animostaging

If an Ad Agency Were a Tin of Quality Street Chocolates

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 11:38:26 GMT

There are certain rituals that unite the British workplace. The awkward kettle hierarchy. The meeting that could’ve been an email. And, at Christmas, the ceremonial opening of a tin of Quality Street.

It starts politely. It never ends that way.

Spend enough time in an agency and you’ll notice something else: the chocolates don’t just disappear at random. They follow a hierarchy. A pattern. Almost… an org chart.

So, in the spirit of festive procrastination and self-aware faffery, we asked a ‘very serious’ question that absolutely did not need asking:

If agency roles were Quality Street chocolates , who would be who?

The answers were amusingly accurate.

1. Creative Director – The Purple One

Iconic, instantly recognisable, and expects to be taken seriously. Often reaches in first, believes they set the tone for the whole tin. Rich, a bit indulgent, sometimes intimidating, but when it’s right, it’s really right.

2. Account Director – Toffee Penny

Indestructible, mildly exhausting, and somehow always still there at the end. Nobody ever chooses it first, yet it carries the entire tin on its back. Feels underappreciated and is not wrong.

3. Account Manager – Caramel Swirl

Sweet, enthusiastic, and constantly in motion. Leaves a trail everywhere they go and is somehow involved in every conversation, even the ones they were not invited to.

4. Strategist / Planner – Orange Chocolate Crunch

Bright, sharp, occasionally polarising. Some people love them. Some people absolutely do not. Both are correct.

5. Copywriter – Green Triangle

Sharp, layered, and deceptively complex. Not always everyone’s first pick, but those who know, know. Brings depth rather than sugar, and quietly judges the rest of the tin.

6. Art Director – Toffee Finger

Hard work, long-lasting, and oddly satisfying if you commit. Not for the faint-hearted. The One Who’s Been There Forever. Carries institutional memory and mild cynicism in equal measure.

7. Designer – Milk Choc Block

Structured, considered, and quietly exacting. Looks simple at first glance, but every square is deliberate. Everyone thinks they can improve it, until they try.

8. Content Creator – Strawberry Delight

Brings energy, colour, and a steady stream of ideas. Occasionally a bit messy around the edges, but that’s part of the charm. Sweet and best not underestimated.

9. Project Manager – Fudge

Reliable, calming, and quietly crucial. Keeps things smooth, fills the gaps, and makes sure nothing collapses under pressure. Rarely thanked enough.

10. Developer – Coconut Eclair

Not here for the jokes. Needs space, clarity, and respect. If mishandled, everything collapses.

Final Thought

At Christmas, much like in agencies, everyone has their favourites. Some roles get picked first. Some quietly hold everything together. And some are only appreciated once they’re gone.

And yes, the purple one still goes first.

Some hierarchies are universal.
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The Seven Deadly Sins of Agency-land: Lust

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 16:03:39 GMT

What I don’t do as a ‘Suit’ owning my own agency – the Seven Deadly Sins of Agency-land.

�� Lust: Why chasing ‘sexy’ clients can leave you sore, broke, and creatively unfulfilled.

We’ve all seen it. The gleam in the eye. The breathless ambition. The starry-eyed agency falling head over heels for That Account . The one they just have to have. Doesn’t matter if it’s profitable. Doesn’t matter if the client is a tyrant. Doesn’t even matter if it makes sense. It’s a brand name with TV ads, exotic shoots, and maybe even a Cannes Lion in the distance.

And that, my friends, is lust.

Part 5 of this series is about a mistake agencies make over and over again: chasing glamour at the expense of substance. Mistaking name-dropping rights for real value. And worst of all, willingly suffering for the illusion of sexiness—like a lovesick intern clinging to a toxic situationship.

At Animo, we’ve taken a different approach—one rooted in real connection, mutual respect, and, shock horror… fair payment. Because while lust may be exhilarating, it almost always ends in disappointment.

I once had a particularly self-important Marketing Director try to justify another round of brutal fee negotiations by telling me (with a perfectly straight face) “Agencies dream of having a beer account like ours.”

Which, to be fair, he wasn’t entirely wrong about.

There are certain clients that agencies lust after like hormone-addled teenagers. Beer. Automotive. Luxury. You know the type. The fantasy involves jetting off to tropical locations, directing sunkissed commercials full of beautiful people frolicking in slow motion, endless product sampling (purely for “research”), and a budget that’s more suggestion than constraint.

But having worked on those very accounts—I can tell you, the fantasy is mostly bollocks.

One particularly glamorous example: I was shooting a TV commercial for a global beer brand in a studio in west London. At 2am, we were still on take 33 of a bottle slowly rotating in front of a curtain of flowing silk. I wasn’t on a yacht. I wasn’t sipping lager in the tropics. I was staring at condensation and thinking seriously about changing careers. The director was whispering to the stylist about the “sexual tension” between the label and the lighting. I was contemplating if it was possible to die from boredom and low blood sugar at the same time.

And yet… agencies chase these accounts. They clear their schedules, overcommit their teams, and start fantasising about award entries before the ink on the pitch brief is dry.

Meanwhile, solid B2B accounts—like tech, finance or industrial clients—get quietly parked in the corner like the sensible shoes at a fashion show. They're seen as boring, unglamorous. But here’s the twist: those accounts are often more rewarding, more creatively open, and actually more profitable.

Because what happens when an agency finally wins one of those “dream” clients?

Profitability goes out the window.

The team gets worked to exhaustion.

The agency stops challenging bad ideas, terrified of being replaced.

And the quality of the work? It drops. Because fear doesn’t breed bravery. It breeds bland.

That’s not to say that beer, automotive, or luxury clients can’t be deeply fulfilling. They absolutely can—and I’ve been lucky enough to experience that first-hand. But what makes those relationships valuable isn’t the category—it’s the chemistry. The trust. The mutual respect. The shared pride in the work.

In fact, when you reframe your parameters for success—based on pride in your work, mutual trust, and fair value—you’ll find you can get more joy out of marketing injection-moulded plastics than a superyacht brand with commitment issues. (Trust me. I’ve done both.)

A wise COO I once worked with—Max Tucker—summed it up beautifully:

“There are three types of account: the ones that pay the bills, the ones that get more clients, and the ones that win awards. Once a client stops being one of those things, it’s time for them to stop being a client.”

At Animo, we’ve evolved that slightly:

Can we produce work we’re proud of?
Are we fairly compensated?
Do we trust and enjoy working with this client?

If the answer’s yes across the board, we’re in. That’s what turns lust into love. And six years in, our average client relationship spans five years or more. Not bad for an industry that typically measures retention in dog years.

Because at the end of the day, real relationships—not runway accounts—are what make this job worth doing.

Next time, we dive into Gluttony — aka the agency habit of gorging on indulgences that impress no one, while starving the things that actually matter.

How to Waste Your Holiday

simon@madebyanimo.com (Simon Culley) — Fri, 18 Jul 2025 16:33:16 GMT

I remember going on holiday as a kid with my parents – as many of us were lucky enough to do – and being presented with a number of perfunctory cautions, all ending with: “…you’ll waste your holiday.”

“Don’t stay in bed… you’ll waste your holiday.”

“Don’t just lie on the beach… you’ll waste your holiday.”

“Get up early or… you’ll waste your holiday.”

“If you just stay by the pool… you’ll waste your holiday.”

Now, I love my parents dearly. To be fair, if it weren’t for their guidance and wisdom, I’d probably be doing bird, dead, or both by now. However, in this instance, I’m going to challenge that pearl of wisdom and go so far as to say: “Abso-fucking-lutely waste your holiday.” In fact: “Waste the fucking shit out of it – every last hour, minute, and second – until it’s totally and utterly wasted" (in all senses of the word - another thing I was cautioned against doing on holiday... but that’s the subject of another blog.)

But why? Why, when you’ve ponied up all that hard-earned cash for two weeks of new experiences and relaxation, would you want to “waste it”?

Simple. Because enjoying your holiday is way more important than “experiencing” it.

How many times have you heard: “We had a lovely holiday. We did so much we could just do with another holiday to recover from it” ?

What – so you can cram even more into the next one and come back even more knackered?!

I’m not a lazy holidaymaker. I snowboard. I’ve got a PADI Open Water diving licence. I’ve done bush safaris in Lilongwe and trekked the Himalayas. If that’s your jam, go for it (I did and loved it). But make sure you take time to stop and relax – whether that’s two weeks in Khao Lak or a week in your garden. Take the time to just be.

The Western world is facing a mental health crisis. Anxiety and depression are on the rise. Suicide is the single biggest killer of men under 50 in the UK. Not cancer, not heart disease, not drink-driving – but simply deciding that your life isn’t worth living. That’s royally fucked up.

We live in an amazing world, but we rarely take the time to appreciate it – too busy beating ourselves up over what we don’t have or haven’t achieved. It’s worth noting that this mindset is the polar opposite of one of the core principles of Buddhism. Props to Buddha, who figured this shit out around the 5th century BC.

I’ve been diagnosed with something called GAD – Generalised Anxiety Disorder.

(Yep, props to me – after 25 years in Adland and 50 years on the planet, I have a disorder. #LifeGoals)

I’m joking about it, but for anyone who’s experienced it, it’s a royal fucker. I’m open about my condition because staying quiet is what causes a lot of the problems. Remember that suicide stat?* There’s a reason it’s mostly men – because we’re shit at talking about it.

We’re taught to keep quiet. It’s not manly to be scared or sad, and for fuck’s sake don’t cry – if you do that, your testicles will immediately be confiscated and you’ll have to be a eunuch forever.

In the UK, you are 3–4 times more likely to call it quits on life if you’re a man than if you’re a woman. That’s not because our lives are harder – we’re just royally shit at accepting we need help and asking for it.

Anxiety (like it's equally attractive twin, Depression) is like alcoholism – you never get rid of it. You just learn to manage it. Funnily enough, it’s contagious. It’s not spread by kissing or hugging or sneezing, but by teaching.

Anxiety, in many ways, is about bad habits. Habits we’re taught through life:

We don’t do enough.

We haven’t achieved enough.

And my personal favourite: “What if?”

“So what the fuck has this got to do with what I do on holiday?”

You may ask.

Stop and think about that question for a second. Then think about that old caution: “…you’ll waste your holiday.”

Firstly, it’s telling you you’re not doing enough.

Secondly, it’s stopping you from doing the very things your brain might be begging you to do – to protect itself from mental illness.

As part of my ongoing treatment for my highly prestigious “disorder”, I was taught a technique called Centring.

