ICP: A Family, Not a Factory
In a content production landscape increasingly defined by automation, commodification, and speed, ICP stands out by holding fast to something much older – and rarer – than digital-first delivery: humanity. For over three decades, the independent content operations powerhouse has built a business on efficiency, but also on trust, tenure, and treating people like people, which shows in their continued excellence and off-the-charts client retention.
As EVP of creative operations & content studios, Jeremy Wintroub puts it, “I hate the idea of a content factory. It feels completely antithetical to what brands and creatives are trying to do… Creative is still about ideas and people.” This ethos pulses through ICP’s operations worldwide, from London to Mexico City and everywhere in between.
Jeremy, who started off as an ICP client during his time at NBCUniversal, knows about this ethos better than anyone. Faced with the challenge of scaling from 3,000 to 50,000 assets a year without compromising on quality at his previous role, he turned to ICP – not only to execute, but to help define what best-in-class looked like. “They helped me understand the marketplace and what ‘good’ looked like,” he recalls. “Then they designed for success and delivered against it.”
That hands-on partnership not only made ICP NBCU’s highest-quality, lowest-error-rate content partner – it also made Jeremy a believer in the ethos we speak of. So much so, he eventually joined the company, which he would quickly find is much more of a family.
Beyond a Vendor: A Long-Term Strategic Partner
ICP’s long-term client relationships are about more than service – there is a symbiosis created via talent and years of hard work in communication. Yvonne Powles, global head of content studios, recalls the company’s evolution from a print-focused production company to a global leader in content operations with a fully integrated content studio, driven by client needs and a readiness to adapt. “Calvin Klein came to us at the dawn of digital advertising, as they launched their first large-scale global banner campaign. Our expertise in global campaign delivery helped them navigate this new and emerging channel,” explains Yvonne. “We were also at the forefront of digital OOH screens, producing Diageo’s first ever animated OOH campaign. We’ve always worked with our clients to optimise media and take advantage of new channels and trends.”
It’s this blend of deep operational expertise and collaborative spirit that allows ICP to embed so seamlessly into client ecosystems. The team goes beyond delivering assets – they help shape ways of working, refine processes, and elevate standards across the board. Whether they're advising on content workflows, managing global rollouts, or working shoulder to shoulder with creative agencies, ICP positions itself not as just a vendor, but as a proactive, consultative partner invested in long-term success.
That long-term, strategic mindset isn’t new for ICP. In fact, the company was the first to decouple production over 35 years ago – well before it became an industry norm. “We've seen the industry shift from decoupling to decentralising to re-centralising again,” Yvonne reflects. “But what’s never changed is the instinct to get great creative into the world quickly, effectively, and at scale.”
For ICP, decoupling wasn’t just about cost-efficiency – it was about respecting the creative idea, and building the infrastructure to ensure it reached every audience, in every format, without compromise. That principle still guides them today, even as the challenges have evolved from global distribution to omnichannel personalisation.
Balancing Automation with Authenticity
Of course, excellence at scale requires more than people – it also requires tech and ICP is also right at the forefront of helping clients unlock efficiency and savings through automation and AI. ICP’s studios are fluent across technology ecosystems, from Figma and Adobe to Celtra, Pencil Pro and Cinema 4D. “We’ve adopted our own automation agenda,” says Jeremy, “but we also see ourselves as technology partners to our clients. If their platforms aren’t working, we help fix them. We’re agnostic about what tech to buy and we proudly have zero reseller agreements, so we can be honest and neutral.”
Yvonne adds: “It’s not just automation, it’s AI too. Because we’re independent, we can be critical. We can say, ‘That tool isn’t right for you,’ and help clients find something better that fits better for them. It’s that same problem-solving mindset that defines everything we do.”
Independence That Empowers, Not Isolates
While ICP proudly remains independent, they don't position themselves as an insurgent. Their independence, says Jeremy, is a “feature,” not a rebellion against their industry colleagues. “We play in an ecosystem with all the big agency groups… What we’re doing is making sure that the campaign resonates – in the language, in the channel, in the market.”
For Yvonne, independence means agility. “If something isn’t working, we can change it quickly. And we don’t just build relationships with clients – we build trust with agencies too. Our role is to protect and enhance the original creative, working as a seamless extension of the agency team to ensure it translates and resonates across every market.”
Sometimes, supporting it means forgoing short-term gains. “Maybe it’s terrible business sense,” Yvonne laughs, “but we’ll give advice that makes the process more efficient – even if that means less revenue for us. Because long-term trust is always worth more.”
Craft with a Global Heart
ICP’s global growth – from Europe to Latin America – is intentional, not opportunistic. Their approach to global talent reflects the company’s commitment to both quality and humanity. “We believe that our director in Mexico has just as much right and talent as an art director in New York,” says Jeremy. “They’re not just here to be cogs in a process – they have ideas to contribute.”
Rather than pursue the lowest-cost labor model, ICP invests in places like Mexico City not because it’s the cheapest, but because of its cultural richness and creative strength. “The art schools in Mexico are turning out brilliant designers and creatives. We get to play with them every single day.”
Yvonne agrees: “We still call it the ICP family. It’s a very welcoming place to be… We look for people who instinctively want to go the extra mile.”
Culture of Excellence, Not Convenience
However, growing fast is hard. Growing while improving in quality is even harder. “If we see a dip in our quality, it becomes a big issue,” says Yvonne. “We double down.” The secret? Tenure, mentorship, and relentless onboarding. “That mentoring from our experienced team becomes hugely valuable,” she adds, noting that several members of the team delivering from the London studio have grown into global leadership roles with ICP having tenures of five, ten and even 20+ years with the company.”
But ICP doesn’t just protect excellence, it promotes it. Jeremy recounts one moment when a project manager in Mexico was moved into a client-facing leadership role. “It was a risk. But she was so good – sharp, creative, a service gem. The client fell in love with her. They send each other Christmas cards now. That is real relationship building, which wouldn’t have happened without taking a risk.”
This talent-forward mindset also includes language training across teams, localised onboarding, and a firm belief in multilingual leadership. “It’s about removing false barriers,” says Jeremy. “You don’t always need a US-based lead to run an account just because the client’s in the US. That can be an inefficient way to market for brands if only fueled by outdated thinking that it’s impossible to bridge languages and cultures to build authentic and deep partnerships.”
Delivery Meets Laboratory
Looking to the future, ICP is doing much more than refining operations – it’s reinventing them. Jeremy envisions their studios becoming “a brilliant mix of delivery and laboratory,” blending scale, service, and strategic experimentation. “We want to be the partner who ensures that brands don’t just survive the content economy – they thrive in it.”
Yvonne puts it simply: “We understand the full client ecosystem – from conception through to the digital shelf. And we have specialists in every part of that chain.”
So while the industry races to scale faster and cheaper, ICP remains focused on something deeper – human connection, creative integrity, and a belief that content creation is still a craft. Or, as Jeremy sums it up: “We’re not a content factory. We’re a family.”
If you wish to learn more about ICP, catch them at Cannes Lions in June!
