I don't even know what day it is...

Busy Busy Busy!!!

Now seemed like a good time to get back to the blog, time just seems to fly on by doesn't it? So much so that the thought of the week has become the thought of the month...

So much has gone on in the last few weeks since the last posted - I genuinely have no idea where to start.

Well after the mix up, Phil and I got back to working with each other. Having both been quite successful with our respective partners, we got back into the swing of things and sunk our teeth into a re-pitch for the whole week with an integrated campaign/ branding idea. Branding is kind of nice every now and again, especially when you have complete freedom to do what you want, it's all advertising though right? The result, it seemed to go down a storm in the agency, most people liked it, in both accounts and creatives depts, which is always a nice :) We'll probably find out how that goes in a little while, perhaps once we're back - and if it doesn't run we'll pop it up on here for some fun.

We've now finished at My Agency for Christmas. After a chat with the ECD, we've been asked to come back after christmas. A total of 4 months in the grand scheme of things, which isn't bad going, our work has been well received and we've made friends with some bloody great people. The days have been long and the nights longer, polishing it off with an hour journey home after work simply finishes me off. It gives us a bit of time to sort things out

Most this week we've been hot stepping it over to NABS this week for a multitude of reasons, lining stuff up for when we get back, getting some free print outs, but mainly hammering out some new strategies to mull over the hols. We even managed to get roped into to hanging the fairy lights in the reception. (compliments are welcome - disprovals too). Didn't take long and it's all for a good cause so we don't mind. We happened to bump into Rory from the Talent Business for a good ole natter, whilst he was overseeing the Lonely Hearts book club - sorry if we took up anyone's time!

Anyhow, we're off to the Work Christmas soirée on Thurs for a spot of Belgium food and then to see Gogol Bordello for a bit of caberet, punk, dub at the Round House. I'll report back on how that one turns out...

M.

Creative Mix up...

The last week and a half has been a bit strange, we've been racking our brains over the last few months on a variety of Vodka campaigns, and churning out work on various sub-brands and on a variety of briefs. Well, as of last Monday we were hit with a new brief. The ECD felt we needed a new angle and that people might need refreshing... no, I know what you might be thinking... a big agency social... not quite, this was the result...

A Creative mix up. All of the creatives, employed, freelance and placement teams were integrated with a new partner for the new brief. From senior to junior everyone was shifted around. I ended up working with another art director, Sergio. Phil as the copywriter ended up working with Andy - another art director.

Both Phil and I are gathering knowledge from working with people who possess a great deal more experience that either of us do, picking up some useful things along the way. The last week has been intense, but highly productive on the whole. 

It's was only for the short term, but imagine that, shifting round the whole department for a new inspiration, it certainly caught us off guard. It's not all been 100% plain sailing, it takes a bit of getting used to, working with someone new, especially when you're set in your ways of working with your usual partner. 

Well the time is up as we move on to a new brief altogether, it's gone well on the whole, both have bits of working through to the client, we'll find out next week what's going forward.

**Image via tanktheory

Time for a Review...

When I started this blog, I made a promise to myself, that I would make at least one post every week at the bare minimum...well, to say it has been extremely hectic is a major understatement. So... we've been at My Agency for what is coming up to our third week. As you can probably imagine, the posting has somewhat dwindled over that time. 

I won't apologise, it has all been for a very good reason, or rather a number of reasons, for one the intensity with working in a smaller agency is far greater than it was at JWT. At least that's the way it seems.

Don't get me wrong - we're still new to the game - but what a complete contrast! I don't think we could have imagine it going from one extreme to the other. The Agency isn't nearly as big as JWT but it is certainly just as impressive in its own way.

From day one we were round the board/ conference table sitting with the other Creatives, execs and a range of accounts staff - what an introduction. Straight in the door and straight on a brief, no time to settle - the way i'd expect any agency to be. Do the work - that's what you're there for. 

As usual you worry about making first great impression, you've done the crit or possibly more, they've got you in, but you can't relax. Well that was 2 weeks or so ago and after the big push, I felt it was time to write another post. The all nighter the night before last has left me a little wired but the execs have flown off to Russia, so the pressure eases off a little, but we still have plenty to do. We've been working on a big Vodka brand, a broadband service and now having a play about with some whiskey. 

The last two weeks have flown by at the speed of light, having now officially become residents of London, started our second placement & had plenty of other things to keep us busy such as the YCN Live event - we've not really had a chance to sit back and stop to take it all in and it looks like we won't especially since our graduation ceremony/ ball is at the end of the week. Now that I've racked up more miles on a train that i'd ever had imagined, things should be back on track (excuse the pun - unintentional) and I will get everything back up to speed come the weekend.

*Illustration - Hugh Macleod

Wonderful Wednesday...

Well it's been a extremely busy week for Phil and I. Now we're both back home respectively for a 2 week refresher we have time to recollect and line up our next adventure for what will be happening for the coming weeks, I figured the easiest way is to break it down by day. First up is Wednesday...

So the morning was filled with a trip over to the Barbican for a visit to 'My Agency' - an integrated agency, not quite the size of JWT but for what they lack in size, they make up for in personality and determination.

We met with Luke White, the Founder and Senior Creative Partner of the Agency - You may remember him from McCann's in London where he spent his last 10 years - 5 of which as the ECD there. What a interesting critique, he quickly flicked through our book before calling over Dave Newbold one of the Senior Creatives there to share in our ideas. As always some of our concepts took precedence over others, some a little confused whilst others sailed through with only minor constructive criticisms. The new 'back of the book' section went down a storm and gave them some insights as to what we were working on. However, the meeting wasn't all about our book but a good chat on what we had been up to, where we planned to go, and Luke shared some experiences he had been through along with some useful advice for along the way. 

To our surprise, Luke has asked us to come in as of the 25th, the day we get back down to London - well that's a Bank Holiday - so the 26th! to begin a placement. It's great knowing that once our short trip back home is over we'll have something to come back to. So we're looking forward to jumping straight in at the deep-end in a very different environment and once again seeing what we can come up with.

The afternoon was full of surprises... namely one i'd rather forget...

Bird Poo. Some say it's good lucky - but how can this be when you are sitting outside Y&R a mere 5 minutes before you're due to check in... A rustle of leaves followed by a light patter around me. Brilliant. All I can say is thank god for the new Dyson hand dryers!

Well once we'd made our way from the park and I had made some minor cleaning adjustments, we headed in to see Steve Moss & Jo Finch at Y&R. This crit turned out to be possibly one of the most informative meetings we have ever had. Having worked at AMV for several years and now at Y&R the guys certainly knew what they were talking about - when it came to defining strategies in your book. For every product there are possibly 5 different ways of selling an idea, but it is the strategy that defines it and makes it unique from those before. 

Pearl of Wisdom - Get those strategies absolutely watertight. They have leveled the playing field for us, telling exactly what we wanted to know, no sugar coating, brutal honest feedback - what works and what doesn't, what we should keep and what needs to go! It's so nice to have a crit where you actually want to go back and make a huge statement the second time around. We now have something big to aim for, counting down as of Wednesday night....