The process involves first identifying when you’re becoming anxious – harder than you might think – and then switching your focus to your toes. Think about how they feel, what they’re doing… then your feet… your legs… back… and so on, all the way through your body.

What this does is refocus your mind on the present – and, by default, stops you worrying about the future and what may happen.

So why “waste” your holiday?

When we relax and tune out in a new environment, we’re more likely to notice the world around us. It brings our minds back to the present (and probably a lot of nice things to appreciate, right there and then).

Not only does this give our brains a break from negative thought patterns, it helps us form more positive habits – like appreciating the now. Do that enough, and you’ve armed yourself with a very useful tool for fighting anxiety and stress, whether you’re on holiday or not.

Now, back to my dear parents – this wasn’t a flaw in their parenting or some terrible mistake they inflicted on me. My parents loved me, and they are the two people I respect and love the most in my life (after my long suffering, and considerably better half Rachel Hall ).

It’s a societal thing. They were taught the same values by their parents – and so on.

It’s on us to recognise the flaws in that mindset, not be afraid to break the rules (remember what I said about that earlier), and to do what is good for us – not just what’s expected.

So please this summer ... go forth and waste. Wear that "Holiday Waster" badge like a Chevy Chase "we're going to have a good time... if it kills us" grin. I promise you'll come back a happier human for it.

*Suicide is the biggest killer of men under the age of 50 in the UK.

The Seven Deadly Sins of Agency-land: Envy

simon@madebyanimo.com (Simon Culley) — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 11:10:05 GMT

What I don’t do as a ‘Suit’ owning my own agency – the Seven Deadly Sins of Agency-land.

�� Envy: Why we don’t waste time playing Hunger Games with other agencies.

Welcome to Part 4 of the series. We’ve already wandered through the ego-driven wasteland of Pride , dodged the spreadsheet traps of Greed , and shouted our way through Wrath . Now, let’s turn our attention to a sin that’s a little more passive-aggressive in nature: Envy .

If you’ve ever been part of an “Inter-agency Forum” where one team is trying not to strangle the others with a lanyard, you already know the dynamic. Rival agencies circling each other with fixed grins and sharpened elbows. Clients asking everyone to “collaborate,” while quietly watching who flinches first. And don’t get me started on the phrase “in-house agency.”

Agency envy isn’t just petty. It’s expensive. It’s time-wasting. And it distracts everyone from what actually matters; doing great work.

Of all the wonderfully futile time-wasters in agency-land, the “Inter-agency Forum” is right up there. It might even out-point the humble “Focus Group” – though the focus group does win on the nap potential behind one-way glass.

For the uninitiated, an Inter-agency Forum (or as it’s affectionately known, the Inter-agency Bunfight) is when a client invites all their agencies to the same meeting. The theory is that we’ll bask in each other’s brilliance, share ideas freely, and collaborate like a creative utopia. In reality, it’s a polite brawl dressed up as a strategy session.

I remember one such forum where the media agency decided to blindside the creative agency – its own sister company, no less – by unveiling its own set of creative work in front of the client. Classic case of pissing directly in the paddling pool you were invited to sit in. Bonus twist: the creative agency had actually been the one to recommend that media agency in the first place. Family, eh?

But if you really want to see tension levels spike, just bring up the client’s “In-house Studio.” Better yet, refer to it as their “In-house Agency.” Cue the frosty smiles and the subtle scraping of chairs as egos start preparing for battle.

And here’s the kicker: this paranoia is actively encouraged. On one side, clients believe a little rivalry will sharpen performance and keep costs down. (Then they act surprised when the agencies don’t play nicely.) On the other side, senior level agency execs encourage their agencies against to battle for account share, then act shocked when the client complains no one’s collaborating. It’s like watching toddlers being told to share their toys by parents who are actively stealing them behind their backs.

But things are shifting. And interestingly, that shift isn’t coming from the top-heavy networks; it’s being led by smaller, independent agencies. Why? Well, I can’t speak for all of them, but here’s why it works for us at Animo :

No egos, no empires. We’re not driven by aggressive shareholder demands or bonus-fuelled KPIs. Our success is measured in the strength and longevity of our relationships; not how much of someone else’s lunch we’ve eaten.
Confidence over competition. We know our work is good, we’ve trained under some of the best creative and strategic minds in the business. So we’re not threatened by great work. We admire it.
Transparent pricing. We don’t have bloated overheads or mysterious mark-ups. Our costs are lean, honest and hard to challenge, because there’s nothing hidden in them.
Flexible, not territorial. If a client wants to use us to support their in-house team, we’re happy to play that role. We’ve done it effectively with brands like Octopus Investments . We’re there to bolt on, not barge in.

All of that frees us up to actually appreciate other agencies’ work, because we’re not intimidated by it. We don’t see in-house studios as kryptonite. We see them as potential collaborators. Extensions of the team, not threats to it.

That’s not to say clients don’t occasionally try to play agencies off against one another on cost. But the truth is, with our stripped-back model, our rates tend to be 60–70% lower than other agencies of comparable quality. And since we’re not shackled by big overheads or obsessed with quarterly wins, we’re quite happy to politely walk away from any client trying to turn collaboration into a cage match.

Next week, we tackle a more seductive sin: Lust. Or as it’s known in agency terms – Chasing shiny things at the expense of the right things.

The Seven Deadly Sins of Agency-land: Wrath

simon@madebyanimo.com (Simon Culley) — Fri, 04 Jul 2025 11:49:23 GMT

What I don’t do as a ‘Suit’ owning my own agency – the Seven Deadly Sins of Agency-land.

�� Wrath: How unchecked egos, insecurity, and creative tantrums ruin more than just the work.

It’s Week Three of my deep dive into the seven sins of agency life – the things I’ve purposefully chosen not to carry into the world of Animo. And this week, we’re cranking up the emotional thermostat.

We’ve done Pride (the ego-trap) and Greed (the money-pit). Now it’s time for something a little... louder.

Wrath. Not the fun biblical kind involving thunderbolts and plagues. No, this is the simmering rage masquerading as “passion.” The shouting, the bullying, the passive-aggressive emails in Comic Sans. The sort of behaviour that gets filed under “eccentric genius” when it really just needs to be filed under “HR.”

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve heard the excuse: “Oh, they’re not an arsehole… they just care deeply about the work.” As if abusing people is somehow a mark of creative brilliance. Spoiler alert: it’s not. It’s a mark of being an arsehole.

They're not tortured visionaries, dying for their art. They’re insecure, overgrown children who never learned how to manage their emotions – or, frankly, themselves.

Take, for example, the infamous Creative Director I once worked with. One eye, one office, and apparently, one hell of a temper. Legend has it he once picked up his Mac monitor and hurled it across the room at his assistant. When you presented work to him, the first rule was: never sit in his blind spot. One unlucky colleague did just that and made the fatal error of speaking . The Creative spun to identify the offender, knocked over his coffee onto the work, and unleashed a fountain of spit-laced rage that could be heard across the floor. Thankfully, no hardware was harmed that day – but several psyches were.

In another life, while working with a well-known automotive client, the lead creative had a rather dysfunctional routine. He’d take the work to the senior client, get shouted at, loudly, and then come back to the agency to pass on the favour. Unable (or unwilling) to stand up to the client himself, he’d vent his bruised ego on the poor Suit who he believed was “responsible” for the bollocking. He wouldn't stop until he’d either reduced them to tears or simply run out of steam. Usually the latter.

This same creative once announced during a shoot planning meeting that he’d be driving to the location in Anglesey because, and I quote, “I might have to stop off and sort someone out.” Now, if that conjures up an image of a Guy Ritchie-style fixer delivering poetic justice in a battered Jag, let me stop you there. Given his actual stature and temperament, unless the ‘someone’ in question was a small child, there was very little chance of anyone getting “sorted out.” What we got instead was an unprofessional bellend, less Charles Bronson, more Albert Steptoe on a bad day.

And while some of these episodes now have the patina of farce with hindsight, they weren’t funny at the time. There’s nothing creative or passionate about this kind of behaviour. It’s bullying, plain and simple – born not from brilliance, but from insecurity. In this particular case, even after multiple staff went off sick, and the agency was presented with actual recorded evidence of his conduct, including misogynistic rants about female clients, nothing was done. Denial was easier (and cheaper) than accountability.

Sure, now and then an agency does get held to account. Like Wunderman Thompson in 2021, when a London Employment Tribunal ruled that male creatives had been “victimised” based on gender, citing the behaviour of creative directors as part of the evidence brought against the agency in the tribunal.

However, it should be noted from the article in the Guardian newspaper and the Tribunal Judgement document that no case was successfully brought against the creative directors in question, only the agency.

But those cases are rare, and success even rarer. More often, the behaviour is tolerated and excused as “passionate” or “eccentric.” Which is a bit like calling a kitchen fire “atmospheric.”

Thankfully, I’ve also worked with the kind of Creative Directors who prove you don’t need to be a raging egomaniac to care deeply about the work. Jack Neary and Mihai Coliban – both from my BBDO Worldwide days – along with my current partners Chris da Costa and John Walters , all fall into this camp. They’re brilliant, passionate, and dedicated – but they also manage to do it without shouting, threatening, or spitting on anyone.

They share two powerful traits:

They inspire people to shine.

They’re confident enough not to be threatened when someone else shines brighter.

As the late, great John Wooden put it:

“Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming.”

At Animo, that’s all we ever ask of our team: “Did you do the best that you’re capable of?” If the answer is yes – then nothing more will ever be asked of you..

Next week, we’ll turn our green-tinted glasses to the next sin on the list: Envy. Spoiler – it’s not just a problem for interns with award envy.

The Seven Deadly Sins of Agency-land: Greed

simon@madebyanimo.com (Simon Culley) — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 16:11:53 GMT

What I don’t do as a ‘Suit’ owning my own agency – the Seven Deadly Sins of Agency-land.

�� Greed: Why squeezing every penny out of your agency, or your client, leaves everyone poorer.

For those who missed last week’s instalment…

This year marks my Silver Jubilee with agency-land. To celebrate my life sentence (without parole) in this wonderful, crazy, soul-munching, heart-rending industry, I’ve decided to reflect on the things I’ve learned not to do.

Why? Because when Chris, John and I set up Animo , we didn’t want to just reskin the same old ways in a brand of our choosing. After nearly a century’s worth of combined experience in the supposed Ivy League of global ad agencies – like BBDO Worldwide – working on blue-chip clients such as Procter & Gamble , Gillette , Mars , Diageo , and SABMiller (now AB InBev ), we felt it was time for a different approach.

