Call To Action

Following eyewitness reports of stolen genius, we hurtled down the highway to catch ad land’s own Bonnie and Clyde; it’s Rosie and Faris Yakob.  Together they form Genius Steals, a nomadic creative consultancy helping brands, agencies, and rebels find the awesome at the intersection of new communication ideas, new product concepts, and new ways of thinking.  They give us the low down on life on the run road, how Rosie earned $10,000 babysitting, ‘Ask Faris’, US vs UK education system, the lack of industry practitioners as professors, engineering moments of in-betweenness, K-shaped recovery, Blair Enns, charging for what you know (not what you do), entertainment as the cost of admission to someone’s brain, the key to creative effectiveness, and a whole lot more.  ///// Here’s Genius Steals  Follow Rosie on Instagram  And follow Faris on Twitter (yes, he’s still on there) For our chinwag with Blair Enns, hear here  Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen) by Baz Luhrmann  Timestamps (01:44) - Quick fire questions (Ask Jeeves or Ask Faris?) (03:42) - How Rosie made $10,000 babysitting and her first jobs  (10:32) - Faris’s beginnings collecting golf balls, management consultancy and working at lads mags   (18:41) - The education system, subjectivity and outdated teaching methods  (26:52) - Life on the road and why you shouldn’t be a prisoner to your preferences (32:47) - Engineering moments of in-betweenness  (42:08) - Listener questions  (42:24) - Attention, emotion and the importance of context  (52:56) - How we can create more effective work (01:02:00) - Trends for marketers and the emergence of luxury products  (01:04:50) - 4 pertinent posers  Rosie and Faris's book recommendations are:  To Sell is Human by Dan Pink  The Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haidt  XX by Rian Hughes  Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin  Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud  Stone Junction by Jim Dodge  /////

We had to drag Giles away from Chick King to catch Spurs royalty and exceptionally talented business brain Chris Paouros this week.  Broadcasting from the bench to the boardroom, Chris spends her time solving hugely complex, often highly emotive problems that are rooted in everything from corporations to communities.  She talks to us on her first job in a video shop, making covered buttons, what working in retail teaches you, social justice, Eric Cantona and meaningless distinction, building businesses, running a political campaign, being a pain in the arse with compassion, Pride in Football, why belonging at work is so important, and a whole lot more. So go have your ears bent now (in a good way). ///// Follow Chris on Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram  Hear her sing a little song on Guardian Women’s Football Weekly  And check out her website  Timestamps (02:19) - Quick fire questions (03:53) - First job in a video shop and what a grounding in retail can teach you  (12:31) - Doing the original “Mickey Mouse” degree  (17:30) - The lecturer who stayed in her house (20:17) - Eric Cantona and meaningless distinction  (26:53) - Learning how to build a business on the job (33:09) - The Women’s Equality Party and running a political campaign  (38:58) - Equity, inclusion and belonging  (47:59) - Pride in Football and getting a homophobic chant banned (52:31) - Listener questions (h/t Andrew Spurrier-Dawes) (58:44) - 4 pertinent posers  Chris's book recommendations are:  From Margin to Centre by Bell Hooks  How to Lose a Country by Ece Temelkuran   How to Stay Sane in an Age of Division by Elif Shafak The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak /////

This week we’re leading the frontline charge against agencies not advertising themselves by catching and conscribing long-serving ad man, David Moore.  A creative director and copywriter living in the land of beef and corn, he’s written ads for dog wormers, mainframe computer channel extenders, and $1000 dollar steaks. He even named the tallest, fastest roller coaster in the world.  Lauded on LinkedIn for sharing ads for advertising agencies, David is dead set on reminding us all that agencies have an obligation to advertise themselves, yet inexplicably few do.  Lend us your ears for a caffeine-fuelled chinwag on writing 500 TV commercials in 3 years, why agencies won’t advertise themselves, winning and losing a client in 24 hours, how to retain creative talent when your clients aren't big sexy brands, cover songs, why you shouldn’t be afraid to lean on precedent, and a shed load more. Plus, Giles somehow manages to crowbar in Richard Cheese. ///// Follow David on Twitter and LinkedIn  Here’s Kingswood and Palmerston  And David swears by the One Show annuals  Timestamps (01:47) - Quick fire questions (03:03) - His first-ever job as a photographer (06:44) - Writing 500 TV commercials in 3 years (11:03) - What he’s learned from wearing practically all the agency hats   (14:38) - Why aren’t ad agencies advertising themselves? (15:44) - The Four Horsemen of the “Adpocalypse” (22:40) - Should your ad agency hire an ad agency?    (24:35) - What hiring a consultant can do for your business  (32:16) - Just because it’s not the way you’d do it, doesn’t mean it’s wrong (35:18) - The connection between cover songs and advertising  (39:35) - Listener questions from Derek Walker, Carolyn Barclay, and Jake Sanders  (48:07) - 4 pertinent posers  David's book recommendations are:  Where the Suckers Moon by Randall Rothenberg A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson A Self-Help Guide for Copywriters by Dan Nelken  /////

