“Beware of little expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship”

Written by Beth Menear, Account Director.

I’ve been watching “Lucy Worsley Investigates: The American Revolution” because it’s bloody hot and I couldn’t be all that bothered to change the channel. It was good though, and the Benjamin Franklin phrase stolen for the title of this stream of consciousness seems actually quite apt as I’ve also been reading through ’Go Big or Go Home’, the latest IPA publication from Les Binet and Will Davis which hammers home how critical appropriate budgeting and investment is when it comes to marketing activities today. Small spending could mean big problems on the horizon. But think big, and you’re in with a chance.

Firstly, there’s a real efficiency vs. effectiveness issue. Insight from the IPA Databank shows that while advertising efficiency (ROI) has risen by 4%, effectiveness (total incremental profit) has dropped by 11%. This is because effectiveness relies on both efficiency AND budget. According to CMOs surveyed, budget was believed to account for around a third of a campaign’s effectiveness, with media and creative making up the rest.

Econometric analysis proved this latter assumption correct, confirming that both media approach and creative execution play a critical impact when it comes to effectiveness – big, consistent creative deployed through an appropriate balance of brand advertising and performance activity (you know that).

However, further analysis of effectiveness in the IPA Databank revealed ROI only accounted for 11% of variations in profit, with budget making up the remaining 89%. How much profit marketing delivers is ultimately determined by budget decisions more than any other variable.

We know that marketing teams are increasingly being asked to do more with less which can force their activity down a shady path of short-term activation and super-duper narrow targeting. In fact, IPA data suggests that almost 70% of firms are concentrating on short-term conversion. But this blinkered focus on ROI is a false economy where underfunded activity is less effective, leading to shrinking margins and potential further marketing budget slashes.

This doesn’t mean you need to spend millions to be successful – scale is relative to your brand’s position. If there’s one thing I remember from my recent re-read of How Brands Grow it’s that you must achieve Excess Share of Voice (ESOV) by ensuring your Share of Voice (SOV) is higher than your current Share of Market (SOM), and keep your Advertising-to-Sales (A/S) ratio above the category average. It’s as simple as that. 😉

During economic downturns, the impulse to heavily discount or cut budgets to preserve short-term margins is destructive. Maintaining brand investment preserves pricing power, protects long-term profit margins, and allows aggressive brands to capture market share as competitors retreat. I wrote essentially the exact same thing back in 2023. These fundamentals do not change.

When you take your appropriate budgets to the right place though, they can work even harder. Hark back to what I mentioned earlier in this ramble. It’s been proven that strong media and compelling creative positively impact effectiveness. The Extraordinarily brilliant ‘The Extraordinary Cost Of Dull’ details how investment needs to be even greater if your budget is being poured into bland and unimaginative ads. So, if you’re ready to invest in proper media, you need an agency with big enough creative ideas to fill the space, get you seen, and make your media spend work as hard as it possibly can. Ready for work that’s anything but dull? Hello! 🐾

You can check out some of our big thinking here.

Beware the finfluencers.

You may well have seen Manosphere, Louis Theroux’s latest compelling and disturbing documentary on Netflix.

If you have seen it, you may have reached the very same conclusion as quickly as I did: namely, that it’s all just about making money.

Just hard dollar, and nothing more.

Because whenever the characters in question were challenged on their abominable comments or misogynistic viewpoints on women, they instantly say ‘that’s not who I am’ and run a mile from their very own toxic posts.

‘Act like me bro’ and YOU WILL MAKE MONEY’ they boast – and who doesn’t want that?

After all, making money makes you friends, makes you relationships you wouldn’t have when broke….and, last but certainly not least, money makes the down payment on that Lambo’ you so lust after.

Sounds great but there’s just one small problem. It’s all absolute bollocks.

And the penniless victims who’d taken this messaging hook, line and sinker bore this out in the excellent Manosphere documentary.

However, all this exposed a very, very dangerous growing trend. Dunno if you’ve noticed but there is so much hokum being spouted online from so called financial gurus, it’s clear that we all have to be more on our guard.

