HHCL & Partners' long-serving creatives Chas Bayfield and Jim Bolton are leaving the agency to start their own creative consultancy, which will be called Arkwright.
They have formed an informal partnership with the fledgling agency Karmarama, which was established by the former HHCL creatives Dave Buonaguidi and Naresh Ramchandani early last year.
Bolton said Arkwright and Karmarama would function independently, but would team up for various projects. Each will take a small stake in the other, but the percentage is still under debate.
Initially, the four will share offices and help each other out on projects.
They plan to hire further staff and will consider offers from individuals or teams with graphic design or planning skills who wanted to join them or take a stake in Arkwright.
Bolton said that they were already in talks with potential clients, some new and some with whom the two have previously worked. He declined to name them, however.
'We have worked on several seminal brands and would like to use that experience to tackle more youth-orientated work,' he added. 'We're also keen to get involved in branding and identity with the right clients at the right time.'
He added that he and Bayfield had worked with a number of 'talented' people, who they would be keen to team up with again.
Bayfield and Bolton were with HHCL for eight years. In that time they were responsible for the Blackcurrant Tango 'Ray Gardiner' spot and the 'I fancy your mum' work for Birdseye Ready Meals. Other clients include the AA, Lego, Mazda, Pot Noodle, Martini, Thomson Holidays and Iceland.
HHCL's creative director, Steve Henry, said: 'Chas and Jim were always provocative, professional and prolific. They're going to try something new with some other brilliant ex-HHCL-ers, so we're bound to stay in touch.'
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