Wi-re-du doo doo push pineapple shake the tree as we catch the messaging expert helping brands sing with a hula melody. This week, it’s Diane Wiredu (doo doo*).  Founder of Lion Words, Diane is laser focused on customer research and brand strategy. She’s a top writer getting SaaS and B2B companies to simplify their message, attract more perfect-fit customers and get better results from their marketing. She roars to us on her favourite Dave, her penchant for hotel lift music (and people with pointy ears), the legendary Jacqueline Wilson, stacking shelves, her love for languages, a pandemic pivot to copywriting, fighting the ‘fluff’ in B2B and SaaS, approaching and justifying research, putting buyer personas in the bin, the “so what?” test, over preparing, and a treasure trove more.  *Good luck getting that one out of your head.  ///// Follow Diane on LinkedIn  And check out Lion Words  Timestamps (01:54) - Quick fire questions (05:35) - First ever job (07:22) - Studying languages and her pandemic pivot   (13:09) - Finding the ‘fluff’  (16:08) - Research > strategy > tactics  (19:03) - Justifying the research phase with clients (20:36) - Should you chuck your buyer personas in the bin?   (24:55) - Why customer interviews are king  (29:47) - Building your messaging strategy post-research (33:35) - Balancing customer vs competitor insights   (37:41) - Listener questions (h/t Dave Harland) (47:06) - 4 pertinent posers  Diane's book recommendations are:  Different by Youngme Moon  Alchemy by Rory Sutherland  Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling  Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson  /////

This week, we said pspspsps to tempt and catch the c̶a̶t̶ man behind US Ad Agency of the Year, Mischief, Greg Hahn. Dubbed a “legend who deserved to be a legend” by George Tannenbaum, Greg has produced creative work that works for decades, winning pretty much every award in the ad land arsenal in the process. But, more importantly than that, he’s one of our most important industry voices, talking the talk as Mischief walks the walk.  He talks to us on his first job knocking on stranger's doors, why he sacked off journalism, cutting his teeth in print and out-of-home, how to deal with the pressure to perform, saying no to work, bringing the joy back to ad land, why his agency Mischief meows, finding the most interesting problem, the story behind Tubi’s Super Bowl hijack, 80s hair metal, and more. ///// Follow Greg on LinkedIn Check out his agency Mischief Here’s why Mischief meows And make sure to watch that Tubi Interface Interruption Super Bowl ad Timestamps (01:45) - Quick fire questions (02:43) - First-ever jobs (07:55) - Cutting his teeth in print and OOH   (12:25) - Why he says no to work  (13:59) - Bringing the joy back (17:14) - Why Mischief is a brand not just an agency (22:26) - Don’t bark, meow   (29:59) - Listener questions (33:15) - Tubi Super Bowl hijack  (37:11) - 4 pertinent posers  Greg's book recommendations are:  The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle Alchemy by Rory Sutherland  The Creative Act by Rick Rubin  Hit Makers by Derek Thompson Nothin’ But a Good Time by Richard Bienstock and Tom Beaujour /////

