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This week we very tentatively clambered on top of our desks to bellow ‘Oh Captain, my Captain’ to the most inspirational educator in advertising, Ally Owen.
The brains behind one ad-lands most invaluable teaching programmes, Brixton Finishing School, Ally has done more than literally anyone to help young, multicultural and neurodiverse creatives find a way into advertising – kickstarting hundreds and hundreds of creative careers, while most big agencies were sat fiddling with the font on their DEI policy PowerPoints. For most people, transforming all those lives would have been enough – but Ally has also gone on to launch ADcademy, a free virtual programme that provides 2,500 students a year with top-class creative training. Ally is also one of the brains behind Visible Start, an incredible program designed to help women over 45 to re-enter the workforce. So, in a nutshell, just imagine what a huge stinky poo-fire the creative industries would be without her.
In this episode we ponder everything from the real value of diversity and inclusion in all kinds of business, the financial and emotional hurdles she helps young creatives navigate at Brixton and how a Friday-night shift at Portsmouth McDonald's gave her the skills of a UN negotiator.
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Follow Ally on LinkedIn
Visit the Brixton Finishing School website or follow them on Instagram
Head to Career Adventures where tomorrow’s creatives are being inspired
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Timestamps
(04:10) - From Selling Shoes to McDonald's: The Early Gigs
(06:49) - The Skills of a UN negotiator: Friday night in McDonald's Portsmouth
(09:23) - The Great Escape to University
(10:56) - From Pharaohs to Advertising and the House of Stolen Things
(13:39) - Pure Luck or Destiny, The Path to Advertising?
(15:22) - A Relentless Career Pursuit
(18:04) - Setting out to make things better with Brixton Finishing School
(24:13) - Building a Bridge into Advertising
(28:04) - Office Etiquette, Don’t Microwave Fish
(31:36) - How to Support Brixton Finishing School
(33:07) - The Finishing School Foundation: Practical Help for the NEET
(41:19) - Four Pertinent Poses
(45:45) - Honouring Carol Tully
Ally’s book recommendation is:
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman.
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This week we pulled on our most dramatic tights and tried not to mumble our lines in order to catch the attention of one of the theatre world’s most charismatic – and mischievous – characters, Christian Edwards.
The comedy genius behind one of Twitter’s greatest spoofs – the mysterious West End Producer – Christian eventually pulled back the curtain to reveal, with glorious theatrically, that it was him all along. And this is entirely typical of a man whose creative adventures, and commitment to putting on a show, encompass writing regularly for The Stage and starring in sell-out shows in both the West End and Edinburgh Fringe. Like a nonchalant spoon, he has never been afraid to cause a stir, and while that may have knocked the occasional nose out of joint, he has amassed a cult following and a well-earned reputation for being one of theatre-lands wittiest wags.
As well as re-living his starring role in that big, weird show we used to call Twitter, we chat about the life – and challenges – of a professional actor, what the future holds for both Christian and his West End Producer, and hear a magnificent yarn about the time he ran into an ex-fiancée dressed as a giant cigarette.
Discover the homepage of the latex mask
The Twitter account that launched the star
View West End Producer’s snaps on Instagram
Follow Christian Edwards (the real one) on Instagram
Follow the real Christian Edwards on X
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Timestamps
(02:15) - Early Jobs and Humorous Experiences
(05:06) - First Proper Acting Role: A Journey Begins
(06:05) - Discovering a Passion for Acting
(08:41) - The Challenges of Early Acting Roles
(10:08) - The Variety of In-Between Jobs
(12:10) - Lessons from Early Jobs in Acting
(14:09) - The Birth of the West End Producer Persona
(18:31) - The Rise of West End Producer on Twitter
(20:31) - Validation and Identity: Christian vs. West End Producer
(23:30) - The Evolution of the West End Producer Character
(25:51) - Impact on the Theatre Industry
(30:06) - The Importance of Mental Health Advocacy
(32:22) - Unmasking: The Transition from West End Producer
(35:21) - Future Projects and Creative Outlets
(41:21) – Listener Questions
(53:00) – Four Pertinent Posers
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Christians Book Recommendations are:
Ultra-Processed People: Why Do We All Eat Stuff That Isn’t Food … and Why Can’t We Stop? by Chris van Tulleken
Year of the King by Anthony Sher
Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression – and the Unexpected Solutions by Johann Hari
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Acting (But Were Afraid to Ask, Dear) by West End Producer
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Going to the Theatre (But Were Too Sloshed to Ask, Dear) by West End Producer -
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This week we deliberately kept standing on rakes and getting repeatedly thwacked in the face in order to lure out the king of creative nonsense, Mr Mark Denton esq.
The creative hero that advertising needs, but doesn’t entirely deserve, Mark Denton is the once-in-many-lifetimes imagination behind more than 500 commercials – scooping up so many awards he could spend all day throwing them at passing canoeists and still have armfuls to spare. With even the biggest creative industry on the planet unable to entirely hold Mark’s interest, he’s flitted magnificently between the worlds of art, fashion and furniture design – Dentonising each field to glorious effect. Currently chief of COY! Communications, Mark is surgically re-implanting advertising’s forgotten sense of fun, and putting the ‘big idea’ back on the table.
