Special’s US office has been named the 2026 Independent Agency of the Year by industry publication AdAge.
Special began as a desk and three chairs in an old Auckland movie theatre in 2008. It has since evolved into a global network, with offices in Auckland, Wellington, Sydney, Melbourne, London, Tokyo, Los Angeles and New York.
Breadth of success
The Los Angeles office has become synonymous with culture-shifting work for Uber Eats, from high-octane Super Bowl campaigns to viral conspiracy theories.
At the 2025 Emmy Awards, Uber’s ‘Brian cox goes to college’ took home Outstanding Commercial – beating out work from Apple, Nike and Disney.
However, the Ad Age honour recognises a breadth of success, extending far beyond a single client. In 2025, Special US reported:
- 68% overall revenue growth
- A doubled workforce, including high-profile hires in social and creative leadership
- A diverse roster of 14 major brands, including Bumble, Target, Meta, Planet Fitness, Fox Sports and Audible
“When we started Special in Auckland, the ambition was always to expand our approach to creativity, culture and effectiveness to new Special offices globally,” says Tony Bradbourne, founder of Special.
“To see our US office named the best independent agency in America, following on from the incredible success of Special in Australia, London and Tokyo and at home in NZ, is of course a very proud moment.”