Last week, we rummaged around in the underpants of Pride (not the glitter-and-feathers kind), that glorious work-blocking quagmire of egos clients and agencies both can sink into. If you missed it –and for some reason want to read it -you can find it here .

This week, we’re casting a cynical eye over the second sin on our Seven Deadly Sins of Agency-land sh*tlist...

Greed

�� It’s Not Just for Wall Street

After 25 years in Adland, you get familiar with how agencies charge and how clients negotiate (badly). There are, in essence, two typical dynamics when it comes to the “ungentlemanly” topic of fees:

The False Economy

Client wants the most work for the least money.

Agency wants the most money for the least effort.

So, the agency gets greedy.

The client plays hardball.

The agency caves—but swears they’ll claw it back through scope creep, change requests, and that magic book balancing tactic (that only works for the agency C-suite and it’s shareholders) “unpaid overtime.”

The result? No trust, no goodwill.

High churn. Low morale.

And a client that ends up paying more—because every tiny request outside of scope now comes with a neatly itemised invoice.

The Relationship

Client genuinely wants a partner.

Agency genuinely values long-term relationships over short-term wins.

They agree a fair scope and a fair fee.

The agency doesn’t take the piss. The client doesn’t play games.

The result? Trust.

Great teams want to stay on the account.

Knowledge is retained.

And when scope does expand, the agency helps without nickel-and-diming the client to death.

Unfortunately, too many inexperienced clients and greedy agencies mistake the first approach for clever business . In reality, it’s just self-defeating.

In my experience, the second approach always works better. That’s why at Animo:

We charge a fair price for the work we do.
We’re completely transparent about how and what we charge.
And we never, ever mark up third-party costs (yes, including print).

By not being greedy, we’ve built long-term, profitable relationships with amazing clients—who always get more than they bargained for (in the good way).

Next week, we take a slightly more serious look at the skeleton in agency-land’s closet... Wrath. (Which has nothing to do with flames or pitchforks, and everything to do with a complete lack of emotional control on both sides of the brief.)

The Seven Deadly Sins of Agency-land: Pride

simon@madebyanimo.com (Simon Culley) — Fri, 20 Jun 2025 10:45:59 GMT

What I don’t do as a ‘Suit’ owning my own agency – the Seven Deadly Sins of Agency-land.

Pride: Because nothing says 'teamwork' like a four-hour ego battle and a cleaner’s opinion on beer.

This year, #Adland and I celebrate our Silver Anniversary—or a full life sentence without parole, depending on your outlook.

Over the last 25 years, I’ve been lucky enough to work with some truly impressive agencies— BBDO Worldwide being top of that distinguished list. And I’ve partnered with some incredible (and highly demanding) clients: Procter & Gamble , Gillette , Mars , Diageo , SABMiller (now AB InBev ), to name-drop a few.

So what have two and a half decades as a “Suit” given me? Aside from a shitload of air miles, functional alcoholism, and a grab-bag of weird and wonderful Adland fireside tales? Actually—quite a lot.

Sure, the way we communicate has undergone a seismic shift (has anyone heard of that “Social Media” thing? Don’t worry—it won’t last). But the fundamentals of delivering great work to demanding clients haven’t changed much since the Don Drapers of yesteryear first poured themselves a scotch. Unfortunately, neither have some of the bad habits.

When we founded Animo , Chris, John, and I weren’t just reskinning our old agency lives in a brand of our choosing. We wanted to cherry-pick the best bits from our past and leave the bad habits behind. A best-of-both-worlds hybrid: the professionalism, creativity, and talent of a Tier One network agency—combined with the energy, passion, and nimbleness of an independent shop.

Or as we like to say: Think Big. Act Nimble.

So, which juicy agency sins did we get security to escort off the premises* when creating this new world order?

Let’s start with the most majestic of them all:

Pride

( Sadly, not the kind where you get to parade down Regent Street in glitter and feathers. )

I remember just two weeks into my stint at BBDO, living in Moscow, I was asked to attend a meeting with a... let’s say, “challenging” client. It lasted four hours. Four. Long. Hours. The planner, the creative team, and the client all fought to prove they were right—leaving me and the Account Manager stuck refereeing a world-class ego showdown.

So, what triggered this intellectually thrilling summit?

The agency had created a TV commercial (cue blood, sweat, and tears from the creative department) aimed at persuading young, affluent males to drink a particular brand of beer. The Marketing Director approved it for testing, despite some initial reservations from the Brand Manager. The ad passed testing, came out the other side unscathed, and was ready for production. We were reviewing directors, not revisiting strategy.

But the Brand Manager, determined to prove her earlier doubts correct, sought a second opinion—ideally one that validated her stance. She found it in the office cleaner. A 60-something grandmother who didn’t drink beer because “it smelled.” Her feedback? a) She didn’t like it, and b) it wouldn’t persuade her to buy beer (which, to be fair, is a strong stance for someone who doesn’t drink beer in the first place).

The Brand Manager triumphantly presented this insight to the agency. Unsurprisingly, it didn’t land well. The team’s disbelief turned to frustration, and then to confrontation. Instead of maintaining the high ground, the agency swan-dived into the mud pit. The client was “right” (because she had her proof), and the agency was “right” (because the work was signed off, tested, and frankly, they liked it). Both sides locked horns, each trying to prove their superiority, and by extension, the other side’s idiocy.

Who was right? The client—because she pays the bills? Or the agency—because come on, we’re not basing marketing decisions on a cleaner’s opinion, are we?

Wrong. Both of them.

Yes, the Brand Manager made some obvious missteps. But the agency’s job isn’t just to produce great work—it’s to guide the client toward great decisions. Instead, both parties lost sight of the goal. The work. The outcome. The fact that they’re supposed to be on the same team.

Here’s a shocker: it’s OK to be wrong.

Here’s another: 9.9 times out of 10, the client knows their brand better than the agency.

And—wait for it—9.9 times out of 10, the agency knows their craft better than the client. (Otherwise, why are you paying them?)

This yin and yang is exactly what makes great work happen. But only if both sides give each other permission to be wrong.

So how do we [Animo] handle it?

Four words: Ask. Listen. Collaborate. Solve. In that order.

And when someone does get it wrong? Thank them. Because you’re now one step closer to getting it right.

Tune in next week when we joyfully wade into that old favourite: Greed.

Is it Time for B2B Marketing to Stop Being the Dull One at the Party?

john@madebyanimo.com (John Walters) — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 16:42:59 GMT

In the creative world, B2B marketing has long been seen as the less exciting, more sensible sibling of B2C. The one who insists on an early night while B2C is out there leading the conga.

While consumer brands revel in big ideas, emotional storytelling, and lavish campaigns, B2B often plays it safe – functional messaging, corporate jargon, and visuals that could double as stock images for a PowerPoint template titled ‘We’re business people’.

But why? Are B2B customers wired differently? Are the stakes higher? Or has the industry just convinced itself that ‘serious’ has to mean ‘dry’?

The truth is, B2B marketing has just as much potential to be bold, memorable and (dare I say it) actually enjoyable. Some brands are already proving it – including a few we’re proud to call clients. So, isn’t it about time the rest of the industry caught up?

Nobody Ever Took the Lead by Playing it Safe

For decades, B2B marketing has been built on the holy trinity of logic, efficiency, and practicality. The assumption? B2B buyers make decisions with the cool detachment of a chess grandmaster. So B2B marketing must be strictly rational, professional, and entirely devoid of anything that might spark, say, joy.

This has resulted in a vast sea of forgettable branding, generic messaging, and enough stock photography of handshakes to fill an entire ‘Business Deals 101’ coffee table book.

I guess, the issue isn’t a lack of creative talent — it’s the environment. Procurement-led processes that prioritise cost over impact. Committees that sand down every bold idea. Risk-averse leadership that neuters anything with personality.

But in a world where attention spans are shorter than ever (are you still even reading this?), blending into the background isn’t a safe bet. It’s a fast track to irrelevance.

Who Says B2B Buyers are Different?

One of B2B’s greatest myths (and the one that winds me up most) is that the audience is fundamentally different from B2C consumers. Yes, they’re buying on behalf of their companies. But they’re still people. They have emotions. They laugh at good jokes, roll their eyes at bad ones, and respond to brands that speak to them like humans, rather than business jargon junkies.

Some B2B brands have already clocked this.

Take Mailchimp , who’ve built a brand bursting with personality and insight. One of my favourites is their recent “Turn clustomers into customers” campaign. Kinda reminds me of an ad we once came up with for Kellogg’s – but that’s not why I like it.

As a campaign platform, it showcases their ability to personalise comms, but does it in a visually curious, playful way. And there’s not a stock image of a deal-closing handshake in sight.

Or this gem of a campaign for H iscox Business Insurance , which absolutely nailed the insight with “The Most Disastrous Campaign Ever.”

It dramatises the small mistakes that have big consequences with sharp writing and clever media ideas that keep on giving.

(Genuinely annoyed I didn’t think of this one.)

For one of our own clients, DigiHaul , we built a campaign platform which acknowledged that whilst everyday in the logistics industry is full of headaches, for DigiHaul it's just another day on the job.

With a positive can-do attitude and the digital solutions to back it up, their suite of products is the ray of hope everyone’s been looking for.

So, we leaned into a confident, can-do tone and positioned DigiHaul as the partner that makes modern logistics a little less painful, and a lot more possible.

What all of these examples have in common? They understand their audience’s pain points, they know the role their product plays in solving them, and they’re not afraid to be liked.

So why does so much of B2B marketing still feel like it was written by a bot trained exclusively on Terms and Conditions pages?

The Cost of Thinking Small

If a key marketing goal is to be remembered, playing it safe is a surefire way to be forgotten. And that forgettability can cost you dearly:

Lookalike brands? Ignored. If you sound like everyone else, don’t be surprised when they pick the other guy.
No brand investment? Hello, short-termism. Many B2B companies focus relentlessly on lead generation whilst forgetting that strong brands make lead generation easier.
Dull content? Straight to the “I’ll read this later” folder. (Spoiler: they won’t.)

We’ve all seen those lonely LinkedIn posts with a single like (usually from the person who wrote it). Those aren’t just creative missteps. They’re missed opportunities. In a world where attention is rarer than a quiet train carriage on a Monday morning commute, brands that fail to make an impression are left standing on the platform.

So, What Needs to Change?

If B2B marketing is ever going to shake off its dull reputation, a mindset shift is required.

