Actor Idris Elba to launch marketing agency

Actor Idris Elba will join the ranks of the UK’s Mad Men advertising executives after backing the launch of a marketing and content business based in London.

Elba will become one of the founders of the company alongside Marc Boyan, who owns the independent media group Miroma.

The new venture comes during a tough period for many advertising agencies following a slowdown in spending among many brands, especially in the technology sector.

However, Elba’s high profile as an actor will help the venture. He will also add a dash of glamour to the business, portrayed in the acclaimed US television series Mad Men.

Elba and Boyan first started talking about working on a venture after considering a bid to acquire Channel 4 when the government floated the prospect of privatisation last year. 

Elba, who starred in television programmes such as Luther and The Wire, has his own brands alongside his career in music and film.

He said consumer-facing companies were increasingly seeking to occupy different areas — “a sports brand getting into music and music brands getting into fashion . . . and that needs guidance”. 

The new business will be called Silly Face, a name coined by Elba to reflect the need to bring back a sense of fun for companies.

Elba wants to bring in people with diverse perspectives, lived experiences and cultural backgrounds to offer companies different ideas for their marketing. 

He also said that there needed to be “honest conversation . . . consumers are so smart, now, they can smell the bullshit, they want to be sort of treated with integrity, they want to be represented. It’s hard for brands to navigate.”

Boyan said there was a “lot of pressure” on companies given the scrutiny of their positions in areas such as politics, climate and diversity.

“When I walk into companies, people are slightly fearful. They do not know what change looks like going forward. We are building a safe place to get together.”

Boyan’s Miroma will also provide support for the new agency, which is recruiting a team of creatives and executives. 

Elba said that his career had helped bring “a sense of audiences . . . I really have put my work in when it comes to sort of understanding audiences and how and what they react to, and how we can keep going with that”.

He added: “I feel the world needs to find different ways to explore ideas without the tension, without the fear of being cancelled.”

Boyan said that the agency could also look to acquire other businesses, and would seek to produce its own content such as short-form documentaries. 

Miroma has a number of marketing agencies within its portfolio, including in areas such as production, digital and influencer marketing. In February it acquired a majority stake in Buzz 16, the content company launched in 2016 by footballer Gary Neville.