Teetering gloriously at the edge of what he calls ‘old geezership’, Mark has a lifetime of stories, adventures and quadruple-strength whimsy to impart – covering everything from stumbling into advertising, why he’s embracing new creative spaces and his famous experiment as a 65-year-old intern.
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Visit Mark Denton's Website
Dig through Dave Dye’s Mark Denton Archive
Follow Mark on Instagram
Connect with Mark on LinkedIn
Mark’s first ever TV ad for Cadbury’s Cream Eggs
Mark’s scamp for Samsung car batteries
A showcase of Mark’s work in his interview with the peerless Dave Dye
A tribute to his dedication, and former boss Norman Icke (creator of the Milk Tray man), Cadbury’s Fruit and Nut Case advert:
Timestamps
(03:55) - Mark Meets Duncan
(07:00) - Family Background and Career Choices
(09:15) - First Job and Sneaking in Creative Ideas
(12:25) - The Cadbury's Cream Eggs Breakthrough
(18:10) - Adapting to Different Agency Styles
(23:30) - Interning at St. Luke's
(30:00) - The Role of Process in Agencies
(32:00) - The Decline of Quirkiness in Advertising
(35:00) - The Need for Entertainment in Ads
(37:00) - The Creative Fulfilment in the Ads Your Working On
(39:00) - Encouraging Young Creatives
(40:30) - Visual Posters Make Great Ads
(43:00) - Encouraging Enthusiasm in Advertising
(46:00) - Allowing Creatives to be Creative
(49:00) - Conclusion and Reflection on Change
(51:00) - Getting his head round TikTok
(57:10) - Listener questions
(01:01:25) - 4 pertinent posers
Mark's book recommendations are:
How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
Unleash the Power of Puerility by Mark Denton
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This week we just kept on making the logo bigger and bigger (and bigger) until we caught the despairing eye of legendary art director, author and, let’s face it, visual Jesus, Mr Dave Dye.
The art director’s art director, Dave is the architect of some of the coolest advertising you’ve ever seen – with a hit-list of iconic ads for everyone from Adidas to Volkswagen to The Economist. He’s also a champion for advertising with more wit and brains, expertly rummaging back through some forgotten ad masterpieces via his wildly popular blog and podcast, Stuff From The Loft. Finally, he’s the co-author of the excellent The Howard Gossage Show, a book created with another friend of CTA, Steve Harrison.
A guest so entertaining we genuinely forgot there was a running time, Dave shares the stories behind his most memorable campaigns, the lessons we can all learn from past masters, a philosophy that’s all about making ads people enjoy and his optimism for the creative future of the industry.
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Rummage around Dave's Stuff from the Loft
Timestamps
(05:00) - From Paperboy to Trying to Get a Job in Advertising
(08:04) - Creating His Own Ads
(10:25) - Changing the Approach to Cover Letters
(12:33) - Getting Interviews and a Foot in the Door
(20:03) - Being Bold and Distinct in Job Applications
(25:27) – Optimism and Naivety in Advertising
(30:02) - Challenges of Working with Established Brands
(31:18) - The Potential of Digital Advertising
(34:47) - The Origins of Stuff From The Loft
(36:58) - The Purpose of Archiving Work
(40:12) - Transitioning to a Public Archive
(43:10) - Accidental Evolution into Podcasting
(56:50) – Listener Questions
Dave's book recommendations are:
A Self-Help Guide for Copywriters by Dan Nelken
The Howard Gossage Show by Steve Harrison & Dave Dye
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This week, we got into a thumb-war-to-the-death with our inner critic in order to lure over legendary copywriter, speaker, coach, author and all-round good Canada goose egg Dan Nelken.
The alphabetical genius behind the bestselling Self Help Guide for Copywriters, and his 5-star online course ‘Writing Under Pressure’, Dan has made it his mission to rescue writers and brands all over the world from the malign influence of the dreaded inner critic – a character that Dan describes, with characteristic politeness, as a ‘ding dong’.
The true Canadian king of creativity (shut your face Reynolds) Dan chats to CTA about the importance of creating stuff that’s just for you, the long-game of any creative career, how to gain and maintain creative confidence, and of course his own grapplings with an inner critic he calls Alan.
