What is the creative wellspring of the global agency Wieden+Kennedy? Dan Wieden × Yuya Furukawa

Dan Wieden, founder of the independent agency Wieden+Kennedy (W+K) headquartered in Portland, USA, and Hiroya Furukawa, ECD at Dentsu Inc. The two first met two years ago while judging the Cannes Lions Titanium category. They share two things in common: very soft voices and a deep respect for Jung. They discussed the origins, vision, and talent development of W+K, an agency that consistently delivers high-quality work to the world.

The Vision and Origins of the World's Most Respected Agency

Furukawa: Since its founding in 1982, W+K has consistently delivered world-class work. I hate to ask for the secret, but if there's a unique vision specific to W+K that other agencies don't have, please share it.

Widen: I see W+K as a research institute exploring value beyond business. As our "Fail Harder" wall quote on the first floor states, trial and error fuels our creativity. That's why we don't have cookie-cutter people. I want each Creative Director to approach their work with a distinct perspective.

Furukawa: Mega-agencies often share fundamental methodologies, but you emphasize distinct individual creativity instead. By actively encouraging practical failure, the organization strengthens individuals. This has been consistent since founding.

Wieden: Initially, we were in Portland, a regional city, with only one consumer goods client: Nike. Nike was still a small company with an ad budget of just $1 million. So, the only people we could hire were fresh-out-of-school kids or those who'd been fired from their previous jobs. We had this self-awareness that we were a "bunch of idiots" (laughs).

Furukawa: That's romantic. It seems almost unimaginable now, yet the spirit of that time still feels carried forward. What became of that "bunch of idiots"?

Wieden: As we built our track record, we faced poaching attempts. But instead of retaining people with salary, we focused on making them feel the value in helping shape our culture. We also showed through our actions that "here, you have the freedom and assurance to do the best work of your life." This is the first time I'm sharing this publicly, but several years ago, we established a trust to manage our shares, ensuring the company would never be sold. I believe this independence is why people seeking leadership roles choose to join W+K. We encourage individuals to hone their strong personalities while collaborating and uniting with others. We always emphasize the importance of thinking collectively, not just individually, and finding ways to maximize one's potential within that group.

Furukawa: I imagine the organization is completely different now compared to when it was founded.

Wieden: I sometimes wonder if we've grown too large.

Furukawa: That's a bit surprising. Even with strong branches beyond Portland, like London and Amsterdam, you're not expanding recklessly. That's precisely why I sense that W+K DNA you mentioned earlier in your recent work. It's something rarely seen in mega-agencies.

Wieden: Conversely, it's truly remarkable that Dentsu Inc., despite its unimaginably large scale, has consistently delivered high-quality creative work for so many years. Your company's activities have been widely covered recently, and I hold you in deep respect.

Furukawa: Thank you. We feel we're gradually moving in a positive direction, too.