One of eight&four’s co-founders, Kate Ross, recently sat down with Little Black Book to reflect on our 16-year journey, from a two-person digital agency to a fully GenAI-enabled business. She shared how we’ve evolved alongside the digital landscape, and how a sharp focus on strategic thinking, niche targeting, and emerging tech continues to drive our work forward.
Navigating a Fragmented Landscape
As Kate pointed out, “You can’t be everywhere anymore—it’s just not realistic.” The modern media landscape is more fractured than ever, making blanket approaches ineffective. That’s why we take a precision-led view: delivering the right message, on the right platform, to the right audience. Whether it’s linear TV or gaming communities, our approach is to meet people where they are, without overwhelming them.
“We bring the clarity,” Kate said. That means helping clients prioritise, focus, and move confidently in an ever-evolving space. It’s about keeping the storytelling sharp, even when the channels multiply.
Our GenAI-Driven Future
This year, eight&four became a fully GenAI-enabled agency. One standout innovation is Coach, our proprietary AI image generator designed specifically for producing automotive visuals. For brands like Genesis (Hyundai), Coach delivers high-quality, brand-aligned imagery at just 20% of the traditional production cost.
Kate was clear about where GenAI fits: “AI can do things like translation and basic image generation, but it’s not writing Cannes-winning scripts.” The tech is powerful, but the thinking still needs to be human. As she put it, “Talent leads, technology fuels.” We’re firm believers that innovation should be used to elevate, not replace, creative intelligence.
Recent Client Success Stories
That balance of strategy, creativity, and technology continues to drive results. For DHL eCommerce, we helped build a TikTok presence that now boasts over 1 million followers—making it the platform’s biggest logistics brand, and reaching that milestone five weeks ahead of target.
For Screwfix, our culturally relevant, reactive content strategy has helped the brand connect with its time-poor audience in a way that feels fresh and timely. From live sports moments to trending TV shows, our work is rooted in real-world culture, not just digital noise.
Looking Ahead
As Kate shared in the interview, “We’re moving into a new era of planning,” one that demands a clear understanding of both long-term brand building and short-term performance. It’s not about choosing one or the other—it’s about integrating both intelligently.
At eight&four, we remain focused on helping brands stay culturally relevant and commercially effective, no matter how fast the landscape shifts. Our work sits at the intersection of strategy, creativity, and technology—always led by people, and powered by innovation.
Read the full interview here.
