R/GA has released a new book documenting nearly five decades of creativity, technology and brand innovation, as the agency reflects on its past while positioning for an AI-driven future.
Titled R/GA By Design: Revolutionising Film, the Internet, Social and Beyond, the book traces the company’s journey from its founding in 1977 to its role in shaping modern brand experiences.
From film to the intelligence age
Founded by Bob Greenberg and Richard Greenberg in a New York apartment, R/GA began as a film and visual effects studio before expanding into advertising, digital and design.
The book charts how the agency has navigated major industry shifts, from the rise of the internet and mobile to social media and now artificial intelligence.
Greenberg said the company’s foundation has always been rooted in experimentation.
“From the beginning, we have been fascinated by how technology can expand storytelling,” he said.
Inside the archive
Drawing on R/GA’s archives, the book features interviews with founders, collaborators and clients, alongside previously unseen sketches, photographs and design artefacts.
The material offers a behind-the-scenes look at the people and ideas that helped shape contemporary brand design and digital experiences.
A digital extension of the book
To coincide with the release, R/GA has also developed an experimental AI experience called Forever Founder.
Created in collaboration with Runway, the tool is a conversational digital version of Greenberg, trained on the agency’s archives and history captured in the book.
The prototype is designed to answer questions about the company’s work, clients, and creative evolution, effectively acting as a living extension of the publication.
Reinvention as a strategy
Tiffany Rolfe, chair and global chief creative officer at R/GA, said the book highlights how the industry continues to evolve.
“Every major shift, from film to the internet to social and beyond, has challenged us to rethink how creativity and technology work together,” she said.
Robin Forbes, global CEO of R/GA, added that the agency’s recent return to independence is fuelling its next phase.
“R/GA has always grown by staying ahead of what’s next. In our new chapter of independence, it’s what drives us forward,” he said.
Top image: R/GA