Mandy Gould on Why Social Needs Bravery, Not More Trends

Mandy Gould has always noticed the details. Growing up she was fascinated by logos — the small pieces of design that quietly shape how brands show up in the world.

Advertising followed naturally. While studying graphics and media at college she discovered the advertising course at Buckinghamshire New University, where she formed the creative partnership that would shape the next decade of her career. What followed was the familiar creative rite of passage: placement rounds, agency pitches and long days trying to get noticed. By Gould’s estimate, the journey involved around ten months on the circuit and approximately 1,093 bourbons.

Now Gould joins Makers Studios [within Wonderhood Studios] as its first executive creative director, arriving at a moment when social creativity feels both more powerful — and more crowded — than ever. Platforms move faster, algorithms reward volume and brands scramble to chase the next trend.

Gould sees the opportunity differently. For her, the real challenge is not keeping up with culture, but creating work that behaves like culture — ideas that feel native to communities, resonate emotionally and are interesting enough to live beyond the scroll.

Congrats on your new role. How did you get started in your career? 

Thank you! 

Growing up I was obsessed with logos, so it was inevitable that branding and advertising would end up on my bingo card. But it wasn’t until studying Graphics and Media at college that I discovered the advertising course at Bucks.

In my second year at uni, I teamed up with another creative (hi Laura), and never looked back. We did the placement rounds and even tried bribing agencies to keep us on with cakes, biscuits and chocolate - funded weekly by two unemployed interns (you know who you are). After around ten months on the circuit and approximately 1,093 bourbons later, we were hired by JWT.

What does creativity mean to you

Creativity is about embracing vulnerability and going to places you haven’t been before. It’s about protecting a part of your brain that’s very easy to lose to habit and what we already know.

For me, creativity is also reaching the most culturally resonant, emotionally intelligent way to make something land. The best ideas feel obvious in hindsight, but slightly uncomfortable when they’re first put on the table.

What role did creative play in growing up?

A huge one. I grew up in a very musical household and always loved drawing and writing. When I was about seven, I wrote a notebook called 'My Naughty Little Brother' - the clue’s in the title.

I’ve always been curious, obsessed with craft, and passionate about making things. And it’s never really left me.

You’re the first ECD to join Makers Studio - what is your brief coming in? 

It’s a strong moment for Makers. The momentum is real and the work is already landing well.

My role is to build on that. Helping grow the business, sharpen the creative ambition, raise the bar on thinking, and ensure the work genuinely earns its place in culture. Social agencies are at a really interesting point right now, and I want to help distinguish Makers through fame-driving work. Balancing depth, relevance and craft with speed, instinct and bravery.

Were there any particularly inspirational people, or a particular moment that helped shape your path or way of thinking?

I’ve been fortunate to work with many talented people, but there’s one person that I wouldn’t be here without. Sentiment and nostalgia seem to be driving me today, but it’s true. I owe my big part of my advertising career to my first (and only) creative partner, Laura.

We were a team for almost ten years before the Atlantic Ocean separated us. (Don’t worry, she’s not lost at sea.) From the moment we decided to work together, we were completely locked in. Traditional creative teams might not be what they once were, but I owe so much to mine. 

She really pushed us to be the very best we could be. And we shared what we knew with each other constantly, so neither would be left behind and could survive without the other. When we started out, there weren’t many female creative teams, and we were often described as a "rare breed” (which I now take offence to). It was difficult to be noticed beyond “feminine” briefs, but Laura was always the one pushing us to be proactive, to be in the line of sight for the best briefs and get the exposure we needed.

What would you say you learned most from your time at VIRTUE? 

As the agency born from VICE, VIRTUE was fundamentally about challenging cultural tensions. If I had to narrow it down to one thing, it would be how to make work that behaves like culture rather than advertising. We focused heavily on earned attention, community-led thinking, and designing ideas that live natively in the worlds people already care about. I learned so much from really leaning into cultural shifts and observations.

How do you commit to delivering creative excellence in each project?

By constantly asking one question: is this actually interesting? If it isn’t, keep going. I think every concept should be challenged with whether people (its audience) will care. Relevance is everything in today’s creative landscape. And if something is genuinely interesting and people truly care about it, then my next question is: will it be referenced later? As work that deeply understood its audience and had impact beyond our industry. 

How do you see brands approaching social storytelling currently?

It’s incredibly hard to cut through in social because we’re living in an algorithmic landfill, and our industry has to take some responsibility for that.

Reactive content can be powerful, but unless it’s genuinely relevant and ownable to a brand, it probably shouldn’t exist. Chasing every trend just adds to this doomscrolling vortex. If individuals followed every fashion trend, we’d lose authenticity. And brands are no different.

But actually being different is what keeps society moving forward. It’s what creates tension and friction. And without that, where does it leave culture?

What excites you about the industry now? 

I think we’re at a big crossroads — especially from a social and digital perspective — and it’s hugely exciting to think where we could take our industry. We now have the tools to truly start understanding subcultures, decoding communities and designing new rituals that audiences actually want to participate with. AI has accelerated access to insight and analysis, and the opportunity is huge. 

I actually see brands becoming architects, rather than just commentators. Building worlds, adding value and creating social spaces that people want to join. Younger audiences value authenticity over anything - it’s why platforms like Reddit have overtaken TikTok. We need to start going deeper. 

 What are the biggest challenges you're facing around creative leadership?

Team motivation and frustrations. As creatives, we are wired to make things. So when that’s blocked it can be deeply demotivating.

I try to counter that by varying teams, briefs and rhythms, with quick sprints, new collaborators, creative outings, exhibitions and industry events. It’s about filling people’s cups and showing you’re invested in them as individuals, not just their output.

If advertising was suddenly banned, what would you do?

The answer I should probably give: I’d probably still make things people want to engage with, just without calling it advertising. Brands will always need stories, ideas and meaning. 

But if the advertising police came knocking, I’d probably say jewellery designer. I’m obsessed with vintage jewellery and once went through a phase of making my own. Though it did end up turning my neck and wrists green in the process thanks to cheap materials. Humbling reminder that great ideas are short lived without the right budget.