In a landscape of same-same studios and siloed thinking, StudioFMRG is carving out space for more expansive, resonant and strategically led creativity. Founder and creative director Finn Gaardboe shares how beauty, curiosity and business nous come together in the studio’s approach.
When Finn Gaardboe launched StudioFMRG earlier this year, it wasn’t on a whim, nor was it the product of some post-corporate, clarity-through-surfing sabbatical. It was the culmination of years quietly building towards a model of creative practice that felt, well, actually creative. “It’s something I’ve always worked toward, sitting quietly in the background until the timing felt right,” Finn says.
That moment came after stepping away from work and returning with fresh eyes. What he saw didn’t excite him. “Many studios felt either creatively niche or commercially repetitive: same clients, same ideas, same outcomes.” Rather than settle for that cycle, he built an alternative: a studio that balances strategic depth with creative fluency, beauty with business sense, and branding with broader cultural resonance.
In Finn’s words, Studiofmrg is “more than a design studio, more than an ad agency”. It’s a small practice with a wide lens, willing to tackle identity systems and integrated campaigns but just as interested in editorial experiments or community-rooted side projects. The point isn’t to do everything; it’s to ask better questions before doing the right thing.
“We want to move fluidly between disciplines to keep the story coherent and the work resonant,” he says. “It’s not about doing everything; it’s about questioning everything, then doing the right thing.”
At the centre of this approach is the belief that “beauty is a necessity”, not a luxury or just something nice to have after the deck’s signed off, but a requirement. “We’re taught it’s a luxury or a sign of vanity, but I see it as essential,” Finn explains. “It increases confidence, inspires, and reduces stress.” Crucially, his version of beauty isn’t confined to the sleek and shiny. It can be brutal, practical, or even a bit messy (as long as it’s intentional).
This thoughtful approach carries through into the studio’s early work. From the community-first running club Sole Mates to the polished positioning of data platform StatBrak, the output may vary in format, but each project is built on a shared foundation of research, resonance, and respect for the audience. “Our clients’ industries don’t affect the level of resonance achievable,” Finn says. “Resonance comes from meeting real needs, designing with care, staying consistent, and having the chutzpah to stand out.”
With clients like Tusk and StatBrak, StudioFMRG has helped build brand worlds that are as strategic as they are soulful. “StatBrak and Tusk are both run by incredibly open, brave, receptive people who were completely open to us suggesting directions they hadn’t considered,” Finn notes. “This is what creates the consistency that leads to resonance and brand loyalty over long periods.”
Consistency doesn’t mean predictability though and, for Finn, strong creative storytelling often comes from embracing contrast. That idea comes through vividly in Memories of Youth, a fashion editorial StudioFMRG created with photographer Bryan Tang. The project explores the dualities of masculinity, like competition vs. vulnerability or energy vs. softness, with a cinematic eye and a narrative structure. “Contrast, juxtaposition, and conflict are essential to strong storytelling,” Finn says. “We actively search for these points of tension in every project.”
SoulMates Run Club
Finn notes that fashion has seen “a noticeable drop-off in strong art direction recently” – a trend StudioFMRG is keen to counter. “Any opportunity to build a true story and to consider those extra layers of detail, we think should be embraced wholeheartedly.”
It’s this level of layered thinking that also defines how StudioFMRG approaches branding from the ground up. While many studios are still stuck on the logo–website–stationery treadmill, Finn is looking further ahead.
“When we’re building a brand identity for a startup, we’re already imagining how it appears in five years when it’s funded and has a physical space, in ten years when it goes public, and in twenty years when it becomes a household name.”
That long-term thinking is made possible by a clear but flexible process: one that balances gut instinct with good research. “I like to scribble notes and sketch ideas out as I read through a brief before getting into any strategy or research,” Finn shares. “Then I’ll take a step back and go through the usual process: industry, market and user research; positioning and creative strategy; then into the visuals, tone of voice, etc.” It’s a structure that leaves room for improvisation but also enough rigour to avoid going completely off-piste.
Statbreak
Finn’s background spans fashion, design, and advertising, which has given him a rare kind of creative cross-training. “It’s given me a much broader understanding of how brands show up in different spaces, scenarios, and stages of their lives.”
That means understanding what branding needs to do at a scrappy early-stage versus what it looks like for a legacy business undergoing reinvention. “I know what it’s like to create a brand identity for a startup, a fully integrated campaign for a legacy brand, and a monthly retail promotion, and what’s required of a brand at each point.”
This hybrid, malleable mindset is increasingly valuable in a saturated creative market. What makes a brand truly resonate today? “Understanding your users deeply; knowing not just what they want and need today, but anticipating what they’ll value tomorrow,” Finn says. “That insight, paired with a beautiful, considered visual approach and a real internal commitment to delivering on the brand’s promise, is what creates lasting resonance.”
Of course, staying creatively ambitious while running a business isn’t always easy, especially when the studio is still in its early days. “Honestly, I’m trying to figure that out every day,” Finn admits. “Balancing creativity and commerce is one of the biggest challenges of running a creative company.”
For now, it comes down to gut checks and guardrails: trusting instincts, valuing time, and staying focused on the kind of work that energises the team and clients alike.
Memories of Youth
Tusk
Looking ahead, StudioFMRG’s ambitions are expansive but not egotistical. They’re rooted in depth over scale and cultural impact over clout. “Growth for us isn’t just about getting bigger; it’s about deepening our creative and cultural impact,” Finn explains. “We want to reframe how people view the role of design and creativity within business, not as an afterthought, but as a fundamental driver of value and connection.”
That could take shape through fashion, fintech or food, or even through less obvious avenues like community initiatives, editorial stories, or side projects that don’t fit neatly into a portfolio deck. “At the core, it’s less about specific industries and more about the mindsets,” Finn says. “Whether it’s an emerging brand building its foundation or an established name looking to push into new territory, we want to work with people who see the value in thoughtful storytelling and aren’t afraid to take a different approach.”
As for what success looks like this year, Finn says: “Staying alive and creating work that both we and our clients are genuinely proud of. If we can keep growing, create a few standout projects, and earn enough to confidently step into round two, I’ll be very proud.”