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Follow Dan on LinkedIn
Visit Dan’s site
Jerry Seinfeld's interview with Tim Ferriss, the interview every creative should watch
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Timestamps
(02:05) - Quick Fire Questions
(04:05) - Dan's Early Jobs
(04:53) - From Forklift Truck Driver to Copywriter
(06:45) - Finding His Path into Copywriting
(08:36) - First Copywriting Gig at Cosset and Breaking through with McDonald's
(12:02) - Value of Getting Lost
(13:21) - The inspiration behind “Writing Under Pressure”
(17:59) - Creating a Course On Writing Headlines
(21:03) - Response to the Book
(22:40) - Maintaining Creative Confidence
(24:09) - Confronting Your Inner Critic
(26:07) - Structure in Creativity
(29:07) - Creativity Closer to Math(s) than Magic
(31:04) - Importance of Structure in Creativity
(32:39) - Most Creatives Hate Brainstorming
(36:57) - Naming Alan, the Inner Critic
(39:21) - The Joy of Creating for Yourself
(42:46) - Impact of Creating on Social Media
(43:40) - Audience Questions
(48:20) - Four Pertinent Posers
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Dan's book recommendations are:
A Self-Help Guide for Copywriters by Dan Nelken
Hey Whipple, Squeeze This by Luke Sullivan
Mind Management, Not Time Management by David Kadavy
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This week, we went fishing in a Levi’s Creek to catch TED speaker, co-author of ‘The Creative Nudge’ and enthusiasm enthusiast, Kevin Chesters.
His Twitter bio says he’s a “tall bald bloke from Penzance”. And whilst that might be true, it does rather undersell the fact that perched atop that tall body, and in that bald bonce, are some serious smarts.
For Kevin is a Chief Strategy Officer, formerly strategy head at Ogilvy, Wieden + Kennedy, Saatchi, Dentsu, with a client-side cameo at BT, a visiting lecturer in creativity at several universities, a TEDx speaker, co-author of ‘The Creative Nudge’ and an absolute advocate for walking in stupid and talking in smarts.
We discuss his journey from his beginning manning boying a vegetable stall, flirting with journalism, getting past ‘A’ in the careers dictionary, the importance of fostering creativity in all fields (including muddy ones), executional skill, breaking category norms, sifting through the interesting to find useful, enthusiasm, neurodiversity, walking in stupid, finding the world endlessly fascintating, big agencies, little agencies and so much more.
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Kevin’s website
Follow Kevin on LinkedIn
Here’s his book, co-written with the brilliant Mick Mahoney
His TED Talk
Levi’s – Creek by BBH, 1993
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Timestamps
(03:17) - Kevin's early jobs and first steps in the advertising industry
(07:34) - His initial lack of interest in advertising and his pivot from journalism
(10:04) - The impact of iconic ads like Levi's Creek on Kevin's career
(19:04) - The value of diverse experiences in building a successful career
(23:03) - Defining creativity and its importance in business and life
(27:37) - Breaking category norms
(31:06) - The concept of bravery in marketing
(34:42) - Bringing Fresh Perspectives to Meetings
(36:38) - Practical tips for fostering creativity in the workplace
(45:05) - Listener questions including Mark Earls about the role of enthusiasm
(47:08) - The impact of neurodiversity on Kevin's approach to strategy
Kevin’s book recommendations are:
The Creative Nudge: Simple Steps to help you think differently by Kevin Chesters and Mick Mahoney
The Victorian Internet by Tom Standage
Legacy by James Kerr
An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth by Chris Hadfield
The Rebuilders by Sara Tate & Anna Vogt (Sara’s appearance on Call to Action® https://gasp.agency/media/call-to-action/sara-tate)
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This week we got out our thesaurus and sent a proper professional-sounding connection request to snag the attention of Mimi Turner, Head of LinkedIn’s B2B institute for EMEA and Latin America.
With more strategic know-how in her little finger than a yurt-load of gurus, Mimi has worked as Director of Strategy, Messaging and Research for The Liberal Democrats and Marketing Director for Lad Bible, before moving to her current role at LinkedIn where she champions brand as a key growth driver for B2B businesses.
One of B2B’s biggest brains and boldest bullshit busters, Mimi shares her thoughts on the ancient origins of strategic thinking, journalism’s tendency toward self-harm, the common mistakes B2B marketers keep on making and why B2B is just one big game of hide and seek.
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Follow Mimi on LinkedIn
Read Mimi and Jann Schwarz's eye-opening research The real job of B2B Marketing is to give the Buyer Group permission to agree
Tune in to Mimi's Nudgestock 2023 talk Every Product Needs a Promise
Timestamps
(02:23) - Quick Fire Questions
(07:14) - Mimi’s Early Career
(08:43) - The early days as a student journalist
(10:52) - The world’s worst chambermaid
(12:09) - Sequencing operations in Burger King
(15:48) - Hospitality Skills in Marketing: Leaders should be waiters
(21:35) - Mimi’s route into marketing
(24:50) - Playing to win and solve the strategic problems
(29:31) - B2B marketing: The challenger to B2C marketing
(32:29) - Joining the B2B Institute at LinkedIn
(33:55) - Who is making the decisions in B2B buying
(37:03) - In B2B Brand is a decision insurance
(46:03) - This quarter’s sales will be won or lost on brand
(49:26) - Target B2B’s hidden buyers
(57:16) - Advice for CMO’s fighting for investment
(01:01:46) - Target your customers, go after the buying group
(01:04:43) - Differentiation and distinctiveness: The job of creativity in B2B brands
(01:11:23) - Pertinent posers
Mimi's book recommendations are:
The Penguin Book of Modern Speeches by Brian MacArthur
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It’s been 5 years since Call to Action® captured our first of what’s now over 140 heroes and allies from the industry front lines to have a chin-wag with. To celebrate, we’re rereleasing a choice cut of our favourite episodes as part of a ‘Best Of’ series.
