which differed again in Japan. Physical retail dictated much of the creative output - box art, point-of-sale, press kits, in-store displays. Fluid thrived in that environment, blending strong graphic sensibilities with emerging CGI capability - a rare in-house skillset at the time. As the markets globalised, so did the work. Regional


variants gave way to unified global campaigns. Print evolved into digital-first delivery and brand systems became toolkits designed for longevity across platforms, storefronts and social channels. SEGA marked another defining chapter in the studio’s


history. Beyond campaign work, Fluid collaborated on style guides and brand systems that would influence how properties were expressed worldwide. More recently, projects around Sonic’s 35th Anniversary demonstrate how those relationships endure and evolve in tandem with the IP itself. Throughout, the Fluid philosophy has remained the


same; creative first (as encapsulated in their strapline, Never Not Creating), with the team treating games not just as products, but as entertainment brands, and always putting relationships with clients and staff first.


ABOVE ALL, TEAMWORK Underpinning the company’s success is a team that has grown, but barely ever lost staff. Many have been with Fluid for 15 years or more. That continuity has allowed the agency to adapt (from print to digital, from regional to global, from retail to experiential) without losing its core identity as insanely talented, but always down to earth. Stacey Bates-McCue heads up Fluid’s Licensing


division, which celebrates its tenth anniversary this April. In her previous role as SEGA’s Global Creative Director,


Stacey had already encountered Fluid from the client side. “I’d commissioned Fluid to create a retro style guide


and loved how geeky the agency seemed. They were fully invested from the ground up - playing the games, recreating screens, bringing old cartridges back to life.” When Fluid landed a new style guide brief from giants


DreamWorks, James reached out to Stacey, who came on board as contractor, but quickly settled in full time to lead the newly created Licensing division. A decade later, her seven-strong team delivers work for household names across theatrical, sport, food & beverage, consumer goods and games.


BEYOND GAMES With previous stints at Cartoon Network and Paramount, Stacey knew the theatrical landscape well. But a connection with Lionsgate’s VP of Brand Creative, Jerry Sabatini, proved to be a defining moment. Now in its


February/March 2026 MCV/DEVELOP | 33


ninth year, that relationship has seen Fluid work across multiple films in the John Wick franchise, alongside last year’s John Wick Live Experience in Las Vegas. “Together we’ve created something amazing,” says


Stacey. Jerry Sabatini agrees: “Fluid are my Gold-Star agency.


They’re geeks in all the right ways; enthusiastic deep diving uber fans who routinely over deliver.” That total immersion is the hallmark of the Licensing


team’s work. Outside of film, the past decade has delivered other


milestones, including spearheading Sony’s drive into direct-to-retail licensing for the PlayStation brand. “It’s always been top of the licensing team’s bucket list


to let loose on the PlayStation brand itself, but it’s always been subject to super-tight corporate restrictions. So, when the team started ramping up licensing activity with high profile retailers, they knew they could trust us to take off the creative handbrake.” With that freedom, the team developed retail trend


kits and asset packs that re-energised the brand for new audiences. It was a rare opportunity to work not just around the edges of a property, but at its heart.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56