Richard Huntington, the former chair and CSO of Saatchi & Saatchi, has launched Feral, described as as a “free thinking growth company.”
After 18 years at Saatchi and 35 years in the business, the high-profile Huntington is working solo for now. He launches with Shakespeare’s Globe as a client, as well as an unnamed global financial services brand and charity Freedom from Torture.
Like a number of recent start-ups, Huntington describes his new enterprise as a “studio”. The first two studios will open in the spring as Feral Design and Feral Activation. Later in the year, they will be joined by Feral Experience and Feral Culture. Instead of pitching, Feral will issue fixed fees for delivering different services.
Huntington recently self-published a book called Feral Strategy, What the F*** is Going On (subtitle Rewilding your brand thinking). He said: “By challenging orthodoxy, ingrained ways of thinking and the myth of best practice, Feral encourages organisations to make braver strategic choices, enabling them to better connect with their customers and unlock growth.”
Stella Kanu, CEO of Shakespeare’s Globe, said: “Feral has helped us see our organisation more clearly and more bravely. Richard brings rare strategic clarity – connecting leadership, culture and public relevance in ways that are both challenging and energising.”
Huntington’s pitch includes a commitment to “prioritising kindness, respect and inclusivity” as well as “intellectual courage and creative ambition.”
As someone who worked at AMV BBDO before making a name for himself at HHCL and then moving on to Saatchi & Saatchi in 2008, Huntington’s reputation is likely to ensure plenty of interest in the new venture. It’s just a shame for the big networks (and the younger planners) that people like him are no longer on board, for whatever reasons.
