Our Co-founder and CEO Michael Watts recently sat down with Advertising Week’s AW360 podcast team to discuss Hook’s history and how we’re stepping into the future.

For Michael, having a “test and adapt” attitude was key to his own creative skill growth and an integral starting point for Hook. The same willingness to experiment that led him to teach himself how to build a website has been a fundamental piece of Hook’s approach.

Starting an agency without ever having worked at an agency did pose a unique challenge, but it turned out to be an advantage—there was freedom to make new rules by trying new things, even if they were unconventional. This is how Hook has continued to evolve.

With new platforms and AI tools emerging around every corner, we’re finding new ways to incorporate this technology into our workflow and creative processes. “One of my goals throughout this entire journey has always been to just keep learning along the way,” shared Michael, “staying curious and trying out new ideas.” Even 15 years later, the tendency to “test and adapt” continues to shape how we approach our work, our company culture, and our goal to be “everyone’s favorite agency.”

To hear more about Hook’s evolution, listen to the full podcast episode here.