Creativity is a business strategy. It’s not a luxury or a line item. Great creative work doesn’t just win awards; it wins customers. It’s how brands connect, differentiate, and grow.
Client-agency relationships need rewiring. Endless revisions, layered approvals, and the fear of ruffling a few corporate feathers kills great work. Trust the process. Back the bold idea.
Leadership must take brand building seriously. The most successful B2B companies treat brand as an asset, not an afterthought. They know that a strong brand makes every other aspect of marketing pay off.

Stop seeing creativity as something to ‘sign off’ . Start seeing it as something to champion.

Let’s Take B2B from Boring To Brilliant

So, here’s my challenge to you:

If you’re an agency, don’t be afraid to push for braver work, fight for standout ideas, and lead clients out of their comfort zone.

As for brands, this also means embracing creative risk, prioritising long-term brand building, and telling stories that stick.

This doesn’t require a total reinvention. Small shifts make a big difference. A touch of personality here, a smattering of ‘more human’ language there. Better visuals. Less corporate bullshit. Ask yourself: Would I care if I saw this? If not, scrap it.

The brands that embrace creativity will win. The rest? They’ll quietly fade into the feed.

It’s time for B2B to stop being the predictable, sensible cousin. The idea that B2B has to be serious to be credible? That’s as outdated as a Flash-powered website.

The best brands, whether B2B or B2C, make emotional connections, challenge expectations, and refuse to be ignored.

So… will B2B finally step onto the dancefloor?

That part’s up to us.

The Creative Hack Pack: 7 Ways to Generate Big Ideas from a Brief

john@madebyanimo.com (John Walters) — Tue, 11 Mar 2025 18:06:30 GMT

For this edition of ‘Thoughts by Animo’, I’m taking a look at how creative teams turn a proposition into a big idea. Think of it as a creative hack pack; a guide to unlocking fresh, impactful concepts from a brief.

And what better way to illustrate ‘7 Ways to Generate Big Ideas from a Brief’ than by showing them in action? So I dug into the archives and pulled out some ideas that never made the final cut from a past campaign for Octopus Investments.

When we first tackled this brief a few years back, we came up with a whole range of ideas…some great, some less so… but all part of the creative process. Here are some of the strongest, demonstrating how these creative hacks work in practice.

Let's Start With The Brief

The Task: Develop a campaign promoting the benefits of an Innovative Finance ISA to armchair investors. Show there’s an alternative that carries less risk than shares, offers better returns than cash savings, and is simpler than being a landlord.

The Proposition: Octopus Choice – the smart choice when it comes to investments.

1. Find the Human Truth

The best ideas connect emotionally.

Look for universal insights in the brief; fears, desires, humour, nostalgia.

Trends fade, as do investments.

One idea played on this by using humour to exaggerate the absurdity of clinging to outdated financial opportunities.

2. Flip the Expected

Take the obvious approach and reverse it.

Challenge clichés and disrupt predictable storytelling.

One concept juxtaposed the same old, tired investment options with the fresh, modern choice – Octopus Choice.

3. Steal Like an Artist (But Make It Your Own)

Look beyond advertising for inspiration; art, music, memes, subcultures. Remix ideas in new ways.

We used wry humour, well-known quotes and clever visuals to prompt audiences to rethink investments and consider Octopus Choice.

4. Shift the Setting

How would the idea work in space?
Underwater?
In a different era?

One idea compared outdated investment opportunities to prehistoric relics, positioning Octopus Choice as the superior species.

5. Keep It Simple

Strip the message down to its core.
The best ideas are simple, not complicated.

We created a concept highlighting that, compared to Octopus Choice, other investment options were well past their sell-by date.

6. Break the Medium

Use the format in an unexpected way.

One idea demonstrated this by using media placement creatively – playing on the idea that knowing where to look makes all the difference.

7. Have Fun With It

If it makes you laugh, smile, or say, “I wish I’d thought of that,” you’re probably onto something.

Our client agreed and ultimately went with a concept using humour to highlight the absurdity of sticking with outdated investments.

Final Thought

Creativity thrives on curiosity, courage and a little bit of chaos.

The best ideas come from pushing beyond the obvious.

Challenge the norm.

Trust your instincts.

And most importantly, have fun with it.

Now go make something great. ��

And if you're interested in seeing the full case study click here .

Writer’s Rituals: 7 Habits to Keep Your Creativity from Going Soft

directors@animo-group.com (Chris da Costa) — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 15:27:02 GMT

Did you know Jackson Pollock didn’t start his illustrious career flinging paint willy-nilly?

Before the chaos… before the splattered canvases that rewrote the rules of modern art, he mastered the craft. He studied form. He made damn sure he understood the structure. And he knew how to paint with intent, long before he set fire to the rulebook.

Copywriting’s a bit like that.

You’ve got to know the rules. The soft skills that turn words, ideas, and insights into something that actually lands. And given how AI is creeping into every corner of a copywriter’s life, remembering this feels more important than ever.

Now, I don’t know what kind of relationship you have with your favourite AI. Maybe it’s casual. Maybe you’re in deep. No judgement. But if you’re starting to bring this increasingly powerful tool into your creative boudoir, it’s important not to let it erode the very human qualities of thinking, curiosity, and creative habits that make your word-smithery good in the first place. (If you’re interested in a deeper dive, check out this piece I wrote recently.)

So, think of it like a relationship. And like any good relationship, you need a bit of ‘me time’ – the space to indulge in the quirks, rituals, and habits that make you a human writer, not just an efficient one. The little things you used to rely on before ChatGPT was even an idea in Sam Altman’s head.

Anyway, apologies if I’m teaching you how to suck eggs, but I’ve pulled together a quick list of things I like to do by my human self to keep the creative spark alive and the fuel tank topped up.

1. Talk to Yourself (Preferably in the Shower)

Thinking is passive.

Talking forces clarity.

Argue with yourself.

Explain ideas out loud until they make sense.

2. Read, Read, Read

If you don’t feed your brain, it starves.

Read widely.

Steal styles.

Play with voices.

Absorb everything.

3. Perambulate While You Cogitate

Moving your body moves your mind.

Steve Jobs swore by it.

No phone, no distractions, just walk and think.

4. Walk Away Now & Again

Forcing it rarely works.

Step away, go to the loo, have a nap…

Let your brain solve it when you’re not looking.

5. Rewrite, Rewrite, Rewrite

First drafts aren’t bad, just unfinished.

Move things around.

Cut. Flip. Play.

Better ideas will follow.

6. Return to Pen & Paper

Typing is fast.

Writing (or even just drawing) by hand makes you think.

Slow down. Scribble. Get messy.

Ideas need space to breathe.

7. Share Your Ideas with Others

Talk it out.

Even bad feedback helps.

Explaining forces clarity, even if no one understands you.

Final Thought

Remember, AI is just a tool. You are the creative one. So, by all means, use it. But don’t let it dull your creative edge.

7 Things We Learned About This Year’s Super Bowl Ads

Tue, 11 Feb 2025 19:17:42 GMT

The Super Bowl isn’t just a game. It’s the biggest entertainment spectacle on the planet. And when millions of viewers tune in, advertisers aren’t just competing for attention; they’re competing for entertainment value.

The best ads don’t just sell a product; they delight, surprise, and move us. Whether through humour, spectacle, or emotion, the brands that won this year understood one simple truth: If you want to be remembered, you have to entertain. And from this year’s lineup, there were seven key lessons we took away about what makes an ad truly entertaining.

1. Nostalgia is More Than a Gimmick…It’s also an Emotional Shortcut

Hellmann’s didn’t just bring back Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal for a quick nod to When Harry Met Sally ; they leaned into nostalgia with purpose. By recreating a classic moment with a comedic twist and adding Sydney Sweeney for a fresh angle, the brand showed that nostalgia works best when it surprises as much as it comforts. It’s a shortcut to emotional connection, but only if it still feels new.

2. Celebrities Are Only as Good as Their Role

Dunkin’s DunKings 2: The Movie proved that star power alone isn’t enough—it has to serve the story. Ben Affleck, Casey Affleck, Matt Damon, and Tom Brady weren’t just cameos; they were characters in an absurd but entertaining narrative. By making celebrities work for their laughs, Dunkin’ created an ad that felt less like a paid endorsement and more like a comedy sketch people actually wanted to watch.

3. Humour Works Best When It’s Relatable

Coors Light’s Slow Monday wasn’t just funny, it was deeply, universally true. The post-Super Bowl slump is something everyone has experienced, and by bringing in sloths as the ultimate Monday mood, Coors Light made us laugh at our collective exhaustion. The best humour isn’t just wacky or random; it taps into something we all recognise.

4. Music Can Make an Ad Unforgettabl e

Mountain Dew’s Kiss From A Lime worked because it took a beloved song, turned it on its head, and made it impossible to ignore. SEAL belting out a parody of his own hit ( Kiss From A Rose ) with full dramatic intensity was both ridiculous and brilliant. Music has an unmatched ability to cement a moment in our memory—especially when it’s played with unexpected humour.

5. Emotion Is Still the Most Powerful Hook

Nike’s So Win reminded us that sometimes, the best entertainment is deeply personal. Watching athletes like Sha'Carri Richardson and Caitlin Clark push themselves to the limit wasn’t just inspiring; it was gripping. The raw emotion of the struggle made the ad feel cinematic, proving once again that great storytelling beats hard selling every time.

6. Weirdness Isn’t a Strategy…It’s a Lazy Shortcut

The Cowboy Hat ad tried to be quirky and surreal, but it ended up feeling like a joke without a punchline. And not in a fun, absurd way. Just in a way that made you wonder if the agency ran out of ideas and thought, “Let’s just make it weird.” The problem with randomness is that it only works when there’s an actual idea behind it. Otherwise, it’s just noise. The best ads surprise you, but they don’t leave you scratching your head and wondering what the point is.

7. Satire Works When You Trust the Audience

Uber Eats packed their ad with unexpected celebrity appearances, including Matthew McConaughey and Martha Stewart, but the real magic was in how it played with satire without underestimating its audience. It didn’t just throw in famous faces, it cleverly toyed with the idea of conspiracy theories, nudging at a cultural talking point rather than over-explaining it. More importantly, it respected the audience’s intelligence. It didn’t dumb things down, nor did it pander. It lets viewers piece things together themselves. In a time when satire often feels like it’s been sanded down to avoid controversy, this ad was proof that sharp, well-executed humour still belongs in the Super Bowl ad playbook. When audiences think they know where an ad is going, the best move is to flip the script and keep them guessing.

