Meet MOS - a small agency with big ambitions

It’s a crisp morning at Adamstuen in Oslo as we peek into a big display window with signs that read MOS. We let ourselves in, where three smiling faces and an all-black lab greets us. The three officers settle for a hand-shake while Pi goes straight for a belly rub. Helena, Line and Juliane founded MOS just over a year ago and have made their home in a particularly charming office space. Helping businesses communicate their brand, MOS is a small agency with big ambitions.

Like any authentic Scandinavian office space, MOS incorporated a mix of high-end design pieces and trusted IKEA classics. The office features a big floor-to-ceiling display window facing the street and a large communal table. Colorful, custom-made illustrations adorn the bright walls and green plants thrive in window sills, on desks and shelves.

Tell us more about this space, it’s wonderful!

Thank you! We were lucky enough to inherit the space from another creative agency and they had already done a lot of great work, so we didn’t have to do much besides a few strokes of fresh paint and decorating to make this place our own.

How have you chosen what to bring into your space?

Our experience is that office spaces often can become quite sterile, so we like to incorporate pieces that have been in use in our own homes. A lot of the artwork is stuff we currently weren’t using in our own apartments, so we brought them here. The Variable fits perfectly into the mix, it’s quirky and fun and it gives warmth to our space. We celebrated our 1st anniversary just a couple of weeks ago and Variable got a lot of attention. Everyone wanted to try it. The Move is great when we’re working on something as a team. I’ll pull it over whenever I need to look at one of the other girls’ screen. And a lot of the plants are actually gifts we accumulated over the past year!

So, you’re one year into running your own business – how has the past year been?

The last year has been a journey. We’ve grown tremendously and we’re constantly learning new things. Our previous workplace was a big organization where everything just worked, and we got to focus on one specific thing. Now however, we have to make sure everything works. We’ve had to learn accounting among other things… So every step along the way might not be as fun, but no day is the same so we’re never bored.

Have you been able to leave the office or has the last year been a constant stream of all-nighters?

We have been pretty good at maintaining a normal routine, with working hours from 9 to 5. That’s one of the perks of being three, we keep each other accountable so we don’t stumble in at midday and work into the night. I think that’s definitely harder if you’re on your own.

You do branding for your clients, but what does MOS stand for?

MOS stands for Marketing Officers. We want to play on our client’s team and eliminate some of the distance that’s usually found between creative agencies and the companies they work for.

During the course of their first year the little studio has had a varied group of clients, ranging from an up and coming meze restaurant to a med-tech startup. We’re curious - who is your dream client?

It’s all about chemistry really, as the work we do for our clients is quite personal. We aim to communicate who they are to the rest of the world and help them find their voice. It’s not an easy task but it is so fulfilling. We target startups and businesses that dare to think different. If we have chemistry and trust, we can move mountains together. So, to answer your question, our dream client must first and foremost have the right mindset, regardless of what they are producing or selling.

How have you managed to grow your client base as a small business?

We rely on our contacts and our network. When we do work for someone, they mention us to their contacts, and so on, the good old snowball effect. We have had clients reach out to us directly as well – that’s always fun!

What are you working on right now, any cool projects?

We have our hands full – luckily! We just recently started working on a project with a Norwegian supplier of high-end leisure wear. We’re excited for the next steps.

We’re gushing over PI, she’s so cute. Every space should have an office dog.

She is kinda cool! It’s perfect really, she gets to hang out with us all day, and gets her morning walk on the way over here. Her favorite time in the office is when we have a coffee break and she gets to cuddle with us on the built in bench in the kitchen. She stays close, she figures it increases her chances for a belly rub or a treat.

Check out the talented trio’s website here and follow them on Instagram for updates on their projects and everyday office life.