Julian Kynaston, Founder of Propaganda, has released his highly anticipated second book, The Old Testament Volume 1.
Over the past three decades Julian has built Propaganda into one of the UK’s most distinctive brand consultancies – challenging conventional thinking around brand strategy and consistently focusing on commercial outcomes. During that time Propaganda has helped transform businesses across sectors, played a pivotal role in scaling brands such as ghd to global success, and created the cult beauty brand Illamasqua.
The Old Testament Volume 1 offers a candid look at the thinking that has shaped Propaganda’s approach. From saying “no” more often than “yes”, to rejecting pitch culture and prioritising work that genuinely moves the dial for clients, the book explores the beliefs and principles behind one of the industry’s most unconventional approaches to brand strategy.
Drawn from a series of widely read LinkedIn posts that generated more than two million impressions, the first volume captures an unfiltered perspective from inside the agency world. Sharing the beliefs, battles and breakthroughs that have shaped Propaganda over the past thirty years.
The book covers:
From terraces to boardrooms – Julian’s journey from youth subculture to trusted brand advisor and how conviction, credibility and lived experience shaped the way Propaganda approaches brand strategy.
Why pitching is broken – A clear-eyed critique of agency pitch culture, and why Propaganda made the decision to stop pitching altogether, proving that stronger, longer-term client relationships can be built without compromise.
Strategy before creativity – Why great brands start with knowledge, not assumption. The book explores Propaganda’s knowledge-first approach and how strategic clarity creates sharper ideas and stronger commercial results.
Why agencies need gravitas – If agencies want to reach the boardroom, they need to speak the language of business. Julian argues that brand thinking must carry commercial weight – not marketing jargon.
Creative disruption wins – From sector neutrality to building brands from scratch, Julian explores how Propaganda approaches creativity differently, treating brands with the same originality and cultural edge as great bands.
Whether you’re building a brand, running an agency, or simply questioning the way the industry works, The Old Testament Volume 1 is a manifesto for strategic clarity, creative courage, and doing the hard work that genuinely moves the needle.
The Old Testament Volume 1 is available here:
https://shop.propaganda.co.uk/products/p/old-testament-vol-1