Final Thoughts

The best Super Bowl ads aren’t just ads, they’re entertainment. Whether through humour, emotion, music, or sheer surprise, the brands that won this year were the ones that gave us something we wanted to watch. In a world where attention is the most valuable currency, the lesson is clear: The brands that entertain are the brands that win.

Why being a ‘decent’ Creative Director matters more than being a ‘great’ one

john@madebyanimo.com (John Walters) — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 18:11:52 GMT

This year marks 25 years for me in advertising and marketing (crikey), with a fair chunk of that spent being – or at least trying to be – a decent creative director.

And I use the word decent deliberately, because I’ve learned that the best creative work doesn’t come from fear, pressure, or ego. It comes from leadership that prioritises trust, fairness, and respect.

I say this because I’ve been on the other side.

Early in my career, I dreaded work reviews with my creative directors. Especially the ones who either flew off the handle or rejected ideas without a shred of constructive or inspiring feedback.

“I don’t like ads with singing in them” isn’t feedback.

“Just one last push” at 7.30pm on a Friday isn’t leadership.

And “I’ll know it when I see it” is just plain lazy.

So I know firsthand what kills a creative team’s energy. And as creative leaders, our job isn’t to force great work – it’s to create the right conditions for it to thrive. Because, let’s be honest, creativity isn’t a tap you can turn on at will.

Give them a clear brief then get out of the way

Creatives don’t need someone breathing down their necks. What they do need is clarity – a solid brief that lays out what needs to be done and why it matters. Give them that, and then bugger off.

If you’ve hired the right people, trust them. Creativity needs space, and no one does their best work while constantly second-guessing what their boss wants.

Creativity doesn’t come from exhaustion

There’s a myth in this industry that pressure fuels the best ideas. And yes, deadlines force decisions, but relentless late nights and endless revisions only lead to burnout (or at the very least – a haircut like mine ��‍��).

If you want fresh, exciting ideas, give your team room to explore. And remember that the best ideas often come when you’re not even trying.

Feedback should build, not break

“Not quite there” or “Make it pop” is about as useful as a chocolate teapot. Good feedback is specific, constructive, and keeps the ideas flowing. Don’t be the fun sponge.

But there’s a fine line between pushing for better and making someone feel like they’ve failed. Confidence plays a massive role in creativity. When people feel supported, they take risks. When they feel like every idea will be shot down, they play it safe. And playing it safe is the shortest route to mediocre work.

Honestly? I’d rather someone brings back something unexpected; something I’d never have thought of myself. That’s the point of having a team.

Ditch the ego – the best idea wins

Nothing stifles creativity more than an ego-driven culture. The best ideas don’t always come from the most senior person in the room, and decent creative directors know when to step aside and let someone else’s idea shine. I’ve been that junior creative too scared to speak up – don’t make someone else feel the same way.

Fostering a culture where people feel comfortable sharing, debating, and challenging ideas is essential. Recognise when someone else has a better idea than you and be ok with it!

Celebrate the small stuff

There’s a tendency in this industry to only celebrate the big things;

the awards,

the campaign launches,

the pitch wins.

But motivation doesn’t just come from them.

It comes from the day-to-day wins too. A brilliant line cracked in a brainstorm. A concept that gets everyone excited. Even the work that never makes it past the client but was spot on. Sometimes, all it takes is a well-timed “That was great” in front of the team. It can make all the difference.

So, don’t aim to be a great Creative Director – be a decent one

Now, I’m not claiming to be perfect. But I’ve always believed that leading with kindness, collaboration, and respect is the key to inspiring great work. The old-school, fear-driven creative director is a relic of the past. Today, the best work comes from teams who feel valued, supported, and trusted.

If you’re decent at what you do and how you do it, good people will want to keep working with you and for you.

And that’s what really matters.

Let's be Honest, Copywriters are a Bunch of Thieving Little Sh*ts

directors@animo-group.com (Chris da Costa) — Tue, 04 Feb 2025 12:33:14 GMT

And that’s okay. Because it’s precisely this magpie-like instinct… this predilection for hoarding, pilfering, and remixing existing ideas that make the best of us good at what we do.

Whether you’re the methodical type who treats every brief like a puzzle, or the chameleon-like empath who effortlessly slips into the audience’s shoes, or even the strategic operator who starts with the commercial end in mind, all of us copywriters share one universal trait: we are unrepentant creative kleptomaniacs.

Show me a copywriter who swears they’ve never “borrowed” inspiration, and I’ll show you someone who’s either lying or hasn’t written enough headlines to know better. Even the great David Ogilvy once admitted, “The good ideas are all taken.”

Which neatly segues into what I really want to talk about. Namely the greatest creative thief of them all… AI.

The Great Ideas Hoover

As AI looms large over the creative world like a giant black hole, sucking up every conceivable idea ever produced, the question isn’t whether it can be “creative”, but whether it can create in a way that matters.

As I understand it, AI relentlessly slices and dices everything that crosses its path into digestible data. This digital mulch is then algorithmically remixed, reengineered, and reconstituted to predict ‘new’ ideas (please note, I use the word ‘new’ very loosely).

One could even be tempted to argue that it’s a more efficient version of what we creative types have been doing all along. But it’s not really. Simply because AI has never actually lived .

A lot of our creative instincts, namely the choices we make, the turns of phrase that feel right, and the weird, wonderful leaps of imagination… are all shaped by our own lived experiences. Basically, all the stuff that’s messy, unstructured, and deeply personal.

It’s childhood memories.

It’s painful heartbreaks.

It’s mundane Monday afternoons.

It’s an inside joke.

It’s what you overheard on the tube in 2007.

Whether consciously or subconsciously, we use this magic fairy dust to add a unique layer of authentic texture to our creative imaginings.

AI doesn’t have that ability.

Uneasy? Yes. Excited? Also Yes.

Don't get me wrong. I AM genuinely fascinated by AI (generative AI to be specific). More importantly, I want it to succeed because I’m curious about what can be. Plus, I’m convinced that with this kind of AI, we’re standing on the threshold of the next industrial revolution.

Nonetheless, there’s a little voice inside that’s still a bit iffy about it all.

So, where better to look for clarity than in the opinions of my fellow writers? Perhaps there’s a general consensus out there; a universal sentiment I could sidle up to in the quest for a more fully-formed opinion on the matter.

Or so I thought…

A quick scroll through LinkedIn and Reddit in search of reasonable, nuanced and balanced opinions felt more like stumbling into a pub brawl with no clear winners. AI is either "the death of creativity" or "its greatest revolution", depending on who’s shouting loudest. Absolutely not a single trace of consensus rose to the surface. Just noise. But buried in the fracas, one thing stood out: no one truly knows what’s coming next.

So I decided to change tack. Instead of sifting through an online shouting match, I thought: what if I could mull on the opinions of three well-regarded, successful creatives? Highly successful creatives, who are also too established to merely fling half-baked opinions/rants into the public domain. Surely, each of them would have thought quite deeply about the matter, if only to avoid looking like a complete lemon in their next big interview.

John Hegarty: The Creative Purist

Sir John Hegarty has built a career on the power of originality, disruption, and fearless creativity. His take on AI? It’s a clever tool, sure. But it fundamentally lacks the one thing that makes creativity special: imagination .

In a recent podcast , he outlines a very simple argument: AI is a remix machine. It chews up the past, spits out a version of what’s already been done, and lacks the gut-driven, illogical, leap-in-the-dark magic that makes creativity what it is.

He believes that creativity isn’t just about putting words in the right order. It’s about taste, curation, and judgment. It's about knowing which ideas to throw away and which ones to nurture. AI doesn’t know the difference. It scoops up everything, whether it's a brilliant insight or absolute garbage. Everything is ingested in equal measure and then spat out again without understanding what makes something good .

Despite his obvious scepticism, I don't think Hegarty is actually dismissing AI outright. He does in fact see its potential as a useful tool. Ultimately for him, AI is merely a "starting point" on the creative journey, and never a replacement for real creative instinct. Humans are still needed to inject that special ingredient, to hone and craft the final item, so that it’s truly exciting and disruptive.

Charlie Brooker: The Cynical Realist

If anyone was going to call AI-generated creativity out for being a hollow imitation, it was always going to be Charlie Brooker. The man behind Black Mirror (a show dedicated to skewering our tech-driven future) recently experimented with ChatGPT to generate a script for the show.

His verdict? Absolute crap .

Brooker’s issue with AI isn’t that it can’t write – it obviously can – but that it doesn’t know what it’s writing. It’s all pattern-matching, not thinking. AI-generated content is a photocopy of a photocopy. In other words, technically coherent, but progressively more degraded and soulless the more it’s used.

Interestingly, Brooker has also compared AI tools for writing to Adobe Photoshop for artists: potentially useful but never a replacement for human instinct. While AI might assist the creative process, it can’t replicate the nuanced understanding of irony, subtext, or emotional depth that human writers bring to their work.

And honestly, I kind of feel the same way. Take this award-winning BIC pen ad from the early noughties.

I tried a little experiment. I asked ChatGPT to review it and give me an opinion about whether it thought it was a good or bad ad (remember this ad has won several gongs in the past, including Cannes Lions, D&AD, One Show to name just a few).

On the whole, ChatGPT’s response was positive. It acknowledged that the ad was clever and engaging. However, it also said that “Adding a subtle tagline could make it even stronger”. No human copywriter on God’s green Earth, upon seeing this ad for the first time would ever suggest that! Unfortunately, AI does not share the same instinctive ability humans have to discern the quality of such a perfectly formed ad. Which just reinforces Brooker’s point about its inability to handle nuance.

David Droga: The Pragmatic Optimist

"And in the other corner, we have David Droga!"

Unlike, Hegarty or Brooker, Droga doesn’t flinch when it comes to AI. And why should he? He’s the CEO of Song – an Accenture-built agency that sees technology as fundamental to marketing’s evolution. So naturally, he does not see AI as a threat. In fact it’s quite obvious in this piece for Fast Company, he’s really not that interested in engaging in a moral debate:

"I feel like people like to pit technology and creativity against each other, and it’s the exact opposite of that."

For Droga, the real mistake isn’t AI itself. It’s the industry’s knee-jerk reaction to it. The fear. The defensiveness. The assumption is that AI is an existential threat, rather than a tool that could elevate the work.

That said, he still sees a role for human creativity. AI might be able to generate endless variations of ad copy, but it can’t decide which one is the most interesting, the most provocative, the most human.

Droga’s advice? The best creative people won’t just use AI, they’ll curate it, direct it, and push it beyond its limitations. In other words, the future belongs to those who use AI as a tool, not as a crutch.