Back in 2021, we posed as a jester in the throne room of the Burger Kingdom to nab one of the most influential CMOs in the industry; the mind behind the infamous Mouldy Whopper, Fernando Machado.
A global marketer with enough Lions to rival Joe Exotic, Fernando has since tucked into a few new roles, including one as CMO at Activision Blizzard. But at the time of recording, Fer was CMO at Restaurant Brands International, serving up great creative work for Burger King, Popeyes and Tim Hortons.
So, pull up to the next window and pick-up Fer’s final flame-grilled interview pre-abdicating, where we chat on his obsession with creativity, how to make the case for creativity, the role of the CMO, why Mouldy Whopper was never a risk, brand heritage, cancel culture, Bill Bernbach, Dads in Briefs and the cliff divers of Acapulco.
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Check out The One Club for Creativity
BGH Air Conditioners: Dads in Briefs
Timestamps
(02:15) - Quick fire questions
(03:39) - His early career and first job
(08:02) - Importance of creativity as a competitive advantage
(15:24) - Making the case for creativity in marketing
(20:30) - Burger King's challenger mindset and culture of creativity
(25:22) - Role of the CMO and comfort with being uncomfortable
(28:29) - Listener questions
(33:04) - 4 pertinent posers
Fernando’s book recommendations are:
Bill Bernbach's Book by Bob Levenson
The Copy Book by D&AD
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This week, we tracked a trail through deserts, glaciers, coral reefs, paddy fields, palaces, the DMZ between the two Koreas and an Italian hilltop to catch a copywriter with a lifetime of wild experience behind him. Ciao, Andrew Jolliffe.
For 25 years he’s written ads, strategies, thought starters, content, manifestos and copy. Some of those have won him prizes in Cannes, Paris and New York, but more importantly, he still adores writing them. In an age where concepts cast shadows over craft, Andrew is a true craftsman.
Full of refreshingly smart observations, Andrew talks to us on his organ building apprenticeships, fireworks accidents, Princess Di’s wedding, his "3rd career" in advertising, the internet as a vending machine, an outstanding defence of proper craft, and much, much more.
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Follow Andrew on LinkedIn
Here’s his website, entirely written by his clients
A short but very award-winning film he wrote with animator Darren Price
MusiCuvia, music festival in Valcuvia, northern Italy, founded by Andrew 4 years ago
And some Jack Dee for good measure
Timestamps
(02:12) - Quick Fire Questions
(06:03) - Andrew's Early Career: Pipe Organ Builder
(11:03) - Transition to Firework Technician
(16:20) - The Cutthroat World of Fireworks
(19:53) - Transition to Advertising
(23:54) - Learning the Craft at Ogilvy
(25:09) - Understanding People from All Walks of Life
(26:14) - The Value of Real Experiences
(27:32) - The Internet as a Vending Machine
(29:59) - The Importance of Craft in Advertising
(32:22) - Consumer Intelligence and Craft
(45:00) - Advice for Aspiring Advertisers
(52:06) - Pertinent Posers
Andrew’s book recommendations are:
Atonement by Ian McEwan
Saturday by Ian McEwan
Black Dogs by Ian McEwan
The Pornographer by John McGahern
The Plot Against America by Philip Roth
The Howard Gossage Show by Steve Harrison and Dave Dye
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It’s been 5 years since Call to Action® captured our first of what’s now over 140 heroes and allies from the industry front lines to have a chin-wag with. To celebrate, we’re rereleasing a choice cut of our favourite episodes as part of a ‘Best Of’ series.
In 2021, baited by a Bedouin birthing blanket, we caught big thinker and bestselling author, Paul Feldwick.
The man behind one of our favourite all time ad campaigns, Paul worked at the legendary agency BMP on some of Britain’s most famous brands for over 30 years.
Paul talks to us on tonnes of topics, including BMP, being the world’s worst account manager, clowns, talking to real people, what brands can learn from Snow White, Jeremy Bullmore, PT Barnum, fame, shame, purpose, Mrs Brown’s Boys, whether ads need to be "liked", Martin Boase, and a whole lot more.
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Check out his website
Follow Paul on LinkedIn
We implore you to read both of his fabulous books:
Why Does the Pedlar Sing?
