Thoughts on creativity, Pharma and whatnot
Because like a one hit wonder (when hits were a thing back in the seventies) a tune or a look or an idea can be thrilling and life affirming by a series of strange coincidences or aligning of the stars. A galactic anomaly that just needs to be admired and observed for its singular celestial beauty.
When I was starting out, my fledgling partner and I, a curly-haired chap by the name of Rob, were full of youthful gusto and a hefty helping of self confidence. (You know, two white guys). We worked many nights in my cold Shepherd's Bush flat trying to crack this concepting lark and as we improved... Continue Reading →
Hello dear reader, hope you're still enjoying this work from home lark? Me? well on one hand I have an office again, and the time to concentrate and get shit done. On the other I miss my work chums and that feeling of collective achievement and camaraderie. On the other other hand, I miss the... Continue Reading →
Can you be successful in advertising and be a nice person too? Some of my closest friends are from the advertising world so don't get me wrong - the majority of the agency world is lovely, but day one in Pharmaland I was struck by the general reduced numbers of assholes. No offence, to those... Continue Reading →
People often wonder where ideas come from. I like to think that all ideas are just sitting there, waiting to be discovered rather than created out of thin air as one might suppose. Creative people just spend more time looking for them. We're like those people who suddenly got obsessed with Pokemon-Go and were out... Continue Reading →
For those of you who've sat on the PM society jury in the past you'll recall a big drafty room at the BMA in Russell Square and two days out of the office, walking round a room peering at rounds and rounds of cardboard. This year, like many awards shows, most of the judging took... Continue Reading →
So you have a great idea and you're all excited to present it, this could be the big one! The meeting goes well enough, they like it, you high five anyone who's passing the meeting room. A couple days pass and then come the list of amends. They've shown some key stakeholders, they've shown their... Continue Reading →
You remember those first couple of years when Health and Wellness and Pharma were finally at Cannes? Anyone who was anyone flew in and there was an air of optimism for the future. And yet, how some of us lamented the fact that we seemed divorced from the main show, how we felt like second... Continue Reading →
Do you see yourself as a creative person? Try this test. Take a brick and list three things you can do with it. Some people will say 1. Build a house 2. Build a road 3. Build a bridge. If your top three ideas were 1. Throw through a jeweller's window, 2. Squash flies 3.... Continue Reading →
I love an online furore, me. Have you see the new Gillette advert? Boys will be boys? It's been hard to miss. After all the campaigns empowering our mothers, sisters, and daughters - from This girl can to Like a girl to Blood normal us chaps finally have our own bonafide 'purpose' campaign. Except this one... Continue Reading →
