It’s Friday – Bosilkovski, Lagana and De Villiers launch agency with founding client Domino’s
Pete Bosilkovski, Vince Lagana and Jeremy De Villiers have joined forces to launch new agency It’s Friday with founding client Domino’s Pizza already on board.
It’s Friday has also recently appointed a head of strategy, to be announced imminently.
The newly-created agency has been years in the making, with the trio having worked together in previous companies over 10 years. Bosilkovski brings years of agency leadership as CEO at Clemenger BBDO Sydney, VMLY&R and Leo Burnett Sydney. Lagana was ECD at The Monkeys, Leo Burnett Sydney and spent two years at Goodby Silverstein & Partners San Francisco, while De Villiers has led operations at the C-suite, VMLY&R, Leo Burnett and Clemenger BBDO.
Bosilkovski told Mumbrella the agency is built on the ethos that energy beats everything, and promises to power ‘Brands with Energy’ across the customer journey.
“Just as Friday the day evokes that positive, memorable and energetic feeling, we believe brands fuelled with energy have the potential to leave behind a strong feeling or memory too. If you have the right emotional experience, you build a long-term memory bank,” he said. “There are many factors as to why a brand’s energy gets depleted; legacy factors, category competition, lack of meaning and distinction. A brand that is charged with energy, will build brand value for consumers, meaning it helps build preference, advocacy and increases selection at point of purchase.”
He explained ‘Brand Energy’ is the power behind the brand – like an emotional source you store, it gets charged like a battery by emotion and distinction, and every time you send the right message, it delivers the right information, or rewards consumers’ emotional expectation with an ideal experience.
“Vinnie, Jez and I have worked in some of the best and most awarded creative companies in the world. After running companies for nearly a decade, it’s been a dream to build our own brand with likeminded people who deeply care about the type of product we put out to the world,” he explained. “Along the way we’ve learnt a lot about what we love and what we don’t. Although we’re launching in a pandemic, we felt the time was right. In fact, it was one of drivers behind the name and philosophy of It’s Friday.
Bosilkovski said the agency’s main focus for this year is to establish who the company is from a cultural perspective.
“We really want to establish who we are culturally, our values, why we exist in the world and the kind of work we want to put out in the world – that will define who we are. All these things matter a lot. We want the company to be filled with the most diverse and curious minds from all walks of life, from the industry and outside.
“We don’t care, as long as we are all unified by a relentless commitment to solving business problems with work that injects brands with meaningful and distinctive energy. Work that people talk about, work that engages them in ways that they can’t ignore. We want to create an environment where people are encouraged to be curious, choose the least convenient path, push for new ground, and most importantly have fun, embracing the ethos that energy beats everything . I love what we are creating and can’t wait to work with client partners, like Domino’s, who have a similar desire to power their brand with energy.”
He added: “Too many brands get a little complacent with the channels they communicate in or the experiences they offer. Priorities get in the way and convenience sets in. The problem with that is consumers don’t guarantee you their time. Earning their time and attention is the battle, no matter if it’s a big piece of video content or a mobile billboard. In some instances, brands are perceived like a glass of water. The brand may be salient, and it serves a function but lacks energy and distinction. Brands pour lots of money into creating content that won’t be remembered in any meaningful way. The mission behind the business we are building is to be meaningful and memorable. As partners we bring different skills, but we are all obsessed about how brands show up in the world and culture.”
When probed whether the agency will be partnering with any other companies this year, Bosilkovski admitted: “That’s the wonderful thing about being an independent. We have no restrictions. We will work and partner with the best in the industry. We put the client at the heart and bring in the best in the world to solve their business problems. We won’t compromise.”
He added that opening a business can be daunting at times, but he’s confident the agency will be a success. “It’s funny, I’ve always been guided by the mantra ‘everything you want is on the other side of fear’,” he said. “Opening a business is often scary, opening during COVID, well how do you define that emotion. We are living in unique times where change has truly been embraced. We don’t see fear at all. Vinnie, Jez and I have been doing this for over 25 years, working in the best creative companies in the world. All roads have led us here. Is it easy, no. Is it freaking exhilarating, yes!”
It’s Friday will offer a connected service offering across creativity, media, CX and PR.
“We felt it was important that our offering has the ability to impact a brand’s energy in a connected way, from day dot. That’s the beauty of what we are building – we have no obstacles in our way,” Bosilkovski said. “One of the things that defines us, partners, and will act as a north star of our company, is the spirit that drives us. It’s also why we get on so well. Humility, kindness, never choosing the convenient path and always inspire with positivity and passion. Every interaction that one has with It’s Friday, will be defined by that energy.”
Lagana commented: “I’m fortunate to have worked with some of the best talent in the industry and I’m excited to now call two of the very best my business partners. This has been a long time coming for Bos, Jez and me. They are the embodiment of the energy we want to bring to everything we do and true champions of our creative offering. Our independent It’s Friday free spirit allows us to do things our way, to question what seems unquestionable which in turn leads to braver creative work for our clients and a happier work environment.
“The nucleus is set and we’re beginning to build an eclectic team of ambitious, super talented curious people who we will announce soon.”
Bosilkovski welcomed the opportunity to launch Domino’s Pizza as It’s Friday’s founding client.
“Domino’s has continued to crush convention in the ANZ market by leading the way through innovation. Having worked in the Quick Service Restaurant space for over 10 years, Dominos is a brand I’ve admired, and I have been inspired by its fearless and bold impact in the category. The opportunity to partner with Adam, Tracy, Tenielle, Stephen, Lachlan, Michael and the team at Domino’s is a dream come true. They are an amazing bunch of passionate people with bold ambitions, who have Domino’s sauce running through their veins. Adam and I share similar beliefs and values. His passion and care for people, culture and connected thinking are infectious and his respect for the creative process is what differentiates him to most. I’m super excited by what the next chapter will bring as Domino’s and It’s Friday join forces to deliver brand energy and innovation like never before,” said Bosilkovski.
Domino’s CMO Adam Ballesty told Mumbrella: “I couldn’t be more excited to appoint It’s Friday as our new creative agency. Their creative horsepower talent with Vinnie and Jez is simply the best all-rounder and ops person I have ever come across and the industry all knows I have had a big crush on what Pete brings to the table for a long time. I still haven’t met a person that fights for an epic idea more than Pete.
Ballesty added: “This partnership with It’s Friday means we can take this brand on one epic adventure creatively and strategically. There are some seismic shifts that have happened in food and delivery during the last 2 years, and we need to be in a position to pounce on those opportunities. Our partnership with It’s Friday means we can go create an amazing future and have a load of fun along the way. The chemistry is electric.
“This team is part of our team like I have never seen. I’m thrilled to be able to work with Its Friday alongside my passionate and energizer bunny team to propel Domino’s into the next stage of growth and success. Domino’s operates at every level of the purchasing funnel and the new team can bring in thinking and ideas that ensure we are converting in every moment. They are agile, responsive and they love retail – so they can offer the brand and my team things we have never even dreamed of. The next few years are going to be so bright. Watch this space!”
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topics
Adam Ballesty
Domino's
Domino's pizza
It's Friday
Jeremy De Villiers
Pete Bosilkovsk
Vince Lagana
The amazing people coming together are destined to do great things! Congrats!
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What happened to the last creative agency that had Dominos?
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Where is the website for this agency? Plenty of others with Friday on their mind.
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