From Ai generated Martin Lewis doppelgangers to ‘How to not pay tax on a £1 million’, throw a USB stick and you’ll hit any number of financial influencers – or ‘finfluencers’ for short as they’re now being dubbed. From ‘how to flip ten properties without paying a penny in tax’ to ‘Did you know you can employ your 13 year old son or daughter in your business and claim their £12,700 personal tax allowance?’.

‘Wow I didn’t know that’ you exclaim.

Well don’t worry too much, you’re not missing out because you can’t do any of these things because none are legal. Sorry to burst bubbles y’all.

Thing is, it’s all a bit wild west out there, partly due to inconsistency in legislation. For example, you have to be regulated to give investment advice but absolutely ANYONE can dish out tax advice.

Crazy, I know.

‘Beware of false profits’ as David Brent once (wrongly) paraphrased. Who knows, maybe he was referring to online marketing gurus with zero wisdom but maximum front too.

Sans woke if you please.

In December 2025, the US state department (headed up by Secretary of State Mark Rubio) pulled a long face about a certain typeface.
‘Calibri’ had been the font of choice for the state department since 2023 – coincidentally while Joe Biden was in power.
Clean, modern and accessible was the thinking. Well at least to some.
But Rubio wasn’t having any of it.
He branded the typeface an emblem of wasteful diversity and ‘wokeness’ – subsequently ordering an immediate return to Times New Roman. He boasted this would herald the welcome return of ‘decorum and professionalism’ to all state documents. It was also later admitted to be part of a wider initiative to ‘hunt down’ exponents of DEI across the administration.

NB: I should point out here, for the pedants amongst us, that a font is a stylised version of a typeface – like when Times New Roman (a typeface) spawns derivatives versions such as Bold, Regular or Italic (these are fonts).

Now I’m no designer. I’m no typographer either for that matter – but I greatly appreciate how fonts contribute hugely to tone of voice, authority, humour and persuasion when used in the right context.
I’ve also heard fonts called many things, playful, stern, sober – but never ‘woke’.
So US state department, you much revered powerhouse of democracy you – is this your finest hour as the font of knowledge?
Or has your decision only served to lose you even more face?

A word about Brexit

Don’t panic, this isn’t a thousand words on the fineries of re-joining the custom union or soft cheese tariffs. Just a simple lesson from the past in regard to messaging.

Now it may not feel like it, but we’re rapidly approaching ten years since that fateful day when we chose to leave the EU. Now, with that commiseratory or celebratory anniversary in prospect (depending on your POV), many have been reflecting on how and why the decision to leave was made by the folk of Britain.

Heading into the vote, two diametrically opposed campaigns polarised opinion and split the population pretty much 50/50. The campaign to leave adopted the emotionally charged theme ‘Take back control’. Whereas the campaign to remain was more pragmatically framed as…simply…‘Remain’.

On the eve of the vote, each side frantically tried to influence the result right up until the very last minute. Apostles of every hue in politics busily collared bodies in the street, enthusiastically quizzing them as to which box their X would grace.

Among these was Nick Clegg, former Lib’ Dem’ leader and Deputy PM in the 2010 – 2015 coalition government. Clegg had wandered out to his local bus station within his Sheffield Hallam constituency and had spotted a man he knew. Cordially accosting him before he boarded his bus home, Clegg asked the man which way he was going to vote the next day.

‘Sorry Nick…but I’ve just gotta vote leave.’

Clegg was gobsmacked: ‘But why Dave???’ he politely remonstrated.

‘Because, if I’m honest, the bloody last thing I want is for things to remain the same.’

This reply knocked Clegg clean off his feet.
For within his constituent’s answer as to how he was going to vote, lay the very word the whole damn campaign had hinged on – ‘Remain’.

It’s a lesson from history. And a stark lesson to us all who devise messaging as part of our job.
Because just when we think we’ve deftly encapsulated our complex messaging hierarchy neatly via one word and bathed in the subsequent self congratulation, Mr. Fuck Up is already waiting to pounce once it’s in the wild.

