From the release:

Assembly, the award-winning design and animation studio based in Auckland, New Zealand, has opened its first overseas office in New York in 2026.

Since launching in New Zealand in 2010, Assembly has delivered more than half of its work for US-based companies, including Apple, Marvel, Sony, HP, Visa, GE, PwC, Verizon, Deloitte and KIA. The company has also collaborated with leading US agencies such as Wieden+Kennedy, David & Goliath, Accenture Song, BBDO, FCB and Deutsch, building a global reputation for creative and production excellence.

Leading the new New York studio is director and creative director Alan Bibby, who has lived in the city for the past twenty years. Originally from New Zealand, Bibby has been friends and collaborators with the Assembly partners since their design-school days.

The idea of working together again had been a long-running conversation, and recent successes, most notably their music videos for Tom Petty and George Harrison, created for Warner Brothers Music and Universal Music, made the timing feel right.

Partner Alan Bibby agrees: “It just made sense. I’ve created some of my best work with Assembly, they’ve consistently produced world-class projects. We’ve co-directed, collaborated across continents, and they already have a strong US network. Having a physical office will make that process even easier. And beyond working with the best in the industry, I get to work with my best friends.”

“Having someone we’ve known for decades, who shares our values and our history, on the ground in the US is the perfect situation,” says Assembly partner Jonny Kofoed.

Assembly partner Matt von Trott says, “Distance and time zones have never been an issue for us. We’ve been embedded in US advertising and culture for a long time, and many of our clients have been with us for more than a decade. But having a physical presence in New York opens up even more opportunities.”

Jonny Kofoed adds, “Establishing a US base is something we’ve discussed for years. We’ve worked with international sales reps, but there’s really no substitute for actually being there.”

Assembly’s work spans commercials, music videos, film, interactive and experiential projects, earning recognition across nearly every major global awards platform, including multiple Gold Lions at Cannes, 10 Yellow Pencils at D&AD, and four Webbys. Most recently in North America, Assembly launched the KIA EV9 with a 111-metre building takeover in Times Square for US agency David & Goliath on New Year’s Eve.

Assembly Executive Producer Jane Oak highlighted the studio’s expansion into the U.S. market, noting that their global presence allows for seamless, round-the-clock collaboration. “There is immense creative potential in the U.S.,” Oak stated. “Because of our setup, one team can keep creating while the other sleeps, ensuring we always have non-stop momentum.”