R/GA has always been good at “reading the room”, adapting itself as technology evolved to be distinct as an agency meeting marketing needs. Now the “independent creative innovation company for the intelligence age” has released a book, R/GA By Design: Revolutionizing Film, the Internet, Social and Beyond, and a digital experience of founder and Chairman Emeritus at R/GA Bob Greenberg, to make its difference quite clear.

R/GA began in 1977, not as an ad agency but a film and animation studio, launched by brothers, Bob and Richard Greenberg in a small NYC apartment with just US$12,000. It revolutionised visual effects and title design, worked on over 400 feature films including Alien, Superman, and Predator, and won an Academy Award in 1986 its computer-assisted film editing and special effects work.

Richard Greenberg left the company shortly after, while Bob Greenberg continued to lead the agency. In 1993, Greenberg saw that the internet was the next big thing in media and launched digital content studio, R/GA. With standout work for high-profile brands, IBM and Nike, under its belt, R/GA gradually evolved into a full advertising agency, and was acquired by IPG in 2001. Twenty-three years later, in March 2025, R/GA regained its independence, in advance of the IPG-Omnicom merger, and positions itself now as an independent creative innovation company.

R/GA By Design: Revolutionizing Film, the Internet, Social and Beyond, is a history of R/GA’s difference, chronicling nearly five decades of innovation across film, advertising, and digital design, and the company’s role in redefining how brands connect with people through technology.

Along the way, the book documents how R/GA consistently anticipated and helped shape major shifts in media, from film and visual effects to the internet, mobile, social and now the intelligence age.

“From the beginning, we have been fascinated by how technology can expand storytelling,” stated Bob Greenberg. “What started in film and visual effects quickly grew into something much bigger – exploring how brands could live, move, and evolve across entirely new mediums. This book captures that spirit of experimentation that continues to define us.”

The book draws from the agency’s archives, featuring interviews with founders, collaborators, and clients, along with rarely seen sketches, photographs, and maquettes. “The result is a behind-the-scenes look at the designers, technologists, and filmmakers who helped define modern brand experiences – and the ideas that pushed the industry forward,” R/GA states.

To coincide with the book’s release, R/GA has also prototyped an innovative experience called Forever Founder, a life-like conversational digital version of R/GA founder Bob Greenberg. Currently in beta, it is trained on R/GA’s extensive archives and the history told through its new book. Forever Founder was created in collaboration with Runway, the leading AI research company specialising in generative models for creating video content. It can listen, think, and respond to inquiries about the company’s rich history, clients, awards, and vast portfolio of projects. It is also being trained on Bob’s personal collections of art and design, serving as a living extension of the book’s retrospective. 

“Looking back at this history reminds us how much the creative industry has transformed,” stated Tiffany Rolfe, chair and global chief creative officer at R/GA. “Every major shift, from film to the internet to social and beyond, has challenged us to rethink how creativity and technology work together. That mindset is still central to how we approach our work today, especially as we enter this AI era.”

Robin Forbes, Global CEO of R/GA, added, “What this book captures so powerfully is our spirit of reinvention. R/GA has always grown by staying ahead of what’s next. In our new chapter of independence, it’s also what drives us forward – with the freedom to innovate faster, think more holistically, and build the next generation of brand systems for an increasingly intelligent world.”

R/GA By Design: Revolutionizing Film, the Internet, Social and Beyond is available now online at bookstores nationwide.