The agency became known as The Hive back in March of last year after an assortment of other names had been proposed. Co-founder Jimmy Murphy was off on honeymoon in Argentina and was unable to phone home on his mobile. The Shine got the thumbs down for sounding like “a hospital for special people”. The Black Flag was likewise binned.

Murphy and Brendan (Bren) O’Flaherty had chatted about the idea of a new agency for years, mostly on a Friday night over a few pints. They had known each other from their days in Cawley Nea\TBWA and had become “good mates”. O’Flaherty eventually said to Murphy: “Are we messin’ around here, or do you want to do it?”

They accepted that everyone in adland vows to do it another way, but they felt they might just be on to something, so give it a go. Noble crusades and promising the Earth aside, pragmatism could not be ignored. So if a client came to their door asking for a 30-second commercial instead of a cheeky viral, stand and deliver. Invoices and statements beckon.

The Hive is less about being busy as bees and more about a colony of creative workshops, from advertising to graphic design, PR to a record label. “Creatives can’t be treated like battery chickens, with briefs in one end and work out the other,” Murphy said. “You commit to a creative environment by investing time, energy and money.”

The agency’s website gives clues as to The Hive’s best intentions. Like many a new arrival, they like doing “brave work” and the welcoming mat is out for brave clients with money. All-round respect is a given. As this month’s cover illustrates, Murphy, O’Flaherty and Adam Crane avoid being po-faced. Curiosity? Why not?

Money and creativity are two things with which The Hive’s landlord is synonymous. Paul McGuinness’s Principle Management owns The Hive’s home on Sir John Rogerson’s Quay, next to 02 and within spilling distance of The Ferryman pub. The U2 management company occupies the front of the building and The Hive nests at the rear.

While McGuinness is no stranger to adland, O‘Flaherty says he has no stake in The Hive. Brando Digital, Pink Design, Roisin Ni Mhordha’s Impression PR, stencil artist Will St Leger, whose Michael Collins in his Irish Army outfit with a Dior bag, is on show in the building, and Ken Allen’s Falcon Records (Director and Blizzards) are other live-ins.

St Leger staged a show during the Dublin Fringe Festival and the reception became an art gallery. The idea was to invite visitors along to ‘steal’ the work on the walls. As guests sipped wine, an alarm went off during which time they had to make away with some art and defy security. The Hive? More like a scene from the Day of the Locusts.

Brendan O’Flaherty said that before the builders and designers got down to renovations, the listed building served as a document storage warehouse but was in an awful state. Earmarked – along it seems with too much of Greater Dublin – for apartments, the building should – digits crossed – remain the home for The Hivers for the next few years.

HONEY, WE SHOT THOSE GREAT ADS The Hive's Jimmy Murphy, Bren O'Flaherty and Adam Crane in more familiar attire in the agency's reception. The cover shot by Adrian Stewart was taken in Drimnagh Castle.

Murphy says creativity is the most powerful tool available to business. While accepting that media has made strides in that area in recent years, largely due to the hiring of young and more versatile talent, he feels writers and designers in agencies and freelancers still hold the reins when it comes to devising strong ideas. That is still their USP.

The arrival of media independents as a force about a decade or so ago prompted a debate as to where agencies were headed. The media shops reaped new gains as they began looking at communications differently. Murphy believes that while ‘suits’ are creative, they cannot compete with those who have a raw feel for concepts.

O’Flaherty recalls when he was at Chemistry and he and media director, Neil Thompson would think up new ideas. One time they were looking at doing a 3D installation on the Dart. They wanted to get a hologram of someone hanging on to a rail. Thompson found out what size holograms were available and how to install them.

As it turned out, the sizes were too small for their client’s requirements. The Hive does not provide media services, they look mostly to Vizeum Connect (where Neil Thompson is now) and other independents like OMD for planning and buying and from time to time.

Rivalry there may well be but O’Flaherty believes media is also colluding with creative in the UK these days by producing longer, stylish commercials with lesser frequency. Cadbury’s ‘Gorilla’ and Sony Bravia ‘Balls’ come to mind as examples of media-creative collaboration, resulting in “beautiful, long pieces of TV entertainment”.

O’Flaherty is unswerving as to which other agency The Hive should emulate – his alma mater, Chemistry. “Ray (Sheerin) and Mike (Garner) have always run a great shop. I’d have a huge amount of respect for Emmet (Wright). There’s a lovely culture in there. Alan Kelly (Cawley Nea\TBWA) has to be one of the best talents around.”

TOP INTEREST RaboDirect.ie has helped give The Hive a platform. But the client list goes far beyond the TV boot camp commercials and the no-nonsense radio spots with Sean Moncrieff.

O’Flaherty says that the better agencies are characterised by strong insights and planning.
As someone who played an active part in ICAD, he rates industry awards and the contribution they bring to raising standards, particularly in motivating and recognising young, emerging talent. The one drawback, there are too many awards these days.
Although O’Flaherty will not be the one to say so, the Hive and much that went before it brought gave him a reputation to pride. RaboDirect.ie is the work they are best know for but add to that campaigns for Barnardo’s, 11850 directory enquiries, the Ulster Bank Dublin Theatre Festival and the G hotel in Galway with radio spots with Joanna Lumley.

To prove they are no slouches, they did Right Price Tiles and with the help of Jason Hynes and Mario Rosenstock, they created the monster that is Daft Dave. RTE liked what they saw and added them to their agency roster with work for Aertel. The ‘Tell Me Something I Don’t Know’ is on TV, outdoor, radio, online and below the line.

The Hive is a busy place to be, so O’Flaherty is kicking other distractions, like helping out ICAD, to touch right now. Creating ideas for clients and new business are constant demands. Near neighbour Publicis QMP has won Miller. So Murphy makes some calls and they are pitching for Tiger beer. The ad jungle never sleeps.