Stephen Barnes

Founding Partner, Collective

We are Collective. A creative agency for a digital world based in London & NYC. We combine human insight, creative storytelling, innovative technology and performance media to drive sales and brand trust.

We think differently about digital. We don’t start with technology ideas or digital channels; we start by understanding people and their behaviours to create ideas that answer real human problems.

Formed in 2003 by a few guys in a bedroom who were fed up with big agency politics, Collective’s unique culture is based on trust, mutual respect and collaborative working. And it has been since day one. We have everything we need to deliver integrated digital comms in-house including our own tech and development team.

Collective partners with Hyundai, NHS, Avis Budget Group, BP, Zipcar, Victorinox, NICE, OneWeb, Sabio, Holland & Barrett and many other global brands.


The Metaverse - what really is it?  It’s fine, you can ask that. It doesn't actually currently exist. Not properly. Let's explore
At first, it looks complicated, but once you get into it, you realise it's very easy to take on board
Advertising seems to have an enormous blind spot around embracing change when it comes to emerging technology.