In a crowded digital landscape where consumers are bombarded with thousands of messages a day, simply being “seen” is no longer enough. Brands need to be felt. This philosophy is the driving force behind London : Los Angeles (LO:LA), an El Segundo-based agency that is redefining how businesses connect with their audiences.
With the expansion of its brand storytelling services, LO:LA is offering a professional alternative to the “hero-centric” marketing that often alienates customers. Through their proprietary “Brand in a Box” framework, the agency helps businesses pivot from self-promotion to becoming trusted guides in their customers’ journeys. We spoke with Nick Platt, Founder and CEO of LO:LA, to discuss the power of narrative, the importance of “soulful” marketing, and how his agency is making high-level strategy accessible to growing businesses.
Q: London : Los Angeles has announced the expansion of its brand storytelling and marketing services in El Segundo. What was the driving force behind this move, and how does your agency’s model provide businesses with professional expertise without the high overhead costs typically associated with larger agencies?
Nick Platt:
What we’ve seen, especially in the last year, is a growing recognition that attention alone isn’t the game. Brands can buy impressions, but they can’t buy meaning. That’s where our philosophy of intention before attention becomes so important.
Most businesses are producing more content than ever, but with less impact. They don’t need to shout louder; they need to move with clarity. Expanding our brand storytelling capabilities was our way of helping clients step back, define their intention, and build a narrative that actually earns attention rather than chases it.
Our model reflects that. We’ve removed the overhead and the complexity that often distract from the work. What clients receive is senior-level strategy, grounded in intention, delivered with the agility of a boutique team. It’s high-level thinking without the unnecessary machinery, just focused, meaningful brand building.
Q: Your team utilizes a structured framework known as “Brand in a Box.” Can you walk us through the four phases of this process—immersive exploration, strategic storytelling, visual identity, and brand roll-out—and explain how this approach simplifies brand development for your clients?
Nick Platt:
“Brand in a Box” exists because most businesses jump straight into execution, logos, websites, campaigns without first establishing intention. And when intention is unclear, execution becomes reactive, inconsistent, and expensive.
Our process fixes that by building the brand from the inside out:
1. Immersive Exploration
This is where we clarify our intentions. Why does the brand exist? What problem does it solve? What value does it create? We build from truth, not assumption.
2. Strategic Storytelling
Once intention is defined, we shape the narrative that expresses it. This storytelling phase ensures that when the brand finally does go out into the world, the attention it earns is aligned with what the business actually stands for.
3. Visual Identity
Here, intention becomes form. The look, feel, and voice are not surface-level decisions, they’re expressions of purpose.
4. Brand Roll-Out
This is where intention meets execution. Campaigns, digital experiences, and communications all become coherent because they’re rooted in the same strategic foundation.
By simplifying the journey and anchoring it in intention, we help clients avoid the trap of “doing more” and guide them toward “doing what matters.”
Q: You’ve noted that many businesses mistakenly position themselves as the hero of the story rather than the customer. Why is it so critical for brands to shift this perspective and serve as “guides” in their customers’ journeys, and how does this impact connection and engagement?
Nick Platt:
When brands try to be the hero, they unintentionally push customers away. Heroes, by definition, are the center of the story, but in reality, customers don’t want to join your story. They want someone who can help them advance their own.
Positioning the brand as a guide changes everything. It shifts the focus from “look at us” to “we understand you,” which immediately builds relevance and trust. People gravitate toward brands that reflect their needs, ambitions, and frustrations, not brands that dominate the stage.
This guide mentality also creates deeper engagement because it removes ego from the equation. You’re no longer trying to impress people; you’re trying to empower them. And empowerment is what drives loyalty. A brand that helps someone move forward becomes indispensable.
Q: Your services span a broad spectrum, including brand development, digital solutions, and content creation. How does the initial “immersive exploration” phase, which involves analyzing company data and consumer research, ensure that these technical executions align with a client’s actual business values?
Nick Platt:
The immersive exploration phase is where we slow everything down so the brand can move forward with conviction. It’s the moment we define intention, the values, beliefs, and truths that should shape everything that comes next.
Most brands struggle not because they lack creativity, but because their execution races ahead of their purpose. They chase attention before defining intention. When that happens, content becomes fragmented, digital products feel disconnected, and teams make decisions that work in isolation but not as a system.
By starting with intention, we create alignment from the start. Insights, data, cultural truths, and internal values all become the compass for creative and technical choices. This means every execution, whether it’s a website, a campaign, or a video, it reinforces the same story.
When intention leads, attention naturally follows.
Q: With a presence in both El Segundo and London’s Mayfair district, how does this dual structure enable LO:LA to support clients who need regional insights while maintaining aligned messaging across different cultural contexts?
Nick Platt:
The dual presence isn’t just geographical; it’s philosophical. London brings a sense of strategic rigor, craftsmanship, and cultural depth. Los Angeles brings imagination, optimism, and a pulse on pop culture and innovation. Together, they give us a balanced worldview that resonates across markets.
For clients, this means two things:
- We understand local nuance, the cultural references, behaviors, and expectations that shape how audiences engage.
- We maintain a unified narrative, ensuring the brand feels consistent whether you’re speaking to a Londoner, a New Yorker, or someone in Singapore.
In a global marketplace, brands need both: the discipline to stay true to their story and the agility to express it authentically in different regions. Our structure allows us to deliver that without diluting the brand or overcomplicating the process.
To learn more about LO:LA’s award-winning brand storytelling and marketing services, visit https://www.thelolaagency.com/.