When life gives you Lemon, make lemonade. So, this week, we catch and squeeze a glass full of tasty topics from creative super brain, Orlando Wood. Chief Innovation Officer at System 1 group and author of Lemon and Look Out, Orlando is dead set on delving deep into the links between advertising, psychology, and the creative arts. He talks to us on interviewing unsuspecting passengers on the Eurostar, advertising as a barometer to society, art history, how a dazzling artform became a dreary science, left and right brain hemispheres, whether advertising is changing for better or worse, legends like Gossage, Bernbach, and Bullmore, humour, his favourite painting, what he thinks of ‘content’, and more. ///// Follow Orlando on LinkedIn Get your mitts on his books Lemon and Look Out And, if you’re an IPA member you can get a wedge off by buying directly from them (Lemon and Look Out) This month we’re supporting the award-winning School of Communication Arts to make the very best creative education available to all. They’ve launched a huge sale across their best-selling courses for agency creatives to fuel diversity in the industry - 20% of sales will go to Brixton Finishing School, all further profits will feed into SCA’s scholarship programme for 2023. Head here to see the courses for sale from only £150 per person. Timestamps (01:57) - Quick fire questions (03:29) - First ever job and first proper job in marketing  (07:40) - Advertising doesn’t exist in a vacuum (09:52) - The parallels between art and advertising  (12:30) - Studying history and how it helps with advertising (14:39) - His books Lemon and Look Out   (23:05) - The left and right hemispheres of the brain  (25:40) - Advertising in the 1950s  (33:24) - “Humour gets in under the door while seriousness is still fumbling at the handle” (38:42) - Listener questions  (49:39) - 4 pertinent posers  Orlando's book recommendations are:  Madison Avenue USA by Martin Mayer  When Advertising Tried Harder by Larry Dobrow  Methods of the Mad Men by Mike Everett /////

Matt Watkinson, CX consultant and author of Mastering Uncertainty, discusses turning uncertainty into an advantage, the impact of COVID, fear of failure, luck, affordable loss, and more. He shares insights on personal growth, embracing uncertainty for innovation, and the importance of building strong relationships. The podcast also covers book recommendations for sales strategies and gratitude for shared wisdom.

This week, we opened wide and said 'aaaah-nd welcome back' as we once again caught Better Brand Health author, Jenni Romaniuk. Research Professor and Associate Director at that conveyer belt of marketing minds, the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, Jenni has advised many of the world’s biggest brands and authored what’s now a trilogy of true industry bibles. 3 years and 1 new book better, we snared Jenni for a second Call To Action chinwag on penning Better Brand Health, pomegranate trees, marketer’s frustrations around brand tracking, shiny new metrics, brand rejection, attributes, memory, charming condiments, healthy cars, a rant on Net Promoter Score, $3 hot dogs, a salacious soft p*rn novel, and a quick fire question she answered with a third alternative which was to gouge her eyes out with a spoon... ///// If you haven’t already, you’d be a fool not to fill your ear canals up with Jenni’s first cameo on Call To Action, here. Find Jenni on LinkedIn Get your grubby mitts on a copy of Better Brand Health Here’s Jenni’s other two brilliant books; Building Distinctive Brand Assets and How Brands Grow 2 And enjoy her current favourite ad, Go A Moe’s, if you’re after a serious earworm (or $3 hot dog) Thank you to everyone who has lent their ears and their brains for over 100 episodes of the Call To Action® podcast. It’s a real privilege. Please do share and review the podcast to help more marketers feel better about marketing.  Timestamps (01:54) - Quick fire questions (05:00) - Why she wrote Better Brand Health (11:32) - The frustration marketers feel with brand tracking  (15:17) - Chasing shiny new metrics  (18:09) - Is tracking brand health easier than we assume? (20:53) - A lesson on brand rejection (25:43) - Is there a case for not tracking brand health?  (29:01) - Attributes and memory (40:22) - Listener questions  (50:50) - 4 pertinent posers (55:40) - The salacious soft p*rn version of Better Brand Health Jenni’s book recommendations are: Slow Horses by Mick Herron A Scandalous Life by Mary S. Lovell  The Meaning of It All by Richard Feynman   /////