We might even consider ourselves super pumped smart arses by managing it all in fewer words.

Messaging is my favourite part of advertising.

Angles, tones, meanings, nuances – whether the messaging is instructive, humorous or just seeks to sow a seed – honestly, it fascinates me. Whatever it is however, it must make people feel something as brilliantly explained here in the excellent The Extraordinary Cost of Dull authored by System 1.

The ultimate failure after all is summarised by the fantastic – ‘Feel nothing, Do nothing’.

‘Take back control’ was a rallying call, a call to arms bristling with emotion.
‘Remain’ was much more restrained and sober. Granted, it may have connotations of ‘stay true to the cause’ ….but where exactly has this cause got me?

If it was a proposition (which it kinda was), then where was the benefit bit or the ‘what are we trying to achieve here’ as in ‘Take back control’?

Nick Clegg has since offered up a few retrospective shouts on what ‘Remain’ perhaps should’ve been as a slogan. Things like ‘Safer together’ or ‘Together we’re stronger’ – so sentiments that least touched on tangible benefits rather than just affirming ‘more of the same’.

Could pondering a few vital words have swayed such a crucial vote?
I guess we’ll never know.

But it may well have prevented a few single four letter word exclamations when the result was read out.

— Rich Elwell, Creative Partner & Co-founder

Is performance still performing?

The performance marketing landscape is changing. Fast. For the first time in two decades Google has seen a drop in search activity, with January 2025 marking the fourth consecutive month its market share sat below 90%.

Of course they still have a monopoly, but there’s no denying this is a significant shift as new ways to seek out the content we want drives a mammoth behaviour change.

Over a quarter of respondents to a recent study by Future Publishing claimed they would turn to AI platforms such as ChatGPT over traditional search, with four primary reasons cited:

It delivers faster, direct results
A simplified search process to make it more user friendly
Results are accurate, relevant and personalised
Summaries make complex topics more accessible

When it comes to performance, it isn’t just about who’s shouting the loudest anymore. It’s about who can deliver the most thoughtful content, and ensure it’s picked up by AI.

Google’s investments in tools such as Gemini looked to lure users back to the platform, but it’s not hard to find articles peppered with concerns regarding its accuracy and speed. Its introduction of AI overviews has also contributed to a significant jump in zero-click searches as it pushes both paid and organic listings down results pages. Not only does this impact ROI, there are also fewer opportunities to capture user intent via these traditional ad placements, and feed these learnings into a wider marketing strategy.

As well as this move to AI to find content, almost half of GenZ-ers are now thought to begin their searches on social platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and YouTube with a recent study conducted by Forbes & Talker Research suggesting a quarter find new brands on social media daily.

Recognising and responding to these shifts is critical to remain relevant and align strategies with a changing user behaviour. Not only do businesses need to diversify their online presence beyond Google, they need to ensure their content is structured in a way that’s useful enough to be referenced by AI tools.

Note: AI needs to be embraced, but its wider impacts must also be understood. See our previous article for more insight into its environmental impact and what it could mean for your sustainability credentials.

The other critical action is to commit to brand-led advertising as part of your overall strategy. The importance of a long-term approach isn’t new news. But for a performance landscape in flux, it’s now more critical than ever that it works in partnership with brand activity to drive profits and sustainable growth.

A recent IPA study suggested that 60% of advertising payback comes through a robust, sustained approach, with WARC suggesting the median revenue ROI increase when moving from a performance only to a mixed strategy was a whopping 90%.

Create a strong brand, and you’re setting the scene for your performance marketing to work harder; every penny you spend on brand marketing isn’t just about long term brand equity – it’s an instant action to improve the efficiency of performance.

In a world of fast answers, a strong brand presence could be your unfair advantage.

