A Chat with Tom Dunn, Co-Founder and CEO at Creative Agency For Tech: Toaster

Driving human connections with the world’s leading Tech products.

Tell us about Toaster

Toaster is an international creative agency with a deep understanding of the Tech industry and Product Marketing, built up over 15+ years.

Toaster was born from digital, and our long-standing relationship with Google and Alphabet gives us a unique perspective into the Tech sector – and how to connect products and people.

How did you come up with the idea for the company?

Toaster formed at the end of 2010, to build a more agile and hands-on creative partner for Tech brands.

Part of a team called the Creative Lab in London, we were working closely with Google marketing teams. We’d built up a solid understanding of the brand and the fast-evolving tech/digital landscape; moreover, how to deliver well-crafted creative solutions with minimal fuss.

Being on ‘the inside’ of a fast paced Tech brand and part of the European creative review process, the frustration towards network agencies at the time was evident. Too many people, endless layers – expensive and slow. But it wasn’t just a speed issue, the world was changing and traditional agencies had a genuine struggle responding to briefs with tech/digital at the heart.

Toaster was formed to merge agility, speed and nuanced understanding of the world we’d built experience in at Google. We started as a 3 and began to scale up with a mix of designers, engineers, writers and strategists – before establishing international offices around 2015.

Tell us about your core product or service

Our services are built around the objectives of Product Marketing teams at Tech brands. Our work is at the sweet spot of creativity, culture, and technology. This helps us to connect people with products in a way that feels genuine and relatable.

The fun part is that every brief is different. Day-to-day, we’re building marketing campaigns, helping a brand define its unique story, or creating memorable interactive experiences to connect with audiences. We’re lucky enough to do this alongside ambitious marketing teams at leading brands like Google, Netflix, and YouTube, as well as growing Tech startups – helping turn their world-changing tech into stories and experiences that people truly connect with.

What most excites you about the advertising/marketing industry?

Creative possibility is what has always excited me most; bringing together diverse minds and expertise to solve business challenges for our clients. As an independent agency with offices spanning key markets globally, we can offer an invaluable perspective, and a unique opportunity to share diverse insights and ideas.

The pace of change today makes the Tech sector an exciting space, possibility is only increasing with the maturing of AI. Toaster’s ambition is to be on the right side of this, creatively; leveraging AI to enhance and innovate; not to cut creative corners at the cost of quality or human connection – there’s more than enough of that out there.

What has been the biggest challenge you’ve had to overcome along the way?

The mental challenge of running an independent creative business, it takes a lot of resilience. As a founder you put a lot of yourself into the business, which can be a double edged sword.

World and economic events have a huge impact on client decision making in our industry. In the last 10 years independent businesses have had our fair share to navigate – too many to list! Some have not made it, which is sad – not least because the industry needs the innovation that independents bring to the table.

What is your advice to aspiring entrepreneurs?

Strap in! The main learning is to focus on the controllables.

Focus on your offering and be clear on your value proposition (and what you don’t do) – this will help you cut through and be seen as experts, not generalists who can do everything for everyone.

Beyond the day-to-day, find ways to (fully) tune out of work and into your life. This is not easy at all, as it can be all-consuming. I give this advice to people starting out because (I imagine) it can be an easier journey if you start the right habits earlier.

What can we hope to see from Toaster in the future?

Work that we’re proud of.

Growth, without compromising what makes us.