I have to say, this is quite a pragmatic view of AI’s role in the creative life of a copywriter. My only watch-out: don’t let the tail wag the dog. Always remember, AI is the ‘pen’ and not the ‘poet’.

So, There You Have It!

Three perspectives, all on one continuum, crystallising one thought:

AI isn't the enemy, but neither is it the answer.

It’s just another tool in the kit. A powerful one, sure. A disruptive one, definitely. But a tool nonetheless, to be wielded wisely. In fact, just as Photoshop didn’t replace designers, or calculators didn’t replace accountants, I don’t think AI will truly replace copywriters.

Remember, we’re magpies. We’re expert thieves. As time will prove, we’ll learn to exploit AI as an all-you-can-eat Ali Baba’s Cave of ideas, thought starters and catalysts.

Until then, always remember – AI can only take you so far. Adding the final flourish, the secret sauce, the x-factor…whatever you want to call it. That intangible spark that defines true creative genius? That will always be a job for us human magpies.

Year of the Dragon: How to Channel Your Brand's Inner Strength and Vitality

john@madebyanimo.com (John Walters) — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 10:02:46 GMT

Why being ethical, honest, and evidence-based is more dragon than you think.

Are you ready to embrace your inner dragon? As we enter the Year of the Dragon and the beginning of the lunar new year, it's the perfect time to draw inspiration from this powerful creature's qualities – strength, vitality, and intelligence. Those born under this sign are known for confidence, ambition, and charisma – perfect qualities for injecting energy into your brand marketing.

At Animo, we also believe that being ethical, honest, and evidence-based is the key to success. But it's not just about being good – it's about being more dragon! So here are some areas where you can channel your inner dragon into your brand marketing – and why these qualities are more than just a nice-to-have - they could well be the secret to success.

1. What do we want? Realness!

Firstly, consumers can sniff out anything less than genuine from a mile away. Honesty fosters trust, and with 88% of people stating authenticity is crucial when deciding which brands they like and support, it's not just a checkbox – it's a must for winning hearts and minds. So have the courage to play it straight and don't cut corners.

2. Greenwashing just won’t wash

Consumers want more than just superficial eco-friendly claims; they want proof. They can see right through any attempts at greenwashing meaning it’s not enough for brands to say that they’re green; it's about actually being green and proving it. Recent research from KPMG UK found that “Over half (54%) of consumers say that they would stop buying from a company if they were found to have been misleading in their sustainability claims.” So, if it’s going to affect your bottom line, remember, authenticity trumps fakeness any day.

3. Trust is the holy grail

Trust isn't built overnight. It comes from being straight up with your audience. And when 81% of consumers say brand trust is a deciding factor when making a purchase decision – passing the trust test matters. If you're consistently ethical, communicate transparently, and back up your words with evidence, you're not only creating a brand narrative that resonates with authenticity but also fostering a trust that goes far beyond a one-time purchase. And this forms the basis for enduring consumer loyalty and advocacy.

4. It’s knowing when to play by the rules

With concerns about data privacy growing, businesses must prioritise transparent data practices. Particularly when 63% of consumers worldwide think companies aren't honest about how they use their personal information, and nearly 48% have stopped purchasing from companies because of privacy worries. As laws and regulations continue to tighten, being on the ethical side not only keeps you out of legal hot water but also shows your audience that you're playing fair. After all, no one likes a rule-breaker.

5. Grasp them by their short attention spans

People's attention spans aren’t getting any longer. For example, it takes about 50 milliseconds for people to form an opinion about your website, so it's crucial to communicate honestly and smartly to engage consumers in fleeting moments. Brands that understand the game of rapid opinion-forming can have the confidence to create content that leaves a lasting mark in this blink-and-you'll-miss-it world of online attention.

6. Don’t be afraid to stand out

It's a jungle out there in the market. Competition is fierce, and to survive, you need ambitious thinking to stand out. Being ethical and transparent isn't just about doing good; it's about standing head and shoulders above the competition. And if eight out of ten consumers say that they would pay up to 5% more for sustainably produced products, this differentiation isn’t a fleeting strategy, it's a strategic (and financial) advantage that elevates your brand above the overwhelming landscape of consumer options.

7. The smart money's on data

No surprises on this one…data is still vital. Businesses that use data-driven strategies drive five to eight times as much ROI as businesses that don’t. Evidence-based strategies, fuelled by relevant data insights, don't just make your campaigns efficient – they keep them bang on target, hitting all the right notes with your audience. And with Generative AI, (yep – we mentioned it) these insights can be combined with tools powerful enough to swiftly create niche and highly targeted content that can only enhance these successes.

8. Winning Hearts of the Socially Conscious

As consumers, we all care about where our money goes and we want to support brands that share our values. In fact, according to a recent study by Kantar “Globally, 80% of consumers say they make an effort to buy from companies that support causes important to them.” So, being ethical isn't just a nice gesture; it's a language socially conscious consumers, like us, understand, appreciate and expect.

So, as we enter the Year of the Dragon, let's remember to channel our confidence, ambition, and charisma into our business strategies. By being ethical, honest, and evidence-based, we can build trust with our audience, stand out in a crowded market, and win the hearts of socially conscious consumers. And, whether it's avoiding greenwashing or prioritising transparent data practices, Animo is here to help navigate this path, making 2024 a year to remember!

Cheers to a successful year and beyond!

��✨

Biodexa Partners with Animo for Clinical Trial Recruitment Campaign

directors@animo-group.com (Chris da Costa) — Sun, 04 Jun 2023 14:38:08 GMT

Animo to Drive Recruitment Campaign for Biodexa Pharmaceuticals' Brain Tumor Study

London, June 2023 - Biodexa Pharmaceuticals has enlisted the expertise of Animo as their creative agency for an upcoming USA-based clinical study on a groundbreaking brain tumour treatment. The collaboration aims to develop a comprehensive campaign, including an overarching positioning, highlighting the study's significance. They will also create a patient information website as a valuable resource, design engaging event materials, and produce explainer videos to simplify complex medical information.

This strategic partnership between Biodexa Pharmaceuticals and Animo aims to enhance patient recruitment efforts, ensuring that potential participants are well-informed and engaged in the pioneering brain tumour study. The campaign launch date coincides with the American Brain Tumour Association Conference in Chicago in September 2023, adding a significant platform for outreach and contributing to the advancement of brain tumour treatments and patient care. Simon Culley, co-founder and director at Animo was eager to emphasise that:

“Biodexa are an incredible organisation making life-changing developments in the treatment of cancer. So it is a real privilege to be able to support them in developing this revolutionary new treatment, and in some small way contribute to the ongoing fight against cancer whilst improving the lives of the people it touches.”

sensXPERT unveils 'Impossible Stand' at JEC World Paris

john@madebyanimo.com (John Walters) — Thu, 27 Apr 2023 15:18:51 GMT

A Modular and Transportable Showcase to Challenge Plastics Manufacturing Conventions.

Paris, 25 April 2023 - Our compelling brand campaign has evolved into the show-stopping 'Impossible Stand,' unveiled by sensXPERT at JEC World . The stand, boasting a dynamic augmented reality (AR) experience, marks a pinnacle achievement for both sensXPERT and the whole Animo team.

Rooted in sensXPERT's overarching brand proposition - EXPAND YOUR SENSE OF THE POSSIBLE - the 'Impossible Stand' aims to challenge long-standing preconceptions within the manufacturing industry. The strategic design of the stand is multifaceted, with a focus on attracting visitors, intriguing them with a compelling AR experience , engaging them through an interactive showcase of sensXPERT technology, and collecting valuable data for follow-up interactions.

One of the standout features of the 'Impossible Stand' is its modular and fully transportable design, allowing sensXPERT to independently manage site set-up and installation. The AR experience was brought to life in collaboration with Spark , while the stand construction was handled by our old friends MatterXP .

Animo Creative Director John Walters perfectly captures the spirit of our journey, stating, "In the game of pushing limits and bringing ideas to life, we have to give a big shoutout to both our awesome sensXPERT clients who never stop challenging us and to our amazing partners who help turn those crazy ideas into reality. It's all about the perfect mix of great clients and kick-ass partners making magic happen."

As sensXPERT continues to push the boundaries of innovation, the 'Impossible Stand' serves as a testament to their commitment to redefining industry norms. The stand's debut at JEC World 2023 in Paris was met with enthusiasm, leaving a lasting impression on attendees.

Animo Wins UK Grant for a Unique Application of AI in Healthcare

directors@animo-group.com (Chris da Costa) — Tue, 10 Jan 2023 19:07:02 GMT

Animo is proud to announce it has been awarded a grant from Innovate UK's "Fast Start: Innovation" program to create a novel AI-powered tool for the healthcare sector.

London, January 2023 - Healthcare might still face mountains of data and time-consuming processes, but Animo's unique vision and experience in user-centred design research offers a glimpse of a serendipitous revolution. Bolstered by a grant from Innovate UK's £30-million "Fast Start: Innovation" program, the team is crafting an AI-powered tool poised to reshape current design-related processes within the health sector and beyond.

The project not only showcases Animo’s innovative spirit and creative passion, but it is also a very timely endeavour. Especially as the Health Service already faces numerous challenges (rising demand, strained workforce, uncertain funding, widening inequalities) in delivering high-quality care. All this is bound to have both a direct and indirect impact on the quality of research and design output within the healthcare service. The project aims to address some of these related challenges by using AI to enhance key processes and workflows, leading to faster, more cost-effective and more accessible high-quality research and design solutions.

Christopher da Costa, co-founder and director at Animo, expressed his gratitude and excitement for the grant.

“We are honoured to receive this grant from Innovate UK, which will enable us to pursue our bold vision of transforming healthcare research and design with state-of-the-art AI,” he said. “Our team shares a common passion for solving the industry’s most pressing problems. This project builds on our extensive experience in health-tech UX to develop a unique, reliable product that can change how healthcare professionals, researchers and designers work.”

He also highlighted how the project completely resonated with the founding principles of Animo. “This project reflects our core values, namely creativity, innovation, impact, and collaboration,” he said. “We believe AI can be a powerful tool for good in healthcare, and we are delighted to be at the leading edge of using its capabilities to enhance research and ultimately, patient outcomes.”

With the Innovate UK grant, Animo is ready to make its groundbreaking AI tool a reality, marking a significant milestone in its mission to revolutionise healthcare research and design. The project's future offers immense opportunities for partnerships, collaborations, and ultimately, a game-changing effect on the industry.

UX in Healthcare Technology – "Getting to know you, getting to know all about you…"

Tue, 10 Jan 2023 17:18:43 GMT

How we can use the power of UX Design to help improve the experiences of patients from different ethnic communities.

