Former Universal Music Marketer and Enjoy Digital Head of Strategy Launches New Agency Sage7

Founder Lauren Castagni Mote has announced the launch of Sage7, a London based lifestyle marketing agency ‘powering better ideas for brands that want to win’, after stepping down from her leadership role as senior head of insight and strategy at Enjoy Digital.  

Sage7 launches today, offering research, strategy and creative services across ‘five purposeful outcomes’; illuminate, captivate, accelerate, cultivate and innovate. 

Founder Lauren Castagni Mote says, “84% of consumers buy from brands they feel an emotional connection to, whilst 95% of our purchase decisions are emotional not rational - and yet the importance of understanding and targeting the subconscious is often misunderstood or entirely overlooked in favour of pricing tactics and stale CTAs.” 

Sage7 came from the simple idea of making brands more loved by the audiences that matter. “We help clients pivot from just selling a product or service to selling an emotional  connection, and from being one of many choices to becoming the right audience's only choice. 

"At our core we’re an ideas factory. We use real world research and human-centric strategy to fuel creativity that will help form a long-lasting attachment - whether you’re a washing-up liquid or watch brand. 

"We're interested in understanding the person, not the consumer. What are they passionate about? What are their values? How do they want to be perceived? Those are some clues that might enable a brand to go from begging for attention, to building their own brandom.” 

This evolution makes sense for Lauren, who began her career at Universal Music, working on marketing campaigns for acclaimed artists including Sam Smith, The 1975,  Ariana Grande, Lady Gaga and The Rolling Stones. After moving agency-side, she held senior roles at IMA-HOME, Live&Breathe and Enjoy Digital. In 2021 she co-founded the  venture studio and brand consultancy Laurel Brands, developing a variety of brands in house. 

Sage7 are based in buzzy Kings Cross, counting Universal Music, Sony Music, Meta and Google as neighbours. Lauren says “the support of an incredible network of  freelance and agency partners has helped us hit the ground running” but there are plans to grow an in-house team of “collectively curious, culturally attuned and outrageously  creative talent”.