Beth Menear, Account Director, One Black Bear

Source list
Yahoo tech/Tom’s Guide Special report, People are ditching Google for AI
Tech Round, The Search Shake-up
Forbes/Talker Research, Is Social The New Google
WARC, The Multiplier Effect
Profit Ability, The New Business Case For Advertising, IPA

Allow us to lend a paw

Of course we’ve had a read of ‘How Are Marketers Doing?’, the recent report from the team at The Marketing Meetup on the collective feelings of the industry and it’s certainly a mixed bag – pressured, excited, but undeniably drained. It’s a thoughtful, well-crafted report and it goes without saying, a huge credit to the 1,070 marketers who took the time to share their thoughts, giving us a valuable snapshot of where the industry stands, both emotionally and operationally.

Here’s what stands out:

The term “Positively challenging” topped the list of current emotions – a beautifully polite way of saying things are tough, but I think it’s worth it…?
Despite the chaos, there does seem to be a sense of optimism about the future of marketing.
Both a want and a need for collaboration came through pretty powerfully. Marketers are feeling isolated, so they’re looking to have a connection with those who share their purpose.
Team size matters; big enough to share the load, small enough to be on-the-ball and agile.

And here’s what really stands out to us:

The report suggests marketers are tired, overworked, and often find themselves stuck in positions that slow them down thanks to blockers like days stacked with too many meetings, unclear briefs and dragging sign-off processes. But what really got our attention is the creative drought, and most importantly the disheartening statement; “I came to marketing for creativity but spend my days managing a never-ending task list”.

What we’re hearing? A rallying cry for bolder ideas and more impactful work.

The report highlights are right, but marketing isn’t just about navigating under pressure – it’s about transforming that intensity into powerful action. Marketers don’t just want to feel ‘seen’, they want to feel challenged in their day to day. Who wouldn’t want to be part of standout projects? But to get to that point, it’s important not to shy away from the mess and instead, step into it – sleeves rolled up.

This is exactly why we don’t just work for clients, we work with them, right in the thick of it.

When time is tight, we bring clarity.

When budgets are stretched, we bring bold thinking.

When teams are running on empty, we bring energy and real solutions.

The pressures to deliver with limited support or a swamped team may well be intense, but you don’t have to go it alone. The confidence of having the right agency partner in your corner can truly make all the difference.

The report’s right – marketing is hard, and that’s why we love it.

Ultimately, us Bears believe a good idea underpins everything. And we know that creativity under pressure is a feature that, understandably, not all teams have. Those pressures could be eased by working with people who can take the heat and still deliver.

And sure, you might well be sitting there right now thinking ‘well, of course they’d say that’, in which case, we challenge you. To tell us of a time where you felt excited at first sight of a really strong concept; or your campaign was so different, so unique that it was noticed and praised by senior management; or a post-campaign analysis proved that it drew so much attention you know you nailed it. And then tell us that a bit of fierce input can’t change ‘swimming through treacle’ into a float through crisp, clear waters.

So, read the report, take on the insights, then call someone who’ll help you turn ‘positively challenging’ into ‘positively brilliant.’

You know where to find us.

Lucy Bennett, Account Director, One Black Bear

Source list
‘How Are The Marketers Doing? The State of Marketing Professionals in 2025’, The Marketing Meetup, 2025

An Intelligent Environment, or Artificial Commitments?

The world is competing in two races. One to halt the devastating effects of climate change. One for AI glory.

The rise of coverage and subsequent interest in these topics has been meteoric. But how can they work together, and in 2025 what impact might this have on our industry and the wider world. Let’s set the scene…

2024 was plagued by extreme weather affecting people across the world – floods, droughts, typhoons, and as I write this in mid January 2025, the Californian wildfires still burn. It’s perhaps then unsurprising that 2024 was the first year to go above the 1.5℃ global warming limit. As part of its commitment to achieve net zero by 2050, the UK pledged to cut emissions by 68% by 2030, though a report published in July 2024 by The Climate Change Committee suggested only one third of the initiatives designed to reach this goal were backed up by credible plans.

2024 also saw the fastest global adoption of AI, with 65% respondents to the latest McKinsey Global Survey reporting their organisations regularly use this tool, and this week Sir Kier Starmer set out his AI opportunities Action Plan. This 50 point roadmap will see artificial intelligence ‘mainlined into the veins of the nation’, and ensure the UK doesn’t fall behind the likes of the USA and China when it comes to significant advances in this field.

