Brand consultancy Propaganda has added two junior hires to its team as it doubles down on developing emerging talent despite the growing use of AI across the agency sector.
Joshua Hoyle has joined as junior designer after graduating from Liverpool John Moores University in 2024. Since graduating, he has worked as a freelance designer while managing Pollen Bakery in Manchester.
Hoyle will support Propaganda’s creative team across a range of projects under creative director Lee Bennett, who joined the consultancy as a graduate 24 years ago.
Frankie Gyde has been appointed strategy and planning executive after recently completing a master’s degree at the University of Sheffield. She will work across client briefs alongside the agency’s planning and strategy team, led by director Tom Fowler.
Propaganda said the appointments reflected a conscious decision to continue creating entry-level opportunities as some businesses reduce their investment in junior roles amid the rapid development of AI.
The consultancy has also invested a six-figure sum in a proprietary AI platform designed to draw on more than 30 years of its strategic insight. It said it viewed the technology as a tool for enhancing knowledge and judgement rather than replacing the development of junior staff.
Laura Kynaston, managing director at Propaganda, said: “Investing in talent has always been a huge priority at Propaganda, and quarter of our team have been with us for over a decade. AI is already changing the way businesses operate, and our industry should embrace that. But that doesn’t mean we can afford to stop investing in people. If anything, this risks agencies losing the very point of view that makes their work distinctive.
“We’re already seeing more and more agencies churning out the same stuff, without the long-term strategic thinking or the unique perspective that makes great work stand out. At Prop, we’ve seen first-hand the value that comes from backing talented people early and we’re committed to keeping that going.”
Propaganda has worked with entrepreneurial, challenger and established brands for more than 30 years. It is a member of the Management Consultancies Association and has been recognised by the Financial Times in its ranking of the UK’s leading management consultancies.
