A Q&A with our Co-Founders

In this exclusive Q&A session, we sit down with Alex Atkinson and Toby Dyson, Latch’s Co-Founders, to unravel the story, successes, and unique approach that defines our business.

Join us as we delve into what’s shaped Latch into a trusted industry partner for the Property, Hospitality, and F&B sectors.

Q. Can you share the story behind the founding of Latch and its journey so far?

AA. Latch was born out of our previous incarnation as February London, a creative agency focused on luxury hospitality. As time went on, the vast majority of our work was in some way related to property or food, with F&B brands for hotels or identity work for quality developers. Even though we weren’t actively seeking out work in these areas, it had sort of ‘happened’ – and our expertise and enthusiasm grew from there. We saw an opportunity about four years ago to pivot the business more deliberately towards the property and lifestyle sectors – primarily property and food-based clients – and we took it.

TD. It was initially organic, but we took the leap and put our own business through our design process. The outcome was a renewed focus on specific audiences and clients. It’s what we do with our clients so why not ourselves?

Q. What sets Latch apart in the competitive world of design agencies?

TD. Our culture. Simple as that. An amount of staff churn is inevitable, it’s natural, it happens in all agencies – but our culture is driven from the top and we pride ourselves that whoever a client works with within Latch, they get the same care, attention and creative thinking.

AA. The fact we’re a Carbon-Negative agency is definitely up there. Working with Latch means you don’t cost the planet anything. In fact, our business activities have a positive impact. I think that is also central to our culture, as is flexibility. So we’re a great place to work, and that means staff turnover is minimal – usually coinciding with a major life change, rather than the transient rat race changes other design teams encounter. But yeah, our culture means you get the ‘Latch experience’ each time and it doesn’t ‘cost the earth’ – in all senses!

Q. Can you share a success story that highlights Latch’s impact on a client’s brand?

AA. Just one?

TD. The most recent is The Camden Collection. We took an abstract concept for a development, Passivhaus, and created a brand that truly stood apart from its competitors. Eeko feels more like a lifestyle brand than a development identity.

AA. Completely. The attention to detail in our audience research led us to find a general lack of understanding around the meaning of ‘Passivhaus’ for a resident. It was a millstone of uncertainty. By leaning into that, we created messaging around the feeling of living at Eeko. The benefits of Passivhaus for residents and the planet were all there, but packaged in a way that was easy to digest – so they became the icing and cherry to differentiate, rather than a woolly architectural concept to discount..

Q. Where do you see the business in five years?

AA. Based in the Bahamas or the Alps.

TD. I’d take Monmouthshire! We have a longer-term vision. But who can say? The last 5 years have been crazy. As long as we stay true to our culture and standards, there’s no limit.

Q. What do you love most about your team?

AA. Their little smiling faces on our morning catch-ups.

TD. The fact that they’re all different but work so well together.

Now the serious stuff is out of the way, it’s time for some fun questions…

Q. What gets you out of bed in the morning?

AA. A fluffy alarm clock called Pablo.

TD. My young son. He’s full of beans.

Q. If you were a biscuit what biscuit would you be and why?

AA. Is a Jaffa Cake a biscuit?

TD. Don’t start that one again!

AA. I’m not sure I’d be a biscuit. Custard cream maybe? I could properly go for a custard cream!

TD. Just one?? Usually polish off the pack! Me? The team would say something pretentious from Waitrose like an organic oatcake to go with some quails’ eggs and cheese, but I reckon I’m more of a chocolate Hobnob kind of guy.

Q. If you had a time machine, would you choose to go to the future or the past and why?

TD. The past. I'd go see an early gig from the Stones, or Jimi Hendrix.

AA. 100% the future. Grab myself a Grays Sports Almanac…

As we wrap up this insightful Q&A with our Co-Founder’s, it’s clear Latch is not just a design agency; it’s a vibe… 😂