The best of team mates, or the fiercest of rivals

Opinions on AI are polarised when it comes to its relationship with the environment. The World Economic Forum suggests AI has ‘transformational potential’ in the area, from monitoring melting icebergs and enhancing waste management efficiencies to mapping deforestation and ocean litter. Others warn AI is killing sustainability as it increases surges in energy demand with huge costs to the environment due to the high CO2 emissions the technology requires.

It’s arguable this could be fuelling the new trend of brands greenhushing as they intentionally hide their climate commitments. The race for AI dominance has seen the global emissions targets for both Google and Meta face huge setbacks, while Microsoft admits emissions have grown by almost 30% since 2020 through its reliance on AI datacentres that require incredible amounts of water to cool their servers.

And we’re all contributing to these climate impacts. One ChatGPT query requires ten times the amount of energy to process as a google search. 50 prompts on ChatGPT uses 500ml of water. Just read that again then look at your water bottle. It’s baffling.

So, what does this mean for our industry, and our clients?

Advertisers that are committed to sustainability goals must understand and monitor their AI carbon footprint. In 2025 and beyond this technology will play a greater role in content creation, audience tracking, ad personalisation, insights and measurement. So as an industry we’re walking a tightrope. We’re employed to drive growth, and must therefore adopt the opportunities AI presents us, though as brand guardians we must realise how this could work against sustainability goals.

It’s interesting then that a report in The Marketers Toolkit 2025 (WARC) suggested that even with the rise of programmatic practices being used across mass marketing channels such as radio, TV and OOH, less than a third of those surveyed saw AI sustainability concerns influencing media buying in 2025. Again if we’re looking for a tangible statistic, a 2023 study by Moeve suggests an ad campaign generates the same emissions as that of seven people over a year. Surely, then, if the industry continues to shy away from the effects of AI impact it would not only draw negative opinion from regulators, but also its clients, and their consumers alike. AI usage should be incorporated into ESG frameworks as a basic expectation.

‘Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted, the problem is I don’t know which half’

Well, maybe AI could help us answer this question, while having a positive effect on the planet if it’s used in the right way. Where the technology is used to optimise audience targeting, ad placement and budgets, we could see fewer, more efficient campaigns where wasted impressions are reduced. And we’ve already seen creatively what AI can achieve; a personal standout being AKQAs ‘Never Done Evolving’ 50th anniversary video for Nike which saw Serena Williams (1999) in a match against Serena Williams (2017) that used machine learning to model her changing tennis style based on archived footage. AI allowed for something that wouldn’t just have been budget prohibitive, but would have been creatively impossible.

This type of approach however negates the need for traditional production, so while arguably more sustainable, its impact on jobs and actual human interaction must not be ignored.

Surely we want to be winners in both races, don’t we?

Finding a balance where AI’s contribution to sustainable practices in our industry and beyond outweighs its impact is critical in the race to tackle the climate emergency. And the tangled web of conflicting objectives and priorities in the global landscape will make for a fascinating watch. Will the 2020s be a decisive decade for climate change, and will AI ultimately help or hinder? There are two things that are clear though. Firstly, we must adopt the responsibilities we have as an industry to balance our desire for effective marketing with our commitment to sustainable practices. Secondly, if we don’t we’ll be one step closer to the point where this decisive action will no longer be an option.

Beth Menear, Account Director, One Black Bear

Source List
BBC Climate & BBC Verify data journalism teams
AI Opportunities Action Plan, Gov.uk
The state of AI in early 2024, QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey
9 Ways AI is helping tackle climate change, World Economic Forum, Emerging Technologies
The GEISTE report 2025, WARC
The Marketers Toolkit 2025, WARC
Greenintelligence.org
The footprint that advertising does not want to leave, Moeve Global

The Social Saga Part One

On Friday 13th I watched something truly horrifying. Remember that scene in Scream? Well Channel 4’s ‘Swiped’ just took scary-phone-time to a whole new level.

