I’ve been lucky, I’ve worked at some of the best and some of the worst agencies in the business. Ironically, even the bad ones have helped shape the type of creative I am now.
I’ve worked on brands that want to stand out and brands that look to blend in.
I’ve shared briefings with clients who get in the way and clients who lead the way.
I’ve won lots of awards but I’ve also completed work that will never see an awards entry, but the work executed was absolutely the right answer for that client. The ‘Arm against cervical cancer’ work being a perfect example.
What is interesting is, the longer you work in the business, the more it stays the same – the same problems come up year after year.
How do we get this product to those consumers?
And now in an age when consumers are looking to avoid advertising the challenge is even more interesting.
But the only thing that really changes is the platform the message is delivered on – right now it's digital.
There is one thing that has never changed in the communication business and that’s who we talk to … People.
They’ve always been at the centre of any and all comms – be it TikTok, TV, radio, outdoor or print.
If you know how people think, you know how to reach them, no matter what the platform is.
Joined Mullen Lowe as a Global Creative Director primarily working on the less fashionable Unilever accounts - Domestos, Cif, Sun, but still managed to get Domestos and Cif onto the national and international awards podium. In 2015 I was promoted to the Mullen Lowe worldwide Creative Counsel. I was also given the task of guiding the agency's younger teams on briefs and encouraging new talent.
Joined AMV in 2004 as a Senior Art Director working across most of the agency's accounts. Became a Creative Director working on numerous agency accounts including COI, Capital One, the BBC, Sainsburys, ADT Alarms, Famous Grouse, Mars, Pepsi UK and Digital UK. By the time I left AMV, we were the most awarded creative team in the agency—winning accolades on the BBC, Economist, RSPCA, Orbit Chewing Gum and the NHS.
On returning from Y&R in Australia I joined WCRS as a Senior Art Director and began by creating the award winning “Ouch in Voucher” campaign for Orange which took them to Number 1 in the pre-paid mobile phone market. I was made Creative Director on the launch of Nectar, which made Nectar Reward card the biggest Reward card in the country. My final task in the agency before leaving was the 118-118 launch, which captured the Campaign Magazine and Marketing Week magazine ‘Campaign of the Year’ as well as winning golds at the British Television and Creative Circle awards.
I joined Y&R from Delany Fletcher Bozell just as I’d picked up a silver nomination for Tyco toys. I joined as dept CD but that soon changed a few months after arriving when the agency dispensed of the services of the ECD. My partner and I took over the accounts until a new ECD could be found. In the 3 years at the agency I won numerous pitches, my work was accepted into the Australian equivalent of D&AD and we took unfashionable Y&R to South Australian agency of the year and Top 5 agencies in Australia beating the Campaign Palace.