5 Minutes with… Eric Perko
Independent creative agencies have been having a moment for some time now, but the same energy is quietly reshaping the media world too. Eric Perko, founder and chief executive officer of Apollo Partners, is one of the people leading that shift. After building his career at major network agencies including Digitas and VCCP, and later serving as SVP, global client partner at Essence (Google), Eric launched Apollo in August 2020 with a belief that media deserved a smarter, more modern model – one built for speed, trust, and strategic impact.
Apollo is deliberately “small by design”, but punches well above its weight. For Eric, it’s not about chasing scale for the sake of it; it’s about staying nimble, maintaining close relationships with clients, and being able to move fast without the weight of legacy bureaucracy. That mindset shapes everything, from Apollo’s media approach to how it structures compensation, with a focus on business growth and shared success rather than billable hours.
In this conversation with LBB’s Addison Capper, Eric explores the rise of indies, the renewed connection between creative and media, and the kinds of channels and environments that actually earn consumer attention today.
LBB> There's a boom of indie creative agencies in the US and other markets right now. What are your thoughts with regards to the indie media industry? Is it experiencing something similar?
Eric> Absolutely. There’s been a quiet but steady rise in independent media – not just as a reaction to the holding company model, but because brands are craving closer partnership, smarter thinking, and more flexibility. The legacy media shop model is showing its age, and independents are filling in the gaps: more integrated thinking, less bureaucracy, more ownership, and the ability to pivot quickly. Because we’ve led some of the biggest brands and worked at the biggest shops, we can pull the positive traits of those models, but do so with a scrappy and innovative mindset.
LBB> Decoupling, recoupling, creative agencies trying to build media functions, media agencies creating content studios… What’s your take on the relationship between creative and media, and where do you think it’s going?
It’s funny – we talk about ‘recoupling’ like it’s a trend, but it’s really a return to common sense. Creative and media should be deeply connected. Not structurally forced together, but aligned in ambition. The tools we have now let us build much closer loops between idea and execution, so why not use that? Whether that’s through smart partnerships or hybrid teams, the future is in breaking down those silos, not recreating the ones we just tore down.
LBB> You're keen to challenge old models of remuneration and compensation. This is something else that's currently prevalent with the creative product. What is driving it from a media perspective? And how are you dealing with it?
Eric> We’re in a performance-driven world, but compensation still feels stuck in the past – hours, headcount, retainers. That structure misaligns incentives and creates a race to the bottom.
At Apollo, we’re more interested in models that reward impact, and we like to get things done fast. If we help grow your business, we should share in that success. It’s not always easy to structure, but it starts with being open to redefining the client-agency relationship.
LBB> More money is being spent on advertising than ever, but I'm fascinated with the concept of where that money is going. Which channels and media do you feel are most effective and exciting right now? Why?
Eric> The money’s chasing attention, but attention is harder to earn than ever. What’s exciting are the spaces where media doesn’t feel like ‘media’ – branded entertainment, commerce media, creator partnerships. That’s where trust lives. But there’s also a resurgence in good old-fashioned contextual media – environments where the message fits naturally. Effectiveness isn’t about the newest platform, it’s about the smartest match between brand, message, and moment.
LBB> What inspired you to launch Apollo? And how would you define the agency?
Eric> Apollo was born out of frustration and optimism. Frustration with the inertia in the media industry, and optimism that it could be better – more thoughtful, more modern, more business-minded. We’re not a traditional media agency, and we’re not trying to be. We’re a strategy and media partner that thinks like a business partner, not just a service provider.
LBB> You've worked within big holding companies. How do you find the challenge of shaping your own brand and business strategy?
Eric> It’s both liberating and demanding. You get to build the thing you always wished existed, but there’s no blueprint or safety net. Every decision is yours. The upside is that you can move fast, stay focused, and make sure your values show up in the work. The hard part is resisting the pull to just recreate what you know.
LBB> I am told that you are 'small by design'. What do you mean by that and what are the benefits?
Eric> We are ‘small by design’, but also operate with scale at the highest level. Small means nimble, fast, and accountable. It means we can go deep with our clients. It means the people doing the thinking are the ones in the room. We’re not chasing scale, we’re chasing impact. ‘Small by design’ doesn’t mean limiting ambition; it means staying focused on the kind of work and relationships that matter most.
LBB> How did you end up working in media?
Eric> Like most, I was originally attracted to the creative side of advertising. I didn’t know what media even was coming out of school. But once I got in, I realised it was this fascinating mix of creativity, data, psychology, and business. I was hooked. And over time, I saw how much media decisions shape the trajectory of a brand. That’s what kept me in it.
LBB> What do you think are the most pertinent debates happening in the media field right now?
Eric> Transparency. Attention. Measurement. AI. The same topics keep coming up, but the stakes feel higher now. There’s a bigger question underneath all of it, ‘What kind of media do we want to create?’. Not just what performs well in the short-term, but what builds value and trust over time? And the conversation between brand and performance is constant.
LBB> The wider industry has become really obsessed with artificial intelligence, but media has been using variations of AI and algorithmic automation for some time – what’s your take on the longer term influence of AI on media?
Eric> AI is great at pattern recognition, and media’s full of patterns. But planning is still deeply human – it’s about judgment, context, and taste. AI will absolutely get better at optimisation, forecasting, and even creative testing. But I don’t think it replaces the planner; it augments the planner. The future is a hybrid model: AI for the grunt work, people for the magic.
LBB> Who are your media heroes and why? And what sort of media do you enjoy?
Eric> I admire people who challenge the status quo – ones like Jon Wilkins from Naked, back in the day, or those building thoughtful indie shops today.
As for media I enjoy? I like media that doesn’t feel like media – the stuff that earns your attention, rather than demands it. Smart podcasts, well-curated newsletters, unexpected brand collaborations. Things that respect the audience.