The show sees a class of year 8’s give up smart devices for three weeks, and is littered with spine-chilling facts about phone usage and the types of content not just available, but targeted at this age group. It’s not all social media, but needless to say these platforms make up a big part of the problem that’s devastating parents.

So, as I lay gobsmacked on the sofa, I started googling more about Australia’s online safety amendment bill, a fascinating legislation responding to the “clear, causal link between the rise of social media and the harm to the mental health of young Australians” according to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Due to come into force towards the end of 2025, ‘age-assurance technology’ will restrict users under 16 from accessing social media platforms, with hefty fines dished out to companies that fail to comply. It’s VERY unclear how this will all work, how it will be regulated, and who will need to adhere to the law – for example, we already know YouTube will be exempt due to its educational purpose. Ethical questions are also being raised by those opposing the ban concerning young adult’s rights to free speech and the access of information; this is a debate that will rage on through 2025.

In readiness for the change though, content and targeting strategies are being urgently reviewed. This is a huge shift that could not only impact millions of $ of revenue, but also “redefine how brands engage with audiences and how social platforms operate” according to Jessica White, vp of creative and media at digital agency Dept (Aus).

And while it appears on the face of it that Australia is a leader in this area, both the US and Canada have discussions open regarding the banning of TikTok. Norway announced plans to ban kids under 15 from using social media, while France is testing a smartphone ban for kids under 15 in a limited number of schools – a policy that could be rolled out nationwide if successful.

So, what about us? Well, last month the technology secretary advised a possible social media ban for under 16s was “on the table”, though the lack of evidence concerning its negative impact will inevitably see the proposal drawn out for a while yet.

I’ve worked in this industry for ten years, and I don’t think there’s one campaign I’ve been a part of where social media hasn’t featured. It’s ability to reach an audience, it’s constant learning, optimisation, management – it’s logistically astonishing and emotionally terrifying. And with the meteoric rise in influencer marketing the channel is reaching more people in more ways than ever before. It’s no wonder then that last year social media accounted for a third of the UK’s total digital ad spend – an eye-watering £9.4billion*.

I’d love to write a snappy conclusion to this, but I genuinely can’t – because even the people that are working to push these laws through still don’t have the answers. But whatever your opinion, this is a move that will have repercussions across the world for companies, agencies, content creators, the list goes on. But on a personal note, I can’t help but feel the biggest effect of all could (and should) be on the children this type of initiative is designed to protect.

I’ll see you for part two in mid-2025.

Don’t have nightmares.

Beth Menear – AD

*Source – Digital 2023: The United Kingdom – We Are Social & Meltwater.

Bears Broadcast

Our two creative partners both took to the online airwaves recently to talk to the world about very different subjects.
First up, Rich was invited onto a panel discussion about the power of having a distinct tone of voice with the GO! Network – you can view his thoughts here: https://vimeo.com/1031905671

And a few weeks back, Jon travelled down to London to share his experiences with Jordan Platten of 20+ years running an agency on his podcast, Agency Giants. You can see and listen to all his musings here: https://youtu.be/68yRu39966w?si=9COucetTlMnFIWpm

A quick word on the safe word

”So to summarise… we want something new and challenging. Something that pushes the boundaries. Something that will achieve our goals, and win awards.

Oh, but don’t forget the safe options.”

Ug. ‘Safe’.

An option that wears high vis to eat vanilla ice cream while it toes the line in sensible shoes.

You’ll more often than not find one of these ‘50 shades of beige’ ideas in a creative response though; no (good) agency is naive to the pressures on marketing teams to appease stakeholders in a timely manner with depleting budgets, nor the strict guidelines that accompany some requests.

But is this really what you mean when you’re pulling your brief together? You want the Unadventurous? The Conservative? The just ‘All right’? Can’t safe also mean dependable? Solid? Reliable? Even, dare we say, effective?

