Why Krow Group CEO John Quarrey spends half the salary budget on creatives

“The creative work that we produce is our lifeblood,” he says. “The reason we spend half our salary budget on creative people is because we believe it’s our strongest differentiator in the market.”

For Krow, ensuring that creativity thrives is essential – not just as a marketing tool but as a core part of its identity. “Keeping our creative teams motivated, keeping them well-trained, keeping them up to date, buoyed up and creatively focused is a big old job,” he admits, but Quarrey is convinced it’s the right strategy for an agency that prides itself on producing groundbreaking work.

To further support its creative ambitions, Krow has appointed three executive creative directors across different specialties and locations. Ash Chauhan and Paul Wallett, who are based in the Leicester office, bring expertise in social content and traditional integrated creative work, while Darryl George, based in London, adds a diverse perspective with his background in integrated campaigns. “We have a very diverse team leading an even more diverse group of creative people,” says Quarrey, which he believes is the key to allowing Krow to tackle creative challenges with agility, whether it’s crafting AI-driven campaigns or more traditional TV advertising.

The decision to have multiple ECDs was driven by Krow’s commitment to maintaining creative excellence across its offices in London (which also houses youth marketing shop Livity), Leicester, Belfast and creative customer experience agency Krow X in Norwich. “We have one big creative team, one big strategy team, one big production team, all distributed right across our locations.” His thinking is that by decentralizing creative leadership, Krow ensures its talent pool remains energized and engaged, fostering collaboration across all of its offices.

The challenge of managing creatives

As any agency leader knows (apologies in advance to any creatives reading), managing creative minds comes with its own set of challenges, especially when balancing the needs of tech-savvy strategists with those of more traditional creatives. “You’ve got brilliant, gifted, technology-oriented people working with equally brilliant creatives. When it works, it’s absolutely fantastic, but the challenge is about creating an environment that works for everybody. This is especially true in a hybrid work era where tech specialists may prefer remote work, while creatives thrive on the buzz of in-office collaboration.”

Despite these hurdles, Quarrey believes flexibility in working practice remains the key to team success. “We encourage everyone to be in the office for three days, but we’re not rigid about it,” he said, acknowledging the balance between maintaining a collaborative environment and respecting individual working preferences. “The simple fact is that some meetings are just done better face-to-face, such as creative briefings. The energy and ideas that flow in-person simply can’t be replicated online.”

Quarrey launched Krow in 2005, alongside Barry Cook, Nick Hastings and Malcolm White, with the simple yet ambitious goal of doing things differently. As he jokes, he's "the last man standing" - his former co-founding partners each moving off in new directions.

“We set up Krow because we’d all been working in big agencies and realized we wanted more control over our destiny.” The early years were tough, he says, especially as they started without any clients. “That was a terrible mistake, we realized fairly quickly. But that honed our proposition in the market.” By securing significant accounts such as Thompson Holidays, Fiat and DFS, Krow quickly gained traction, growing to a team of around 60-70 people by the late 2000s.

In 2018, Krow was acquired by Mission Group, a move that Quarrey views as more of an evolution than a sale. “It wasn’t about taking the money and running. Mission had a great story. It really believes in the agency brands that it acquired and it lets us focus on what we do best – creative work.”

As Quarrey explains, becoming part of Mission has given Krow the infrastructure to focus more on creativity and less on administrative burdens. “It handles the accounting, compliance and other bits that get in the way, leaving us free to focus on clients and creative excellence.”

Sustaining leadership in a changing industry

Running an agency for two decades is no mean feat, especially in an industry known for its relentless pace and constant shifts. For Quarrey, the key to longevity is passion and adaptability. “You’ve got to enjoy it. I’ve always loved working with different clients and an extraordinary mix of people. Our industry is constantly evolving, but I think we’ve done well to adapt and thrive here at Krow. People have been forecasting the end of agencies for years, just like they’ve been predicting the death of TV. But clients still want compelling stories, and there’s always a role for creative thinking.”

Krow’s next big move? Taking its blend of creativity and strategy to a global audience by expanding beyond its UK network, as Quarrey explains: “We’re genuinely excited about creating a micro-network of agencies. We don’t need to be in every country, but having five or six key offices globally will give us the footprint we want and need.” Potential locations include hubs in the US (either West Coast or East Coast), Brazil, Singapore, India and Germany. This international expansion is about offering clients a cost-effective alternative to the traditional global network model.

Clearly, the ongoing support from Mission Group plays a crucial role in Krow’s ambitions. “We already have the infrastructure to go international, thanks to Mission’s backing. We’ll do it through partnerships and branded collaborations, ensuring that every office is fully equipped and ready to deliver.”

Creativity in the age of AI

With AI making waves across the industry, Krow is obviously exploring how technology can enhance – not replace – the creative processes. Quarrey is pragmatic about AI’s potential: “We look at AI as a tool to help us do more of what we love, whether it’s automating repetitive tasks or making our campaigns smarter. But at the end of the day, AI can’t replicate the creativity that comes from a diverse team brainstorming around a table.”

Krow is already using AI for operational efficiencies, such as competitive reviews and automating time-consuming administrative tasks. Yet, the agency remains cautious about over-reliance on technology. “AI can support us, but it won’t replace the creativity that defines us,” asserts Quarrey.

As the agency prepares to expand internationally, it remains anchored by the principles that have guided it for nearly 20 years: a relentless focus on creative excellence, a commitment to diversity and a willingness to adapt to whatever the future holds. For Quarrey, the goal is clear: “We’re here to help brands grow, but also to make them better. And if we can do that on a global stage, even better.”