What Next

What What Next does

WhatNext is a London-based creative marketing agency founded by Stephen Benjamin, operating from Highgate with a single UK landline and direct founder email as the primary contact channels. The firm positions itself as a strategic partner rather than a transactional supplier, emphasising long-term client relationships and senior-level involvement from brief through delivery.

The agency's service portfolio spans advertising and brand communications, website design and development, digital marketing, and broader marketing services. The client base is notably bifurcated: marquee blue-chip brands such as BMW, Rolls-Royce, Philips, Gillette, AKAI, TEAC, and Steelcase appear in the portfolio alongside smaller and mid-sized clients, suggesting a flexible engagement model that can serve both enterprise campaigns and smaller-scale projects. The agency uses an FT Award for Advertising as a credibility marker in its positioning.

Commercially, WhatNext operates as a privately held, founder-controlled service business with no disclosed funding, headcount, or financial metrics. The Rethinking Group is cited as a strategic partner, providing extended reach and likely cross-referral capability. The business model is project-and-retainer based, typical of independent creative agencies, with the founder as the principal client-facing relationship owner.

Name

What Next

Legal name

What Next

Website

https://whatnext4.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

WhatNext is a London-based creative marketing agency offering advertising, brand communications, website design, and digital marketing services to a mix of blue-chip enterprises and smaller clients, founded and led by Stephen Benjamin.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Creative Marketing Services

NAICS

Advertising Agencies (541810), Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418), Graphic Design Services (541430)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Advertising (7310)

akta.pro primary industry

Integrated Full-Service Creative Agencies (MPAAAAAA)

Keywords

• Creative marketing services
• Website design development
• Advertising campaigns
• Brand strategy
• Digital marketing

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Marketing and Creative Services: Professional services revenue from creative marketing consulting, advertising campaigns, website design and development, digital marketing services, and promotional activities for clients across various industry sectors

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

What Next is a creative marketing agency that provides strategic creative marketing services (advertising campaigns, corporate identity, promotions, in-store displays, digital marketing, exhibitions, brochure design) and website design and development services (creative design, programming, content management, SEO, social media management, email marketing, monthly traffic reporting). The agency works with enterprise blue chip clients and ambitious SMEs, delivering end-to-end marketing solutions from strategy through execution.

Product overview

What Next is a creative marketing agency offering website design/development services and marketing communications services. Their website services include design, programming, optimization, web development, online marketing, email marketing, monthly traffic reporting, and social media management. Their marketing services encompass advertising, promotions, instore displays, corporate ID, digital marketing, exhibitions, and brochure design. The company operates as a strategic partner of Rethinking Group with over 3 decades of experience, primarily serving clients from their London office near Highgate Woods.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Marketing Services Strategic creative marketing services covering business creativity, innovative business strategies, and implementation across the media spectrum. Services include advertising, promotions, instore displays, corporate identity, digital marketing, exhibitions, and brochure design for enterprise and SME clients.
• Website Design and Development Services End-to-end website design and development services including creative design, expert programming, software platforms, content management, optimization, SEO, social media management, email marketing, and monthly traffic reporting for clients across multiple industries.

Quantifiable outcome

• 150,000+ direct responses from single 'Test our Edge' promotion for Richardson Sheffield
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Rethinking GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership positioning What Next as a creative hub within the Rethinking Group network. Enables delivery of next generation thinking that drives business results while maintaining What Next's independent creative identity. Extends reach and capabilities while preserving agency culture and approach.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• DLKW Lowe (now MullenLowe): UK full-service ad agency within a global network offering advertising, digital and design services to enterprise clients; comparable in scope of services though larger in scale.
• Ogilvy UK: Global advertising and PR network with a substantial London office offering advertising, branding, digital and PR. Competes for the same enterprise clients and integrated mandates as What Next.
• AMV BBDO: Major London creative agency within the BBDO/Omnicom network, handling large-scale integrated campaigns for global brands — overlaps significantly with What Next's enterprise creative remit at greater scale.
• Saatchi & Saatchi: Established global full-service advertising network with deep London presence and long heritage of iconic UK campaigns. Broader incumbent competing for the same enterprise creative briefs as What Next.

Direct peers

• WCRS: London-based creative agency with comparable heritage of award-winning UK campaigns for established brands; operates at a similar boutique-network scale to What Next.
• Wieden+Kennedy London: Independent creative network with a London office producing integrated campaigns for global brands. Comparable to What Next in independent creative positioning and blue-chip client portfolio.
• Mother London: Independent London creative agency of comparable boutique scale, working with global brands on campaigns across advertising, digital and brand experience — directly comparable in positioning and heritage to What Next.
• Fallon London: Creatively led London agency historically known for high-profile brand campaigns (Cadbury, Skoda). Directly comparable as a creative boutique competing for the same blue-chip brand work.
• BBH (Bartle Bogle Hegarty): Long-standing London creative agency known for iconic brand work (Levi's, Audi, Johnnie Walker). Comparable to What Next as a creatively led UK agency with a strong portfolio of household-name brand campaigns.

Emerging players

• Digital native creative shops (e.g. Droga5 London): Creatively led agency with strong digital and integrated capabilities for global brands. Represents the type of newer, digitally fluent competitor encroaching on traditional boutique creative remits.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/what-next-london

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about What Next