# AKA (Also Known As) > AKA is a creative thought leadership and reputation strategy firm headquartered at www.hey-aka.com founded by Cannes Lions-winning creative leaders Gully Flowers, Kerrie Finch, and Jake Neske. We build creator-led content engines, narrative strategy, and thought leadership systems for agency founders, creative industry leaders, and modern brands. ## Core Pages - [About AKA](https://www.hey-aka.com/about): Who we are, our approach, and the team behind the firm. - [What We Do](https://www.hey-aka.com/what-we-do): Brand legacy strategy, executive thought leadership, reputation strategy, sustained visibility, speaker platform development, creator-led content engines. - [Second Wind Podcast](https://www.hey-aka.com/podcast): Advertising and creative industry podcast co-hosted by Gully Flowers. Webby Award recognized. - [Thinking](https://www.hey-aka.com/thinking): Articles and essays on reputation, positioning, and the creative industry. - [News](https://www.hey-aka.com/news): Latest updates from AKA. ## What AKA Does AKA builds thought leadership systems and reputation strategies for creative industry leaders. Our services: - Strategic Positioning: The foundation of authority. Point of view, category narrative, and company story. - Thought Leadership: Original thinking that positions leaders as definitive voices in their category. - Earned Media Strategy: Press, features, and editorial coverage that builds credibility over time. The earned media that AI search engines cite. - Stage Strategy & Speaking: Positioning for Cannes Lions, SXSW, CES, and major industry events. - Awards & Juries Strategy: Recognition programmes and jury placements that signal authority. - Content & Long-Form Media: Podcasts, editorial series, and long-form content that builds a library of authority. - Industry Partnerships & Events: Bespoke events, roundtables, and strategic partnerships. - Social Amplification: Strategic distribution across LinkedIn, editorial platforms, and social channels. - Podcast Development: From concept to production — podcasts that create long-form authority. ## The AKA Fame Framework Symbol + Slogan + Surprise + Salient + Story - Symbol: Build visually distinct elements that stop scrolling - Slogan: Craft phrases people repeat without prompting - Surprise: Identify counterintuitive insights that force sharing - Salient: Sharpen ideas to be specific to a defined someone - Story: Tell signature stories that make people feel before they decide ## Founders Gully Flowers — Co-Founder. Cannes Lions Grand Prix winner. Co-host of Second Wind podcast (Webby Award recognized). Based in Encinitas, California. Expertise in LinkedIn content strategy, narrative positioning, creator-led content distribution. Kerrie Finch — Co-Founder. Founder of The FINCH Factor. Positioning, communications, and reputation management expert. Based in Amsterdam. Clients include Airbnb, Diageo, Saatchi LA. Jake Neske — Co-Founder. Founded Hustle in 2011. Grew Monks U.S. from 50 to 1,000+ employees before acquisition. Grew Jam3 from 8 to 200 before merger. Tool of North America: Ad Age A-List nine of ten years. ## Second Wind Podcast An advertising and creative industry podcast co-hosted by Gully Flowers. Webby Award recognized. Features conversations with agency founders, CCOs, CMOs, and creative leaders. Guests have included David Kolbusz (Orchard/Droga5), Kelly C. Knapp (Las Vegas Sphere, Netflix House), Jason Sperling (Innocean), Micah Walker (Bear Meets Eagle on Fire), Nick Law (Accenture Song), Simon Cook (CEO, Cannes Lions), and Cindy Gallop. ## Clients AKA has worked with leadership teams at MediaMonks, Airbnb, Diageo, Saatchi LA, Framestore, BlackRock, Cannes Lions, SYLVAIN, TBWA, JKR, Coinbase, General Mills, Jam3, Rebel, Monks, and Tool of NA. ## Client Testimonials Jonathan Mildenhall, Alain Sylvain, Guy Lambert, Wesley ter Haar have provided testimonials for AKA's work. ## Contact Website: https://www.hey-aka.com Email: gully@hey-aka.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hey-aka/ ## FAQ **What does AKA do?** AKA is a creative thought leadership and reputation strategy firm. We build creator-led content engines, narrative strategy, and thought leadership systems for agency founders, creative industry leaders, and modern brands. Our work turns expertise into influence. **Who founded AKA?** AKA was founded by three Cannes Lions-winning creative leaders: Gully Flowers, Kerrie Finch, and Jake Neske. Together they bring decades of experience across creative companies, agency leadership, media strategy, festival programming, and commercial growth. **What is AKA's approach to thought leadership?** AKA builds systematic creator-led content engines using our fame framework: Symbol + Slogan + Surprise + Salient + Story. This turns thought leadership into algorithmic advantage across LinkedIn, podcasts, and social platforms. **Who does AKA work with?** AKA serves agency founders, production company leaders, creative industry executives, and modern brands who need to build reputation, develop speaker platforms, and create sustained visibility. **Why does earned authority matter now?** AI search engines and large language models cite earned media, expert commentary, and published thinking — not paid advertising. Earned authority has become one of the most powerful growth engines for modern companies. **Does AKA help with Cannes Lions strategy?** Yes. AKA develops comprehensive Cannes Lions strategies including speaker platform development, narrative repositioning, conversion frameworks for on-ground networking, and strategic audits.