach—embracing innovation while maintaining the human creativity and strategic thinking that clients value.

As the agency continues to evolve, it maintains its entrepreneurial spirit and collaborative culture. "It feels like we're a day old all the time," Simon reflects, "and there's an energy to that."

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