Anatomy of Humbug
And here’s that famous Barclaycard ad with Rowan Atkinson
Timestamps
(01:58) - Quick fire questions
(07:20) - Paul's early career and transition to account planning
(11:24) - Importance of entertaining advertising
(17:29) - Discussion on fame in advertising
(24:35) - The history of advertising and its impact on creativity
(29:33) - The moral implications of advertising and the need for entertaining content
(35:32) - Question on creative thinking in advertising and overcoming shame for fame
(41:36) - Balancing likability and fame in advertising campaigns
(47:07) - Pertinent posers
Paul’s book recommendations are:
How Brands Grow by Byron Sharp
Building Distinctive Brand Assets by Jenni Romaniuk
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This week, we ate and left no some crumbs to lure and catch GEN-Z copywriters, Carolyn McMurray and Em Goodier.
Co-founders of Word Tonic, the world’s first GEN-Z copywriting community, Carolyn and Em are hell-bent on helping and inspiring more young people to write for a living. Driven directly by young copywriters, it's a space to connect, share advice and learn from both each other and in masterclasses with the world's most noticeable brands like Disney and Google.
With over 700 GEN-Z copywriters involved, they’re growing so fast they’ve got brands reaching out to recruit fresh, emerging talent straight from the community.
We spill the tea (we’ll stop now) on embracing chaos in your career, building a community as an introvert, why research matters before a GEN-Z marketing effort, flexibility, mentorship, wanky creative directors, creating a diverse and inclusive community, short-term echo chambers, listener questions from Vikki Ross, Dave Harland, Thomas Kemeny and Andrew Boulton, boyfriend dedications, and loads more*.
*including a World Cup of GEN-Z words designed solely to get Giles to say “yeet”, “bussin”, and “vibe check”.
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Follow Word Tonic on Instagram
Find them on LinkedIn
Here’s their website and newsletter
And check out one of Carolyn’s recommendation; Farnam Street
Timestamps
(01:47) - World Cup of GEN-Z Words
(03:31) - Early (chaotic) career paths; from Costa Coffee and cleaning to copywriting
(12:31) - How Word Tonic started, the recruitment side, and why you should join
(22:46) - How to nail GEN-Z marketing efforts
(31:31) - Listener questions
(40:51) - 4 pertinent posers
Their book recommendations are:
Junior by Thomas Kemeny
Hey Whipple Squeeze This by Luke Sullivan
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
A Self-Help Guide for Copywriters by Dan Nelken
The Girl With All The Gifts by M.R. Carey
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This week we asked “Is Pepsi okay?” to bait and catch Coca-Cola Creative Lead, Adam Ross.
Creative Lead for Coca-Cola across the ASEAN & South Pacific region, Adam is responsible for translating and elevating global core creative ideas regionally and locally, wrangling agencies around the world, and driving thought leadership across the business.
So, gather on a Hilltop and listen as we sing on working on impactful campaigns for the Met Police, the power of brand and why it’s far from dead, “leaving loudly”, serendipity, the power of a great brief, going from agency to client side at Coca-Cola, Cantona, being an agency whisperer, balancing parenthood and leaderships and loads more.
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Follow Adam on LinkedIn
Listen to his sister, Vikki, on Episode 6 of Call to Action®
Check out Adam’s Creative Sparks post each month
And keep an eye out for Vikki’s Copy Safaris
Timestamps
(02:01) - Quickfire questions
(02:56) - His first jobs and first proper job at MediaCom
(05:05) - Tackling issues like knife crime and gun violence for the Met Police
(08:29) - The role of serendipity in his career
(13:07) - Transition to client-side at Coca-Cola
(23:17) - Being an ‘agency whisperer’
(26:08) - The power of a brief
(31:15) - Leaving loudly
(40:55) - Listener questions
(51:38) - 4 pertinent posers
Adam’s book recommendations are:
Emotion by Design by Greg Hoffman
Misfits by Michaela Coel
Is This Anything? by Jerry Seinfeld
Dave Trott’s books
The Course of Love by Alain de Botton
The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work by Alain de Botton
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This week, we caught Scott ‘The Boom’ to shake-shake-shake the room.
Cutting his teeth at Saatchi and Saatchi, Scott Morrison has run the Nike business at Wieden and Kennedy, and been CMO and Commercial Director at Levi’s, Activision and Diesel. Now he brings the Boom! to brands and leaders to Unblock, Unlock and Unleash commercial, creative or cultural impact that transforms business and individuals.
Strap in as we wag chins on picking tomatoes, the power of stating intent, the magic of positive disruption, and the art of creating a movement. Scott's not just about making noise - he's about making a real impact. From quiet leadership lessons inspired by Nelson Mandela to the bold moves that drive businesses forward, Scott's got the playbook for success.
Listen quick. Tic-tic-tic-tic...
Follow Scott on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram
Find out more about the Boom!