This week, we thought Phuket and sailed the Thai seas to catch marketer and problem solver, Lisl MacDonald. With over 30 years of experience in the business, Lisl cut her teeth in London with BT, Virgin, and Ogilvy, before her sense of adventure and curiosity took her to Asia to set up her own consultancy. Obsessed with interrogating ideas, she is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and chairs judging panels for the prestigious MSS Star Awards. Lisl talks to us on her unusual upbringing on a tiny Scottish island, her ‘white coat and condom’ phase, learning whilst doing at BT, moving to Asia, what kept her in Thailand, finding her job being advertised in The Sunday Times, being the only backpacker with Estee Lauder sun cream, realising that you are not the cultural baseline, her experience as a woman in the industry, ego, complacency, solving oddly shaped problems, and tons more. We also wade through a shedload of overwhelmingly good listener questions we had in (including one from Call To Action alumni Rory Sutherland). ///// You can find Lisl on LinkedIn She wants you to watch this case study for TMB And keep your eyes peeled for her book that’s coming soon Thank you to everyone who has lent their ears and their brains for over 100 episodes of the Call To Action® podcast. It’s a real privilege. Please do share and review the podcast to help more marketers feel better about marketing.  Timestamps (01:53) - Quick fire questions (03:51) - Her first-ever jobs on a tiny Scottish island (05:31) - The 'white coat and condom' phase (09:02) - Learning whilst doing at BT (18:12) - Moving to Asia in a dramatic fashion (21:27) - How to succeed working in Asia (28:30) - Differences she sees in the trajectory of the industry nowadays (38:31) - Being a woman in the industry   (49:31) - Listener questions (including one from Rory Sutherland) (55:36) - 4 pertinent posers  Lisl’s book recommendations are:  Delusions of Brandeur by Ryan Wallman  How to Build a Better Business Plan by Alastair Thomson  Nonviolent Communication by Marshall B. Rosenberg Hex by Jenni Fagan   On Connection by Kae Tempest The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu  /////

The Lannisters send their regards this week as we catch Game of Thrones and After Life actor, Tim Plester, for a right royal chinwag.  All-round stellar chap (off-screen anyway), Tim is best known for selling drugs to Ricky Gervais in Netflix’s After Life and slitting Cat Stark’s throat in Game of Thrones. But alongside his film and TV exploits, Tim has made documentaries capturing the weird-and-enduring folk customs of our Sceptred Isle, won the National Student Playwright of the Year Award and featured in over 70 adverts. Yes, that’s right, he was once one of the 118-118 runners.    Tim doesn’t sell Giles any drugs, but does talk to us on stealing comic books, Nativity plays, having an interesting face, ads bleeding into culture, Nobby’s (and Rowan’s) nuts, writing versus acting, getting the role in After Life, dipping his toe into ad land, his Morris dancing journey, why the Red Wedding stunk, and tons more.  ///// Here's Tim’s website Follow him on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram Check out Way of the Morris and The Ballad of Shirley Collins Southern Journey [Revisited] is on Now TV Backyard Village is on Apple TV and Amazon Love Me Till Monday is on Amazon and iTunes And finally, The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself and Shadow & Bone are on Netflix Thank you to everyone who has lent their ears and their brains for over 100 episodes of the Call To Action® podcast. It’s a real privilege. Please do share and review the podcast to help more marketers feel better about marketing. Timestamps (02:28) - Quick fire questions (05:00) - Stealing comic books and his first ever job   (11:57) - Getting an agent and having an interesting face  (14:58) - Writing vs acting  (19:43) - Acting in ads (118-118, AIB bank, Nobby’s Nuts) (27:50) - Getting the role in After Life (after not getting the role in The Office)  (40:45) - Dipping his toe into ad land  (45:31) - Being a Morris dancing convert   (58:28) - Advice for copywriters  (01:03:35) - Game of Thrones and The Red Wedding  (01:14:39) - 4 pertinent posers  Tim’s book recommendations are:  Herzog on Herzog by Werner Herzog A Guide for The Perplexed by Werner Herzog Pilgrim At Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard  The Book of Trespass by Nick Hayes  The Trespasser’s Companion by Nick Hayes  He also recommends a couple of films:  Bardo: False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths by Alejandro Iñárritu Haulout by Maxim Arbugaev and Evgenia Arbugaeva /////