Not so long ago I was invited to speak alongside a panel of UK-based healthcare experts on the subject of personalised healthcare for South Asians focussing on Diabetes and community engagement.

Now, those who know me will be quick to point out that I’m neither a fully-qualified healthcare expert, a diabetic or a South Asian community member.

So, why me?

Well, alongside our colleagues Inavya Ventures , we have been helping to shape the Digital product design & user experience of a truly personalised healthcare AI technology called AVATR® .

Over the last few years we’ve been working with their team of AI experts and some world-leading healthcare institutions to develop our technology in support of the traditional Doctor-Patient relationship. It’s this multidisciplinary approach that enables the creation of the unique digital self and drives the user experience for each Patient and their Doctor.

So, what follows is a summary of the talk I gave on the power of UX design to improve the experiences of South Asian patients living in the UK.

When we think about the lived experience of Patients — whether they’re from the South Asian Community or not, we already know, chronic conditions such as heart disease and diabetes create significant health and economic costs. Ensuring that patients are able to proactively manage their illnesses is key to reducing these costs and improving people’s lives. And as we continue to live longer with comorbidities the strain on the time and resources of both Doctors and HCPs gets heavier. All this means that patients find themselves facing less and less human contact with medical professionals.

It’s no secret that technology has the potential to engage many more patients in managing their own health, whilst supporting the work of Doctors and HCPs in empowering patients to take control of their condition so that they might thrive.

“Getting to know you, getting to know all about you…”

But if we’re going to do this properly we really need to get to know them.

And get to know them well.

We really need solutions that can deliver positive behavioural changes.

Changes that can only come from a deeper understanding of a patient’s needs, pain points, motivations, and beliefs.

Because people are not just defined by their condition, their age, their gender or location. They are defined by their cultural background, their socio-economic background, their community, their family history, their motivations, their likes and dislikes, their hobbies and interests, their hopes and aspirations.

And Digital Technologies such as Machine Learning and AI can continually gather all this meaningful information about a patient to help provide a uniquely personalised healthcare experience. One built on a genuine understanding of the individual and their own lived experience.

By getting personal — technology can establish a trusted relationship with the patient — one that supports the existing patient-doctor relationship.

But how does technology or a computer get to make a genuine and meaningful connection with someone?

“When I am with you…Getting to know what to say…”

By using a chatbot as a patient’s user experience we have the opportunity to gather all the relevant data and insights through an experience they’re already familiar with (such as WhatsApp or Messenger on their mobile phone). We’re not having to teach them a new form of communication.

And in a chatbot we can be…

Natural and Conversational

Healthcare loves a form. And the best way to fill in a form is to do it without realising you’re filling in a form. A chatbot means we can gather everything we need without the handcuffs of rigid traditional paper-based forms, where data capture strategies can be delivered through a patient’s smartphone in a more contextually relevant interaction. We can tailor the tone of voice to be receptive to the patient’s mood or anxieties — helping to provide moments of reassurance and the feeling of being cared for even whilst talking to a machine. All the while, giving the impression that they’re chatting to a real person.

Dynamic Flexible and Adaptive

By responding to language barriers, cultural barriers and contextual circumstances we can tailor the communication process for each patient, taking into account their personal circumstances. We can identify contextually relevant situations to provide a patient with a relevant learning moment. If they’re struggling to keep on top of their Doctor-prescribed exercises we can chat to the patient and find out what their pain points are. It could be hard for them to find somewhere comfortable to exercise or even bad weather that’s stopping them from going out and we can provide more timely, relevant and achievable alternatives or guidance on how to do these.

Logical

An AI-powered chatbot will be logical by its very nature. But when this is combined with both a conversational tone of voice and the use of clear image-based narratives, we’re able to guide Patients, reducing the possibility of misinterpretation or incorrect use.

Bitesize

As Desmond Tutu famously said ; “there is only one way to eat an elephant: one bite at a time.” When a task feels daunting or complex it pays to break it down into manageable chunks. Whether that’s helping to keep a patient on top of their complex medication regime or gathering significant amounts of information; a chatbot can break big tasks down to simple and easy to accomplish tasks that help to keep the patient motivated and on the right path. We’re able to lower the barrier to engagement by keeping interactions quick, frictionless, and non-disruptive, as patients want to spend less time on their illness and more time doing what they love.

Ultimately, as a chatbot we have the opportunity to act as a highly personalised and ‘always on’ go-between the patient and their doctor – enabling continuous personalised care outside the traditional hospital or surgery setting.

With AVATR® and our work on Diabetes – we’re focussed on supporting Doctors, HCPs and their patients from the South Asian community. And we’re exploring how to use technology to deliver highly relevant diet and lifestyle improvements.

Through patient and Doctor interviews, secondary research and co-creation sessions, we’re able to learn about the emotional and functional barriers that may be preventing South Asian patients from proactively managing their health.

And we then find ways for the technology to help the patient on their terms.

“Because of all the beautiful and new things I'm learning about you…day by day…”

Through our Patient chatbot experience we can have conversations that can be so much more than a series of speech bubbles.

We can use simple touch button interfaces, clear and simple language and much more visual and engaging imagery to help soften the language barriers.

And with the potential of text to speech functionality and personalised language preferences we are able to go even further by connecting with Patients in Punjabi, Urdu, Hindi etc.

Which all means that as well as collecting all the usual medical readings and data, we can learn about patients personal health goals, their diet choices and the kinds of exercise they’d most likely engage with.

And we can also dive deeper into discovering even more about the patient.

We can explore their cultural background, their socio-economic background and their family history. And this helps us to build a richer, personalised, ever-changing picture of a patient from the South Asian Community.

And it’s this realtime personalised picture that’s shared with all the Doctors and HCPs involved in an individual patients’ care. This enables real time compliance, potential risk monitoring, the ability to track progress and identify pain points. With a richer real time view the Doctor is able to tailor the patient’s treatment plan to suit their individual circumstances as those circumstances evolve over time. The ability to really understand the individual patient means we can help to create truly personalised care plans that are able to:

connect people to services that truly fit their own needs (such as safe, comfortable and appropriate places to exercise).
provide relevant diet choices (offer healthier versions of a patient’s favourite foods or the dishes their own family makes).
provide contextual learning moments that are tailored to them (whether it’s an effective way for an elderly Bangladeshi lady to test their blood sugar or lower their blood pressure).
factor in life events that would normally disrupt their progress (such as Religious festivals, holidays and birthday celebrations, or moments of stress such as bereavements or the loss of a job or income).

And all the while we can use the conversational tone of a Chatbot to engage patients in a much more personalised manner so that we continue to learn more about them and their own sensibilities.

“Getting to like you…getting to hope you like me.”

Because if we want South Asian patients (or any patients for that matter) to connect with healthcare technology we need to follow the advice of Software Designer, Programmer and Founder of Interaction Design Consultancy – Alan Cooper: “If we want users to like our software we should design it to behave like a likeable person: respectful, generous and helpful. ”

And with a chatbot that’s exactly what we can be…

We can be respectful of a patient’s individual needs and attitudes — in healthcare as in real life. The South Asian community is a rich and varied one – one size does not fit all.
We can be generous with our time – technology is always on and ready to assist — whether that’s the Doctor who needs something from the patient or whether that’s the patient needing something.
And we can be helpful – providing truly contextual support, relevant and timely guidance and personalised advice.

And if we do it right, it means our patients can spend less time on their illness and a lot more time doing what they love.

*Apologies to Rodgers and Hammerstein for the titles :-)

Is it OK to be Proud of Britain?

simon@madebyanimo.com (Simon Culley) — Mon, 12 Dec 2022 18:00:31 GMT

Yes, of course it is, and not only is it ‘OK’ …it’s critical.

Sure, like any other nation, we have our share of flaws; the weather; bank holiday traffic; Morris dancers; members of parliament. Granted some may argue there is very little difference between the latter two of that list, other than Morris dancers are a little less embarrassing.

There are also a lot of things we can and should be proud of. I don’t know about anyone else but frankly I’m a bit bored of hearing how ‘shit’ we are. I also don’t buy it, and to be honest I think it’s pretty unfair on the 65–70million people who are the ones who actually make Britain great.

British Engineering

Engineering has always been a field us Brits excel at. However, with names like George Stephenson and Barnes Wallis you’d be forgiven for thinking this was an accolade of a bygone time. In fact, in more recent times, courtesy of brands like Mercedes, BMW and Volkswagen that accolade seems to have passed to Germany as the mark of quality. With British engineering becoming more the domain of kipper ties and patched jumpers than building Ultimate Driving Machines.

However, it was Maurice Wilks one of those British engineers with the questionable dress sense that gave rise to, and thanks to more current British engineering, remains one of the most successful car brands in the world.

In around 1945, Maurice Wilks sketched an idea for improving the drivetrain for an off-road vehicle (according to legend he first sketched his idea in the sand on a beach in Anglesey). Those lines in the sand became the engineering keystone for his new ‘Land Rover’. A keystone that is still the foundation for probably the best and most accomplished SUV brand in the world today.

What’s more if the rumour mill is anything to believe, one of the main reasons BMW acquired and fairly quickly broke up and sold the Rover group, was to get line of sight of the Land Rover engineering to put it into their own SUVs.

It’s not just in land travel where British engineering is still at the tip of the spear. In 10–20 years Hypersonic travel promises to enable commercial passengers to go from London to; New York in an hour; and, Sydney in a mind boggling four hours. I don’t think aviation passengers have had their minds that boggled since the Wright brothers demonstrated that balloons weren’t the only way to fly.

As you can probably imagine the usual suspects; Boeing; BAE; and, Lockheed Martin are investing heavily to become the first at being the fastest. However, the company at the heart of the tech behind that is an Oxfordshire based company called Reaction Engines who are developing a new type of jet engine called SABRE. For the doubters.

Still A Benchmark of Quality

British craftsmanship is another area that may earn some unnecessary scoffing from the Anglo-sceptics. However, British craftsmanship is a strength that not only mega brands like Bentley and Princess Yachts have staked and built their reputations on. It is also the domain of smaller enterprises like Cumbria Crystal .

Cumbria Crystal are one of the last remaining producers of hand blown and hand-cut English lead crystal in the world. Founded in 1976 by the Cavendish family in Cumbria, their crystalware represents British craftsmanship in all of our embassies around the world. Their artisanal expertise is not only sought after by Royal Families from around the world, but also customers of high end retailers like Fortnum and Mason.