Here’s the Boom! Book Club
Read 10 ways future-thinking clients are bringing the Boom! to Business Unusual
Scott's ISOLATED Talk Leadership Lessons from Marvin and Mandela
Timestamps
02:07 - Quickfire questions
03:40 - His early jobs and career path
06:19 - Importance of being open to serendipity in career choices
13:39 - The importance of positive disruption in business
21:29 - The "unblock, unlock, unleash" approach
25:40 - Defining success and unblocking obstacles
33:24 - Stating intent as a powerful leadership tool
36:52 - Characteristics of impactful leaders and the concept of learning fast
41:25 - Impactful leadership styles and the balance between quiet and loud impact
45:37 - Listener questions
51:38 - 4 pertinent posers
Scott’s book recommendations are:
The Mountain is You by Brianna Wiest
The Ego is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday
The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday
The Road Less Stupid by Keith Cunningham -
This week we sent off a coupon to catch 1960s advertising copywriter, Howard Gossage, through the eyes and work of Steve Harrison and Dave Dye.
As a copywriter, Steve tamed more Cannes Lions in his discipline than anyone else in the world. He’s been on the show twice before, once guesting, once hosting, and is a great friend of …Gasp!. Dave is the true “art director’s art director”. Through his career he’s won everything, worked for the best agencies in the business, and the visual techniques he uses to squeeze every ounce of juice from an idea are frankly unparalleled.
The pair have joined forces to pen and produce ‘The Howard Gossage Show’, a fitting celebration of the fun and fame peddling ad man; one of the industry’s lesser known greats.
We gossip on Gossage’s showmanship, breaking conventions, having half an interesting conversation through his ads, writing to somebody, stunts, fame, and so much more. At a time when advertising is disliked and avoided by most people, his legacy feels even more important now than it was 60 years ago. So listen up.
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Here’s The Howard Gossage Show
Follow Steve and Dave on LinkedIn
Check out Dave’s Stuff From the Loft
And Steve’s biography on Howard Gossage
Timestamps
(02:34) - Quick fire questions (Posh Spice or Persil?)
(04:41) - How Gossage ended up in advertising
(12:09) - Why now’s the time for a book about Gossage
(20:50) - How he broke conventions
(26:28) - People read what interests them
(35:00) - The industry becoming hyper-serious
(45:17) - Listener questions from Vikki Ross and Nick Asbury
(52:00) - The Cannes Lions humour category
(1:00:00) - A dedication to Alice Lowe and Phish Food
Image of Howard Gossage credit: ©George W Dippel
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It’s been 5 years since Call to Action® captured our first of what’s now over 130 heroes and allies from the industry front lines to have a chin-wag with. To celebrate, we’re rereleasing a choice cut of our favourite episodes as part of a ‘Best Of’ series.
In February 2022, we stuck a fake shark fin on our back and lurked in the waters off Adelaide to catch the attention of one of the industry’s most respected researchers; Prof. Karen Nelson-Field.
Hell-bent on fighting the broken media ecosystem as founder and CEO at Amplified Intelligence, Karen is also an author and alumni of the world-renowned Ehrenberg-Bass Institute. When she’s not binge-watching Home & Away (yes, she’s still a fan), Karen’s research into the measurement of attention has made her a global authority on media effectiveness.
Point your ears this way as Karen talks on her 10 years at Ehrenberg-Bass, skateboarding cats, myth-busting Facebook likes, going viral, why attention is an important metric, how to measure it and more. And strap in as Karen finally answers the red-hot question of whether our attention spans really are becoming shorter than a goldfi-
Oh, look, some links…
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Follow Karen on LinkedIn
And on Twitter
Here’s her website
And, Karen kindly dedicates this episode to the bullshit-detecting bulldog himself, Bob Hoffman
Grab yourself her books:
Viral Marketing: The Science of Sharing
The Attention Economy and How Media Works
Timestamps
(01:50) - Quick fire questions
(03:15) - First jobs and early fascination with advertising
(08:40) - What she learnt about media from cinema
(14:00) - Her time at Ehrenberg-Bass
(15:45) - Myth-busting Facebook likes
(19:15) - A deep dive into the attention economy
(25:30) - Are our attention spans really getting shorter?
(30:00) - Single piece of advice to marketers to better understand attention
(34:30) - Listener questions
(38:15) - 4 pertinent posers
Karen’s book recommendations are:
Play Bigger by Al Ramadan, Dave Peterson, Christopher Lochhead & Kevin Maney
That Will Never Work by Marc Randolph
Feel better about marketing with Episode 81 of Call to Action® with Professor Karen Nelson-Field.
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This week, we scoured wardrobes far and wide to catch a man who has dressed rock icons, Sapeurs of the Congo, a blue monster for Ed Sheeran, and even ‘plug boy’ from the Sainsbury’s Christmas ad; Mr Gammon.
Costume designer, fashion stylist, and distinctive English gent, Mr Gammon is the go-to guy for creatively styled costumes. Whether it’s dressing The Rolling Stones, elegant men of the Congo, Usain Bolt, a school nativity like no other, or mum and dad in jeans and a t-shirt; no cast is too vast, nor celebrity too big.
