Silverback
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Silverback® is a Troop of visual communication specialists with an instinctive talent for creating That’s when he founded Silverback®. Beautiful, ay?
In 2010, Malcolm Gilbertson realised he had more in common with gorillas than design agency folk. Why does this agency cut corners? I’d rather work this out with them. Isn’t this what we tried to sell the other brand? Hmm, is the client on holiday, I haven’t seen them for weeks? All reasons why Malcolm decided to start his own company. One that did things the right way, gave two hoots about producing great, original work every time, and treated staff and clients well. No to ‘them’ and ‘us’, yes to ‘hey team!’ At the time, he was reading a book about silverbacks and their troops, and imagined a place where everyone respected each other and worked together towards a common goal, like it was second nature. That’s why we welcome you into our Troop, to work with us, throwing off the shackles of the traditional client/agency relationship. Building trusting, fun and effortless relationships is what we’re all about – and success follows. Come on in, and see for yourself. Silverback, as in the gorilla? We’re always asked why we’re called Silverback®. Well, silverbacks are big, strong and powerful, with an innate wisdom that goes back for generations, almost to the beginning of time. So how does that relate to an independent design and web agency in Surrey? Well, silverbacks are respectful of their troop, protecting and nurturing it with their lives, they thrive off collaboration, are brave enough to stand up for what they believe in, and know instinctively when they’re right. Just like us, mostly. Well, we learned from the best (gorillas).
15/10/2026
Last month kept us so busy we barely had time to look back, until now! Here’s our September recap… Enjoy the swipe 👉
1. Joel Dommett came to visit our Branding Sweetspot and have a cheeky selfie with Mal Gilbertson | Founder Silverback® Ideas Fest
2. And then there was Ben Shephard Great guy!
3. Emily and Sean officially launching the new Silverback® t-shirts. Modelling careers are very much on the table for these two.
4. Mal at it again with the selfies… We’re officially calling them Mal-fies from now on. Lovely to meet Lea Turner | Small Business Community Founder at Ideas Fest.
5. Some meetings end with a handshake. This one ended with a new creative partnership. Sometimes you just meet the right people at the right time.
6. The final Troop selfie of Ideas Fest. We were not ready to leave. Nick especially.
7. Working hard for the gram. Behind the scenes of one of our reels.
8. Nick headed off to London to see the Lloyd’s Building, aka the inside-out building. Architecture at it’s best.
9. Down to the coast to catch up with the brilliant marketing team at Coastland College, who we worked with on the rebrand.
10. Nick met up with Alex Brychta MBE sharing his extraordinary illustrations with children at a bookshop in Cobham. The man behind Biff, Chip and Kipper. Always a privilege. Have you seen his amazing new website yet?!
11. A trip to Godalming College to see the new signage in place as part of their rebrand. There is nothing better than seeing our work out in the real world.
12. Fifty and fabulous. Thank you Mal and Laura for letting us be part of your birthday celebrations. The Troop had a great time.
Silverback® | Your Creative Partner
25/09/2026
Ideas Fest aka The Glastonbury of business and we were right in the middle of it with our Branding Sweetspot – a pick and mix where every sweet represented a brand value.
We had such a good time that we’ve dedicated our entire latest Journal entry to it. The full story, the people, the sweets and everything in between.
Read the recap… See link in bio. :gorilla:
Silverback® | Your Creative Partner
24/09/2026
Happy World Gorilla Day… A time to celebrate one of the most extraordinary animals on the planet.
Gorillas live in close family troops of around ten to fifteen, led by a dominant silverback, they are wise, protective and instinctively knowing which direction to take the group. It’s one of the reasons we named ourselves Silverback® and why our mascot Mukunda means so much to us.
Today we’re thinking of the real silverbacks out in the forests of Central Africa. If you’d like to learn more, WWF UK are doing brilliant work to protect them.
Happy World Gorilla Day from the Troop and Mukunda at Silverback® 💚🦍
Silverback® | Your Creative Partner
The Ideas Fest blues have hit the Troop hard.
What have you done to us?
Silverback® | Your Creative Partner
2026 was everything we hoped it would be…Lovely people, brilliant conversations and a stand that we’re incredibly proud of.
The Silverback® “Branding Sweetspot” attracted more interest than we could have imagined. Turns out asking someone which sweet best describes their brand value is a great way to start a conversation.
To everyone who stopped by, picked up their brand pick ’n’ mix and spoke to us, thank you. You made it.
What was your biggest takeaway from Ideas Fest this year and hands-up who’s going next year?
Silverback® | Your Creative Partner
Website, app, UX, UI, digital marketing, social. It’s easy to lump it all under one word: digital.
In the latest Journal entry, UX/UI Designer & Developer Jay breaks down what digital actually means to us and why a site that looks the part isn’t enough if it doesn’t reflect your brand’s values underneath.
It’s not just digital. It’s work with purpose.
Read the full piece in our Journal. Link in bio 🦍
Silverback® | Your Creative Partner
02/09/2026
Hot off the camera roll from August...
Clients in the studio, a racing driver making a pit stop, a solar eclipse, a medieval joust, Mukunda out in the wild and a fun day on the horizon.
Swipe through to see what the Troop got up to 👉
1. Always a good sign when the whole room is smiling. Great to have Dan from StrengthWorks Personal Training Bramley back in the studio reviewing design concepts – big things are taking shape.
2. Toby Trice / Racing Driver / Fertility made a pit stop in the Silverback® studio to talk through plans for 2027. Exciting times ahead – we can’t wait to see you back on the racetrack.
3. A lovely day out supporting The Cranleigh Farm and Food Festival and spending time with two of our long-term partners Fishers Farm Park and John Murray – proud to be part of this brilliant community.
4 & 5. The Troop watched a phenomenal solar eclipse.
6. An amazing day out! Thanks to our brilliant partners Loxwood Joust who very kindly gave the Troop free tickets for the event. Medieval vibes, incredible atmosphere and a day we won’t forget. Thank you The Kingdom of Loxwood – you really know how to put on a show.
7. Mukunda spotted out in the wild for a video shoot. He’s very professional. No complaints
8. Preparations are well underway for the Whipley Manor Farm Ltd Fun Day – come and find us, say hello and expect the unexpected. Saturday 5th September
Silverback® | Your Creative Partner
Friday filming out on the farm.
Can you spot Mukunda 🦍 hiding in the sunflowers?
Silverback® | Your Creative Partner
Colours, logos, visual identity, icons, animation, digital, print – when it comes to ‘creative’, the list of what you can create is almost endless. In a time when it’s never been easier to produce branded content, why the heck do you even need a creative agency? Why pay for a design agency when you can do it for free, right? What do creatives even do all day anyway?
We’ve got a honest answer to all of the above and it might just change how you think about your brand.
It’s not just creative. It’s work with purpose.
Read the full piece in our Journal. Link in bio. 🦍
Silverback® | Your Creative Partner
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Silverback Studios, Central Barn, Whitley Manor Farm
Guildford
GU50LL
Opening Hours
| Monday | 9am - 6pm |
| Tuesday | 9am - 6pm |
| Wednesday | 9am - 6pm |
| Thursday | 9am - 6pm |
| Friday | 9am - 6pm |
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