If a creative route is built on a meaningful foundation of research, insights, truths and understanding, could we start to think of this idea as ‘safe’ because it’s designed to work and meet your objectives no matter how left-field it might sound in the pitch? Like, oh, I don’t know… Booking a funeral for a cup; using a drag act to bellow your benefits; arranging a heist to highlight eye care, or asking a lovely lady called Carol to water the garden with her bits out.

Who comes up with this!? That’s right – we do. Ideas that produce work that works – but doesn’t always have to have the stabilisers on.

Ready to move your brand from beige to black, and see what a really safe pair of hands can offer? Get in touch.

#BeFierce

Bossing It: Richard Elwell and Jon Harrison Were Raised by Wolves.

Bossing it.

This article was first published on Little Black Book on 18/3/24 here.

Jon Harrison and Rich Elwell are creative directors of One Black Bear and also co-own the business. They have been a creative partnership since 1991 and set up One Black Bear in 2003. The theory goes (unverified) that they’re now the longest creative team partnership in the UK – if not the world. Just the 33 years and counting. Get less for murder as the adage goes.

They oversee all the creative output of the agency and are highly experienced in developing creative strategies that deliver impressive ROIs for clients as well as win awards. They were reared on a very simple, focused diet – namely, it’s all about standout creative with a sound strategic backbone.

They have worked with numerous travel brands most notably National Express Coach, Eurolines, National Express Bus, Touromo, West Midlands Network and Transport for West Midlands. Their campaigns for National Express have been multi award winning across disciplines from OOH to TV, social to radio and in programmes from The Travel Marketing Awards to Roses and Lurzers.

As well as the plethora of travel experience, Jon and Rich have worked across everything from automotive to beer (famously once convincing Roger Moore to appear on TV for a Wolverhampton Brewery) and from High Street Jewellers to international sports brands. As well as global megastars of the silver screen, the pair have also worked with sporting heroes and up and coming comedians. Active and enthusiastic contributors to client meetings / ongoing client development, Rich and Jon pride themselves on being involved and not just residing in the background as owners.

LBB> What was your first experience of leadership?
Rich> Becoming head of the carpet cutting department at a B&Q. I presided over several other fellow Saturday lads who were students. I was very proud.

LBB> How did you figure out what kind of leader you wanted to be – or what kind of leader you didn’t want to be?
Rich> To be honest, we didn’t. We were raised by wolves. During those formative years at our first agency, we observed all kinds of leadership. Think bombastic, micro management, pure fear, the friendly sort, having enough rope to hang yourself… you name it, we witnessed it. We settled on trying to be nice, laid back and trusting. But we have been guilty of overdoing the soft touch. Every day a school day as they say.

LBB> What experience or moment gave you your biggest lesson in leadership?
Rich> When I suggested to my old MD that this business is basically just ‘rock & roll’, he quickly fired back a brusque: ‘But it’s not though’. Jon and I still wind each other up with it to this day. And while we’d never use the cliché of rockstars we do try and make sure people enjoy spending their time together in the agency.

LBB> Did you know you always wanted to take on a leadership role? If so how did you work towards it and if not, when did you start realising that you had it in you?
Jon and Rich> We knew early on in our careers that we’d like to run our own place. But I think that was more about being in total control of creative output rather than an out and out desire to lead. I think creative folks should aim to be inspirational to those that they lead and then get out of their way to let them do what they do best.

LBB> When it comes to ‘leadership’ as a skill, how much do you think is a natural part of personality, how much can be taught and learned?
Jon and Rich> Personally, I’d hope we lead by example rather than by preaching from a management textbook. We try to instil a high level of self initiative, self discipline and team ethic that seeks to help others, muck in whenever needed and to always strive to do the best work possible.

LBB> What are the aspects of leadership that you find most personally challenging? And how do you work through them?
Jon and Rich> When someone isn’t naturally driven like us. Sounds weird, but we aren’t particularly good at cattle prodding those who haven’t ‘got it’ in the first place.