We wag chins on his first ever job with an alcoholic called Malcolm, his first proper job dressing Adam Ant, making and selling bermuda shorts at school, being a colourful punk, what he loves about being on set, how a joke about needlework changed the trajectory of his life, managing expectations, where ‘Mr Gammon’ came from, taking 25 suitcases to film Guinness ‘Sapeurs’, making jackets for Mick Jagger, drawing as ‘creative offsetting’, and a treasure trove more.
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Find Mr Gammon on Instagram
Here’s his website
Loving You is Killing Me by My Life Story
And a choice cut of Mr Gammon’s best work:
Guinness Sapeurs
Sainsbury’s The Big Night
The brand new Carlsberg spot 'Curious Beginnings'
And DJ Shadow - Rocket Fuel ft. De La Soul
Timestamps
(02:09) - Quick fire questions, Doctor Who, and the reality check The Rolling Stones gave him
(08:14) - First jobs, making bermuda shorts, and designing for Adam Ant
(16:05) - His time at the Royal College of Art
(20:30) - The ‘common good of the shoot’ when you’re on set
(27:55) - Dealing with the opinions and emotions of different people on set
(39:39) - His new work for Carlsberg
(41:35) - Listener questions
(46:30) - 4 pertinent posers
Mr Gammon’s book recommendations are:
Small Trades by Irving Penn
Michel the Giant: An African in Greenland by Tété-Michel Kpomassie
Learning to Love You More by Miranda July and Harrell Fletcher
The Old Patagonian Express by Paul Theroux
The Financial Times Weekend Edition
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It’s been 5 years since Call to Action® captured our first of what’s now over 130 heroes and allies from the industry front line to have a chin-wag with. The show is still very much like Pokémon Go, with the single but vital exception that it’s not a short-term bandwagon of shite. And to celebrate, we’re rereleasing a choice cut of our favourite episodes as part of the ‘Best of’ series.
In September 2020, we pulled a network agency worm out of the Big Apple and used it as topic-bait to catch one of advertising’s biggest fish; the one and only George Tannenbaum.
One of the most highly awarded, revered and talented copywriters and creative directors on the planet, George was Executive Creative Director and Copy Chief at Ogilvy for over 10 years. He has worked with huge brands like IBM, Boeing, PayPal, and General Motors, writes a hugely influential marketing blog called Ad Aged, and has a charming if alarmingly deluded French alter ego called ‘Le Agency Holding Company CEO’ who holds up a satirical mirror to the holding company era.
Initially released as a two-parter, this is the full, director’s cut. So strap in for an hour and 20 minutes of George’s blissful yet biting NY tones as he talks on subjects such as the agency scene in the 80s and 90s, ageism, the state of copywriting, rediscovering his love for advertising, his time at Ogilvy including his last assignment working on the Boeing account, how to write a good headline, and tons more.
And the whole thing kicks off with an unmissable cameo from Le Agency Holding Company CEO. So what are you waiting for? Go listen.
Feel better about marketing with Episodes 46 and 47 of Call to Action® with George Tannenbaum.
Follow George on LinkedIn
Here’s his Ad Aged Blog
And his website
George’s book recommendations:
The Saddest Words by Michael Gorra
The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson
Caste by Isabel Wilkerson -
This year marks 5 years since our maiden episode launched in 2019. And to celebrate Call to Action® turning 5, we’ve asked the …Gasp! team to rummage through all 130 episodes to re release some of their favourites.
In June 2020, we cast a net off the coast of Adelaide and caught one of the globe’s greatest researchers, Jenni Romaniuk, for her first of two Call to Action® appearances.
Jenni is a Research Professor at the conveyor belt of marketing stars, the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, where she has advised many of the world’s biggest brands. She’s also authored what’s now a trilogy of true industry bibles; How Brands Grow 2, Building Distinctive Brand Assets, and Better Brand Health.
In one of our most listened to episodes of all time, you can hear all about Jenni’s first job as a talented mixologist, how to build mental availability, context, memory, metrics, and more. If you work for a company with a brand logo, font or colour scheme, this episode is as close to essential listening as you’re going to get to understand how to build, measure, manage and, crucially, protect distinctive brand assets.
Feel better about marketing with Episode 39 of Call to Action® with Professor Jenni Romaniuk.
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Follow Jenni on LinkedIn.
If you haven’t already, you’d be a fool not to fill your ear canals up with Jenni’s second cameo on Call To Action®, here.
And check out her books; Building Distinctive Brand Assets, How Brands Grow Part 2, and Better Brand Health.
Timestamps
(01:55) - Quick fire questions
(04:30) - First job behind the bar at a football club
(07:00) - Getting a phone call from Byron Sharp and landing a job at EBI
(12:30) - How Brands Grow 2 and Building Distinctive Brand Assets
(17:05) - How to build mental availability
(24:10) - The link between context and memory
(31:25) - Best practices for managing and measuring distinctive assets
(45:35) - Listener questions
(52:40) - 4 pertinent posers
Jenni’s book recommendation is:
A Scandalous Life by Mary S. Lovell
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This week, we posed as a wide receiver to catch ad land’s premier Super Bowl pundit, Andrew Tindall, to tell us which of this year’s cohort of cost-the-earth commercials were MVPs…and which fumbled the ball.
