OFFSITE 2026: Our Biggest One Yet

Offsite has been running for 13 years. This year, we took over Porto. 🇵🇹

This year marks one of the biggest years of growth in eight&four's history, and Offsite showed it. Nearly 100 of us, our biggest team ever to go on an Offsite trip, swapped the London and Miami offices for four days at the Douro Valley Royal Hotel & Spa.

A chance to celebrate the hard work, big wins and many new faces that have made this year one for the books.

Into the Douro Valley 🍇

If you're going to take the team somewhere, the Douro Valley isn't a bad shout. Days were spent wine tasting among the vineyards, river trekking through the valley and braving the suspension bridge (some more gracefully than others). The views did most of the talking.

Back at the hotel, there was a BBQ, a family pizza night and plenty of long lunches. The kind of moments where people who usually only catch each other on Slack finally get to sit at the same table.

Dressed up, big wins 🏆

Then came the main event: our annual Gala Awards. Everyone got dressed up, took their place at the table and sat down to dinner before the awards kicked off.

It's our chance to shout about the people behind the work, and this year there were 13 categories to get through. From Campaign of the Year and Win of the Year to Rising Star and Agency MVP, there was a lot to celebrate.

Then there are the ones you only get at Offsite. Performance of the Year, for the most unexpectedly iconic on-camera moment. And Slack QOTW, for the funniest out-of-context messages of the year, credited to both who Slacked it and who actually said it. 😂

Once the trophies were handed out, the after-party took over. A photobooth, a dancefloor and not one but four DJs, all straight from the eight&four team. Turns out we've been hiding some serious talent behind those laptops. 🪩

Poolside, obviously ☀️

Of course, it wasn't all scheduled fun. Between the big moments, the glorious rooftop pool did a lot of heavy lifting. Sunglasses on, pool party in full swing and somehow... still time for another Aperol. 🍹

Some of the best Offsite memories don't make the itinerary. They're the conversations by the pool, the inside jokes that will outlast the tan lines and the new starters who left feeling like they'd been here for years.

Thank you, and on to 2027 🚀

There's a lot more that goes into Offsite than most people see, so a few thank yous are in order.

To our amazing Events team, who spent months pulling it all together, from the hotel and itinerary to the seating plans and signage.

To our brand team, who designed every single menu, from the BBQ boards to the gala dinner. And to our pool captains, who planned and ran the pool parties.

Four days, one very full itinerary and memories for days. Porto, you were brilliant. Now, let's get planning 2027. 👀