May, 2025.- Bandstand may be one of London’s best-kept creative secrets, but with the appointment of Cory Eisentraut as Executive Creative Director, the indie agency’s low profile may soon be a thing of the past.
“It’s ironic, but many creative companies are brilliant at crafting compelling narratives for their clients, yet often seem at a loss when it comes to articulating their own identity or purpose,” Cory begins, reflecting on what first drew him to Bandstand. “I was immediately impressed by how clearly the team at Bandstand understood themselves, the value they offer their clients, and their place in the industry at large.” For him, it wasn’t just the clarity of purpose—it was also the attention to detail: “Each of their campaigns, while all very different, was unified by an incredible sense of craft… design is at the heart of everything they do.”
As someone who has worked across Canada, the U.S., and now the UK, Cory brings an international perspective—without the elitism. “I will continually remind my team that they are just as capable of cracking the next Cannes Grand Prix–winning idea as anyone else in the world,” he insists. His years in major markets have taught him one essential truth: “Everyone is facing the same struggles, and we’re all approaching creative problems in much the same way.” More than that, he says, the most innovative work is often coming from smaller, independent agencies: “That’s the spirit and sense of indie pride that I want to instill in my team.”
Leadership, for Cory, is about resilience as much as brilliance. “Coming up with brilliant ideas is the easy part,” he explains. “Navigating client mandatories, compliance officers, research potholes, budget cuts, and the occasional Old Testament plague, is when the real agencies reveal themselves.” His job as a leader is to keep morale high through the turbulence: “Some of the best campaigns in my portfolio ‘died’ four or five times before they were finally realized. And in each case, I told myself, and my teams, ‘This is going to be a great story when we finally get this idea made.’”
While Bandstand is known for its work that fuses cultural relevance with meticulous design—like Cotton Lives On or What Iff?—Cory challenges the overuse of storytelling as a buzzword. “Storytelling isn’t really the point—connecting is,” he says. “Sometimes that connection is built through storytelling, but not always. Sometimes it’s simply about showing up at the right moment in a charming or unexpected way.”
As the agency continues to grow, Cory is aware of the challenges scaling can bring. “I’ve seen firsthand the negative effects that growing too quickly can have on an agency,” he admits. But he believes that a strong foundation of values can prevent dilution: “We create positive change for our clients through our pillars of rebellious curiosity and creative collaboration. As long as we maintain a firm grip on our values, we can grow to any size without losing our edge.”
And in terms of keeping Bandstand commercially sharp and culturally relevant? “Have the intelligence to understand each trend, and the wisdom to avoid chasing every single one,” he advises. Cory is critical of the trend-chasing mentality that leads to shallow campaigns: “Authenticity and long-term relevance will always win out over the buzz of short-term cultural topicality.” For him, the future belongs to brands that prioritize deep understanding over temporary hype: “Brands should spend less time trying to capitalize on cultural blips, and more time on truly understanding their customers’ needs.”
With a leader like Cory Eisentraut at the helm—someone who blends global perspective, indie ethos, and creative tenacity—Bandstand’s next chapter promises to be anything but quiet.