A man who hadn’t slept in days, we snared Andrew straight from System1’s Super Bowl “war room”. After spending the past week testing the ads our industry can’t help but get sweaty about year on year, he’s here to tell us what “won” the Super Bowl and why.
An award-winning marketer with a commercial background at some top notch FMCGs, Andrew leads System1's global partnership strategy and growth, seeking out the world’s best ads and why they work to unlock the potential of their world-leading effectiveness database.
He talks to us on Young Apprentice being a way of "getting out of Huddersfield'', studying medicine for 3 years, wanting to work in alcohol, how System1 predicts creative potential and effectiveness, his mentor, colleague and friend Orlando Wood, why effectiveness is relative; outperform your category, the hierarchy of evidence, the brilliant Jenni Romaniuk, creativity as the UK’s greatest export, and lots more. Plus, of course, the Super Bowl winners and losers, including Michelob Ultra, Messi, using celebs, mayo cat, T-Mobile and Pfizer.
Touch down on the play button. You won’t be disappointed.
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Follow Andrew on LinkedIn
Find out more about System1 and their ad effectiveness predictors
The only four slides you need for Super Bowl 2024 ad insights from System1
Here’s Andrew’s Super Bowl piece in The Drum
And his personal favourite Super Bowl ad of 2024, Foot Washing
Plus Mr P by Pringles
And if you haven’t seen them, watch 2024’s top scoring Super Bowl ads here:
Dunkin’ Donuts, Hellmann’s, Reese’s, Oreo, State Farm, Popeyes, T-Mobile, NFL, Michelob ULTRA, Booking.com, and Budweiser.
Timestamps
(01:50) - Quick fire questions
(03:45) - First jobs, BBC’s Young Apprentice, and going from med school to marketing
(07:40) - How he ended up testing marketing effectiveness at System1
(13:12) - How System1 predicts creative potential and effectiveness
(17:50) - Which ads “won” the Super Bowl?
(21:15) - What Michelob ULTRA did right
(27:14) - His favourite Super Bowl ad of 2024 (and it’s one no one is talking about)
(30:45) - Efficiency and effectiveness
(36:35) - Listener questions
(42:00) - What US marketers can learn from the UK
(46:30) - 4 pertinent posers
Andrew’s book recommendation is:
Building Distinctive Brand Assets by Jenni Romaniuk
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Go, Shotton, it’s our birthday, we gon’ podcast like it’s our birthday. This week, we claimed that 50 Cent is better than 49 Cent to coax out and catch a man who knows his onions on the ‘left hand digit effect’; Richard Shotton.
In February 2019, Richard agreed to be our inaugural guest to launch the Call to Action® podcast. Almost exactly 5 years, 343309 listens (or 686618 ears), and 1 book better, we're snaring him for a second, celebratory episode to mark the occasion.
Drawing on academic research, previous ad campaigns, and his own original field studies, Richard is the best in the business when it comes to improving marketing with findings from behavioural science. His brace of best-selling books, The Choice Factory and The Illusion of Choice, are practical guides on how any business can use behavioural biases to win customers and sell more stuff.
He chinwags to us on dressing up as Mr Blobby, second album syndrome, why ‘muscular gentleman’ is more memorable than ‘common fate’, rejecting dubious papers (not the whole field), the IKEA effect, Rory Sutherland and The World of Jam, tips to sell more champagne, releasing the handbrake vs pushing the accelerator, how to make your ad more believable, why Giles is scared of Jollibee, and loads more. You’d be a fool not to fill your ear canals up.
*Feel free to ignore this*…but if you leave a review for Call to Action® on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, we’ll choose the best 5 to WIN a book pack prize of The Illusion of Choice, The Choice Factory, Delusions of Brandeur, and How Brands Blow. Mega.
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Follow Richard on Twitter and LinkedIn
Listen to our maiden episode with him here
Here’s Astroten
Get your grubby mitts on his books:
The Choice Factory
The Illusion of Choice
And here’s that Gregory and Gregory stunt from Greggs
Timestamps
(02:02) - Quick fire questions
(04:45) - Second album syndrome and writing The Illusion of Choice
(07:26) - Why marketers should always use concrete words
(12:20) - Richard’s response to behavioural science critics
(17:05) - Choice paralysis and the importance of context
(19:08) - The IKEA effect
(23:08 ) - ‘Press for champagne’ and why marketers should weigh up appeal vs friction
(28:00) - Should ads use more rhyme and humour?
(33:00) - Quick wins for marketers looking to wield the powers of behavioural science
(42:00) - Listener questions
(50:10) - 4 pertinent posers
Richard’s book recommendations are:
Writing for Busy Readers by Todd Rogers
Alchemy by Rory Sutherland
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