Residence acquires social agency OK COOL

Residence, a global network of creative companies, has acquired strategic and social creative agency OK COOL, strengthening its focus on social-first advertising as brands continue to shift investment towards audience-centric channels.

The acquisition supports Residence’s ambition to champion high-quality creative work while protecting the talent and culture behind it. It also reflects the growing role of social media in brand building, as marketers prioritise platforms that enable direct engagement with audiences.

Residence expands social-first capabilities

Founded in 2022, Residence is a 600-plus person business headquartered in Los Angeles, with offices in New York, Sydney, London, Amsterdam, Vienna and Vancouver. Its network includes creative companies such as Buck, It’s Nice That and Giant Ant, and it works with brands including Airbnb, Microsoft, JP Morgan and Meta.

Inspired by the artist in residence model, the group allows its companies to retain independent creative identities while centralising selected operational functions. This structure is designed to balance creative autonomy with scale and efficiency.

OK COOL was founded in 2016 and employs more than 100 people across London, New York and Sydney. The agency was established by Liz Stone and Jolyon Varley, neither of whom came from traditional advertising backgrounds. Liz Stone previously worked in fashion, while Jolyon Varley built businesses across art, music and technology.

The founders shared an early belief that social media would become a primary channel for brands, enabling closer connections with audiences and culture. At a time when few agencies were specialising in this area, they set out to build a social-first business focused on humanising brands.

Scaling ambition and global growth

In 2019, Ben Gordon joined OK COOL, bringing experience from WPP and Omnicom agencies. His arrival helped sharpen the agency’s ambition to compete for global brand assignments against larger, more established networks.

The agency specialises in social-native storytelling and creator partnerships, supporting brands in communicating in ways that reflect contemporary culture. Its client roster includes Spotify, Nike, Lululemon, Puma, TikTok Shop, Berghaus and Uniqlo. In 2025, OK COOL was reappointed as global agency of record for Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group for a second consecutive year and continues a long-term global partnership with Meta Wearables.

As a UK-founded independent with significant global scale, OK COOL has successfully expanded into the United States and increasingly competes for international briefs. The acquisition by Residence places the agency within a larger group while maintaining its independence, brand and leadership structure.

OK COOL’s leadership cited cultural alignment, chemistry and a shared focus on craft as key reasons for joining Residence, following interest from other potential buyers.

Strengthening Residence’s global offering

Residence aims to build a collaborative network of companies with complementary capabilities. OK COOL’s expertise in social-first creative aligns with this strategy and supports further expansion of the group.

Under the Residence model, OK COOL will continue to operate under its own name and leadership. The agency will be led by Liz Stone, Global Chief Creative Officer; Jolyon Varley, Global Head of Brand; and Ben Gordon, Global Chief Operating Officer. The senior regional leadership team includes Katrina Bain, who leads the UK and EMEA region; Benjamin Arnold, who leads North America; and Ellen Fox, who leads APAC.

The acquisition broadens Residence’s capabilities across audience insight, platform strategy, always-on content, creator-led campaigns, social listening and real-time measurement. It also strengthens the group’s presence across fashion, retail, travel, beauty, food and beverage, technology and entertainment, while deepening reach in the UK, EU, APAC and the US.

Ryan Honey, CEO and Co-Founder of Residence: “We're building a network of companies that actually strengthen each other. OK COOL brings social-native expertise that expands the Residence offering, and they share our commitment to craft, community, and collaboration. That creates value for both our companies and our clients.”

Jolyon Varley, Global Head of Brand, OK COOL: “I can’t conceive of a better home for OK COOL than Residence. The industry makes you believe that an acquisition or merger means selling out to some insipid, corporate behemoth who dismantles your brand and everything that makes you special. Residence understand that we are doing something extraordinary in creativity and they want to support us to scale that globally. This deal is a dream come true.”

Liz Stone, Global Chief Creative Officer, OK COOL: “Residence’s ambition to raise the creative bar globally is exactly what drew us in. They deeply understand what we’re building at OK COOL and how social-native creative can move culture forward. That alignment ensures our creative values are protected and amplified as we grow the vision together.”

www.residence.co

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