Boys + Girls Invest €1.2 Million in New Agency, Circle Content

Boys + Girls, Ireland’s largest independently owned and most effective creative agency (source - IAPI/EFFIE 2021 Leader board) has officially launched Circle Content, a social-first content agency that will operate from a new 6,000 sq. ft production studio in Deansgrange, Dublin, located off the M50 and N11.

It has been designed to deliver the highest quality content, with the flexibility to service any product or brand, regardless of whether they are an agency client. Circle Content offers what’s described as “an end-to-end content solution for clients of any size, with everything from Content Strategy to Community Management to Creative and Production.

“The need for engaging, high-quality, yet cost-effective content is growing exponentially” says Alan McQuaid, MD of Circle Content, “The traditional agency model can’t deliver it at the pace or for the costs required, it’s too slow, too expensive and usually; not good enough. That’s why we decided to bring all the services together in a new purpose-built facility. With the advantage of having content areas set up in-studio, you can shoot anything from lifestyle content, to recipe TikTok’s, to Automotive content without the traditional set-build costs or lead times. With the cultural and social landscape ever-changing, ultimately it’s our aim to be able to ideate, produce and create world-class work for our clients in the most agile way imaginable.”

Biggest in Ireland

With a ten-year lease, and a 6,000sq ft shoot space, the studio is the biggest in Ireland. Now fully operational, it has been fitted out with a wraparound White Syc - a curved wall that’s used to create a seamless backdrop for photographic and film applications (sometimes referred to as an infinity cyclorama or White Screen and is designed with car shoots in mind). Sets have already been built over recent months for client shoots, inclusive of a living room, kitchen and a bar. A new Green Screen, In-House Edit and Sound Recording facilities will be introduced imminently.

Commenting on this development, Boys + Girls founder and group chief creative officer, Rory Hamilton said, “This is the biggest single investment we’ve made since launching the agency in 2009. It’s an expression of our confidence in the advertising market and our proven prowess in creative effectiveness. We are approaching  content with the same appetite for creative excellence that we approach everything else, we aim to produce content that you’ll want to watch. Already we’ve shot a huge amount in the studio - everything from international alcohol content, to TikToks for a fashion brand, to really big lifestyle shoots.

More Boys+Girls 2023 Growth plans…. 

He continued, “With creativity informed by the latest social or data trends, Circle Content allows us to create work from insight or concept to fully finished creative with excellence and agility. Offering a highly competitive value proposition, it’s what our clients have asked for and has been described as a ‘win, win, win’.”

With MD Alan McQuaid at its helm, Circle Content has five full time staff, but calls on a circle of experts for any given job. He says, “Having the backing of Boys + Girls means that we already have access to the best talent, but, we now also have a circle of experts who we can call in to help with individual projects”

2023 plans + growth

Established in 2009, based in Dublin and with a team of more than 60 professionals including Strategists, Creatives, Advertising, Content, Technology, Production and Relationship Managers. Boys + Girls have big plans for 2023 in addition to the launch of Circle Content. This includes the growth of EXP - their experiential division launched last year. It’s already trading 150% above projections for 2022 and was responsible for creating the popular Lego Adult Café in Dublin that trailed the recent opening of the first Lego store in Dublin. In addition, EXP is currently planning high profile festival events in the UK for Three and Live Nation in addition to a programme of activity in Ireland for blue chip brands like FREE NOW. 

Currently involved in several international pitches (in addition to high profile ones in Ireland), Boys + Girls is projecting 20% growth in the year through organic growth from existing clients plus work from new clients.