LBB> Have you ever felt like you’ve failed whilst in charge? How did you address the issue and what did you learn from it?
Jon and Rich> Often. Imposter syndrome looms large as a creative person anyway. Add leadership responsibilities to the mix and… wow, it takes any morsel of self doubt to another level. However, I think (or hope!) that we’ve always been fair, balanced and patient as leaders. I can’t think of many instances, if any, where we haven’t tried to be. We also gave shares to people we shouldn’t have and that wasn’t very clever from a leadership perspective. You live and learn though eh.

LBB> In terms of leadership and openness, what’s your approach there? Do you think it’s important to be as transparent as possible in the service of being authentic? Or is there a value in being careful and considered?
Jon and Rich> I think there’s a very high level of transparency because it ultimately breeds trust and loyalty. We celebrate the good times and support each other during the bad. Yes, we often soak up some of the bad patches and worry ourselves rather than burdening the team – it’s that old football manager approach I guess.

LBB> As you developed your leadership skills did you have a mentor, if so who were/are they and what have you learned? And on the flip side, do you mentor any aspiring leaders and how do you approach that relationship?
Jon and Rich> As we said, raised by wolves. Much of it is self taught and relies on the desire to be exceptional at what you do – and be nice while doing it.Our old college tutor, Steve Dixon was a very analytical, clever guy who was very good at letting you know that your so called, best ever work was actually only lukewarm – but with a smile on his face. I also like the David Abbott example of red penning the junior’s copy without getting all hot and heavy and throwing mobile phones around. Why? Because when the junior writer eventually left DA’s office with his copy free of red pen he was walking on air.

Exceptional leadership right there.

LBB> In continually changing market circumstances, how do you cope with the responsibility of leading a team through difficult waters?
Jon and Rich> Keep doing it and keep going. What other way is there? We are pretty cautious as a business and don’t make rash decisions. We have a duty to look after what we’ve created and the people we carefully recruit. Long may it prosper – come what may.

LBB> As a leader, what are some of the ways in which you’ve prioritised diversity and inclusion within your workforce?
Jon and Rich> Now two middle aged blokes running an agency, we nurture youth, we celebrate experience and strive to have as many points of view within the place as possible. The agency management team is predominantly female and we try to always hire from mixed backgrounds and experiences.

If you’d like to grill Jon and Rich about their countless years experience at the creative coalface or chat to any of the rest of the team about something less boring, then drop us a note saying “Haven’t they aged well” here.

Are you tech’in the p*ss?

Artificial Intelligence is a very real threat.

Think I’ve figured out what AI really stands for: Abject Indifference.

I’m talking, of course, about the rather strange gathering of monied Bond villains held (ironically) within the splendour of ‘Camp Clandestine’. AKA Bletchley Park.

What a strange (and strained) bunch of meets and greets that was.

Amid the lashings of tech’ infused social awkwardness and abundant black Amex cards, some truly weird things were said.

See, according to the world’s richest person, it’s all just a matter of simple choice: ‘AI will do everything. So, you can have a job but only if you want one. Y’know, if you need a bit of purpose and meaning. But don’t feel compelled’.

Oh ok, thanks for that. Earn a living to support you and your loved ones – but don’t stress if you can’t be arsed, just let the computer do it.

I mean, forget for a minute that we don’t raise anywhere near enough in tax revenues to fund our beleaguered, cash strapped public services as it is.

Merely an inconvenient truth that.

No, let’s go even further and suggest that our much patronised, ‘hard working families’ don’t bother doing a stroke of work for the treasury at all anymore.

And best of all, this oh so bold comment met with awkward amusement by our very own economics grandmaster. Oh, and former Chancellor. Oh, and current PM. And latterly, chief courter of tech’ titans. And, oh yeah, did I mention fellow billionaire? (Btw, that last tag doesn’t half help in times of ‘enforced retirement’.)

Go fund that one then Rishi. An entire workforce doing nowt. Sounds like a bit of a bigger bill than furlough. And forever too.

In a feeding frenzy of all things artificial, we don’t half need some side orders of real world, common sense too.

And not from someone who doesn’t need to work either.
Computer says….doss.

If you’d like to speak with a human about the real power of original, tangential and creative thinking, then drop us a note saying “I am not a robot” here.