Call To Action 99: Steve Harrison & Giles Edwards vent eloquent fire on agencies, pitches, rude clients & the story behind ....Gasp!
Oct 28, 2022
01:13:36
Ahead of our 100th episode next week, one of the most outspoken and brilliant voices in ad land, Steve Harrison, dropped by …Gasp! HQ and tore up our usual script for a special bonus episode of Call to Action.
Copywriter, author, and great friend of the agency, Steve stuck the boot very much on the other foot and snared Giles to shoot the breeze on all things …Gasp!, with an extra dose of eloquent fire for good measure. It is Steve after all.
We chat on why we’re called …Gasp!, art director heroes, being a bunch of creatives who excel a strategy (and vice versa), turning down pitches and firing rude clients, turning 13, abusive voicemails from Sophie, the confidence crisis amongst agencies, our work for Langleys and Zen Internet, setting fire to the Leo Burnett offices, getting sued, selling the agency and tons more.
Tune in next Friday for our 100th episode with an extra special guest. It’s going to be mega. Ritson Mark my words.
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Follow Steve and Giles on Twitter
See what happened when …Gasp! turned 13
Check out our work with Langleys and Zen Internet
Here’s Jonathan Barnbrook
Watch Giles’s talk on breaking away from billable time
Over 80% of our team has completed at least one of Mark Ritson's Marketing & Brand Management Mini MBAs
See what happened when …Gasp! turned 13
Check out our work with Langleys and Zen Internet
Here’s Jonathan Barnbrook
Watch Giles’s talk on breaking away from billable time
Over 80% of our team has completed at least one of Mark Ritson's Marketing & Brand Management Mini MBAs
Timestamps
(02:54) - Why we’re called …Gasp!
(04:46) - Art Directors and creative heroes
(09:30) - …Gasp!’s focus on strategy over tactics
(13:23) - Working for big shops or little shops?
(19:32) - Turning down pitches and firing clients
(32:00) - Moving away from the billable hour
(35:45) - Confidence crisis amongst agencies
(44:42) - A social purpose campaign that works for Zen Internet
(52:10) - Setting fire to the Leo Burnett office; have we lost rock and roll creatives?
(59:00) - Our work, that worked, with Langleys
(1:08:43) - Would Giles sell the agency?
(02:54) - Why we’re called …Gasp!
(04:46) - Art Directors and creative heroes
(09:30) - …Gasp!’s focus on strategy over tactics
(13:23) - Working for big shops or little shops?
(19:32) - Turning down pitches and firing clients
(32:00) - Moving away from the billable hour
(35:45) - Confidence crisis amongst agencies
(44:42) - A social purpose campaign that works for Zen Internet
(52:10) - Setting fire to the Leo Burnett office; have we lost rock and roll creatives?
(59:00) - Our work, that worked, with Langleys
(1:08:43) - Would Giles sell the agency?
Giles & Steve’s Book Recommendations
A Smile In the Mind by Beryl McAlhone and David Stuart
The Art of Looking Sideways by Alan Fletcher
Can’t Sell Won’t Sell by Steve Harrison
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A Smile In the Mind by Beryl McAlhone and David Stuart
The Art of Looking Sideways by Alan Fletcher
Can’t Sell Won’t Sell by Steve Harrison
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