The work of this small, but perfectly formed team of exceptional craftsmen and women has also had starring roles in Downton Abbey and Casino Royale. Not bad considering there is only 14 of them.

Earning Our Stripes in New Areas Too

Perhaps one we would attribute more to the US or the far east than this green and pleasant land, believe it or not, is in technology and innovation.

Did you know outside of Silicon Valley, according to KPMG’s latest ‘Technology Innovation Hubs’ report, our capital ranks third in the world after New York and Shanghai, don’t believe me? See for yourself.

This isn’t just down to the World Wide Web being a British invention, or that global organisations like Google, YouTube, Snapchat and Facebook have major European offices in our capital.

It is down to British startups like Inavya Ventures. Those rather clever people at Inavya have developed an Artificial Intelligence platform called ‘Avatr’(forbes.com 16 March 2018) . This rather ingenious AI not only gathers realtime biometric data from wearable smart devices, it interprets this information and feeds it directly into an early warning system with a healthcare professional enabling them to treat an event before it happens.

Quite literally a smart prophylactic that saves lives. What’s more, with the impact rehabilitation has on the lives of the individuals affected, and the resources of our healthcare organisations the ripple effect of increases the immediate benefit exponentially.

More than a Sector

Having said all that, what makes us great is down to some natural or innate talent in specific sectors, it seems to be more about an attitude that is specific to us Brits. A stubborn refusal to accept the odds (particularly if they are stacked against us) and to do it anyway. As Winston Churchill famously (and quite frequently put it) “Keep buggering on!”

Take the A.W. Jenkinson Group of companies, a client we have had the privilege to work with for a few years now . The business started just over 50 years ago, when Allan Jenkinson the teenage son of a Cumbrian tenant farmer, spotted an opportunity; sawmills (of which there are a few in Cumbria) produce sawdust as a waste product; there are also ‘one or two’ livestock farms in Cumbria, and sawdust makes excellent livestock bedding. So, in the mid-sixties and way before we got multi-coloured bins, one of Great Britain’s first recycling success stories began.

The business soon paid for a tractor and trailer to transport the sawdust to the farms in the area. The tractor became a wagon, the wagon became a fleet of trucks, and then another stream of business. Today A.W. Jenkinson Forest Products is the flagship of a multi-million pound corporate group that spans around 40 different locations and incorporates; transport; forestry; wood recycling; and biomass fuels to name a few.

So What?

As I said earlier, we do have our failings, but we also have a lot to be proud of, and it seems like I am not the only one that thinks our achievements deserve a bit of credit.

HSBC’s recent ‘We Are Not An Island” reminds us … some might say in a cringy way … that we are part of, and therefore make a valuable contribution to a bigger community (whether that’s the world or the EU, I’ll leave that up to you).

It also reminds us that one of our strengths is actually our diversity.

Whether you like the campaign or not, I can tell you from many many many years (probably too many years) of sitting through consumer reports and studies, brands like HSBC don’t hang their hats on a sentimental whim. There has to be a fundamental mass market consumer truth or belief behind the message they are trying to deliver.

Likewise, Carling, after years of silence, have finally stuck their heads back over the parapet with a bold statement of pride that their beer is brewed in Burton-on-Trent.

What’s more, this isn’t just a quick attempt to cash in on some patriotic sentiment, Carling have gone the whole hog to celebrate what being British truly is from; the ‘North Sea Surfers’ who not only brave the waves of the North Sea in Scotland, they do it on locally made surfboards; to, ‘Black Country Fusion FC’ a truly indiscriminate bunch of Sunday League footballers. Take a look.

So it seems that even though there are a lot of things that could divide us, there are also a lot of reasons that we can and should be ‘Proud of Britain’.

Imbibe Live – Our Best Sips

simon@madebyanimo.com (Simon Culley) — Tue, 05 Jul 2022 17:58:34 GMT

Okay. So you put a lot of people who are passionate about taste, craft and drinks in a (big) room with a lot of … well drinks. If you can’t make that into a great event, it’s time to pack up and leave the event business behind you.

Our impressions of Imbibe Live this year were really positive, not just because there were a lot of tasty treats to enjoy, and interesting people to meet and talk to, but the quality and variety was back in good form (lest we forget Gin-bibe last year).

So here are a few of our best impressions (and sips)… I hope you enjoy them as much as we did…

Not All Elephants Are Pink

Let’s start with the alcohol elephant in the room. From the oodles of reports and studies we’ve nerded our way through, we have seen a reduction in alcohol consumption amongst socially-drinking Gen Ys (Millennials) and Gen Zs – not exactly ‘new’ news. There are certainly some exceptional alcohol-free drink brands out there answering this call (yes, Drynks Unlimited , we mean you guys…#lovingyourwork).

Your first thought on this generational matter might lead to it being a rejection of alcohol, but actually digging a bit deeper it’s more an appreciation of quality over quantity. With factors like ‘variety’ ‘accessibility’ and ‘provenance’ carrying more currency than whether the drink is alcoholic or not.

Discerning behaviour like this certainly challenges the drinks industry to not only up their quality game, but also to make their brains ache in coming up with new and exciting ways to tickle our taste buds. Judging by the array at Olympia in London yesterday, it’s a challenge the industry is not only embracing, it is squeezing every drop of juicy distilled goodness out of it that it can.

A Range To Inspire Even The Most Diverse Taste Buds

Take Tiptree’s Wilkin & Sons . If ‘variety’ is the spice of Gen Y and Gen Zs taste buds, then Tiptree is certainly tipping the balance in their favour. Not content with being the purveyors of delicious marmalades and other fruity conserves, those clever Essex preservers have turned their hand to an exciting portfolio of gin and vodka liqueurs (complete with some rather delicious cocktails ideas to boot).

So delicious are the cocktail ideas they are releasing the best of the best as canned RTDs, and we were lucky enough to have a cheeky taste of them ahead of their launch later this year. In fact, their mixology talents have brought them around full circle – to some delicious cocktail based preserves (the Moscow Mule preserve is marvellous with a ginger hit that kicks like a mule of course).

However, the challenge now for Tiptree is to ensure that this great product range does not become one of the industry’s best kept secrets, because ultimately it will be consumer awareness and understanding of how they can enjoy the product that will make or break this range of delicious goodies.

An Uncompromising Approach To Broadening Appeal

When it comes to ‘commercial accessibility’, it’s not a problem you would like to think applies to our Gen Y and Gen Z cohorts. Never before have we had such a varied and plentiful supply of channels to market.

Accessibility becomes more of a challenge at the moment the drink is actually being consumed. It comes down to the consumer feeling comfortable (or brave) enough to enjoy, or even try, the product. Whisky (or whiskey depending on where you started your journey) is probably one of the most challenging categories to access. Traditionally it takes about as long nosing, sipping, rolling and tasting (ideally with a number of distillery visits thrown in to boot) as it does for the wonderful stuff to mature, before you feel fully armed to make an informed choice.

Granted that journey is not a completely arduous one, but it’s not the journey that is the barrier, it’s where to begin the journey and how to take your first sips that close off the category for many new consumers. Thankfully, it’s a barrier that those rather splendid fellows at Ian MacLeod are positively bouncing over.

My business partners and I spent a very enjoyable 15 minutes with Alan Wardrop, the UK Sales Manager of Ian MacLeod, putting a dent in their ‘ Smokehead’ range – which comes in three varieties;

Smokehead 43%. A delicious Islay single malt, with the region’s characteristic smokiness (as the name suggests), but light and smooth enough for a less seasoned palette.
Smokehead Sherry Bomb. Again a very drinkable smoky Islay malt, but with a hint of sweetness from its sherry cask maturation.
Smokehead High Voltage. At 48%, this is a very characterful cask strength variant of the original, but smooth enough to enjoy without adding water.

As a range, Smokehead has enough taste for a more seasoned whisky drinker like myself to enjoy, but it is also not so polarising that a less experienced drinker would be turned off by it. In fact talking to a mixologist who was visiting the stand at the same time as us, she was interested by the more simple smokey flavours – which she said was great for adding an extra layer of flavour to the cocktails she was working on (which was harder to achieve with the more complex smoky Islay whiskies).

What was particularly nice to see from Ian MacLeod, was rather than maintain the position of having to earn the right to enjoy a single malt, they had a product that not only gave a new whisky drinker a solid first step on an amazing journey of exploration, it also gave an old whisky drinker a range that could be savoured and fully enjoyed like any other great single malt.

I think the ‘Smokehead’ range is definitely one to watch as a modern and accessible whisky with the backbone and substance to stand up to the rest of the Islay malts. “Awards ahoy” I am sure.

(We also checked in on their Tamdhu and Glen Goyne whiskies, and it’s safe to say they are as good as always !)

Something In The Water

When it comes to ‘provenance’, the company that hit the mark for me was those rather modest people at The Lakes Distillery. Yes, I am originally from that lovely part of the world, and so could be accused of a bit of bias. My opinion however pales into insignificance when you take into account they not only produce the highly awarded ‘The One’ blended whisky, they also produce the World’s Best Vodka – aptly named ‘The Lakes Vodka’, (not bad for a product that was actually created as a bit of a ‘side hustle’, whilst waiting for the single malts to reach full maturity).

Historically my go-to vodka has always been Ketel One, because to me it has a lovely smooth, almost vanilla-like finish. Now I’m no connoisseur, I just know what I like, and I’m sorry Ketel One because I like this one more. Like Ketel One, The Lakes Vodka is distilled in a copper ketel, and like Ketel One it has a lovely smooth finish. Where it differs is, it’s just better (I told you I wasn’t a connoisseur). To my untrained taste buds, The Lakes Vodka has all the great qualities of Ketel One, but better. Where Ketel One scores a 9 out of 10, The Lakes Vodka scores an 11.

Now back to the single malts. This year marks the release of The Quatrefoil Collection: a collection of four rare single malts, produced from an extremely small batch and with the intention to explore the use of American, Spanish and French Oak and a distinctive sherry-led maturation style. The four bottles that make up the collection are consecutively named ‘Faith’, ‘Hope’, ‘Luck’ and ‘Love’, and will be released separately over four years, beginning with Faith in 2019. We were VERY lucky to try Faith, and it was fantastic. Very reminiscent of the Yamazaki 12 year that won best single malt in 2017 — reminiscent in the sense of an excellently crafted whisky that isn’t overly focussed on a regional trait. Granted, this could be seen as a good thing or a bad thing, depending on your perspective, or mood at the time. However, one thing’s for certain a wee (or a large) dram of ‘Faith’ improves any mood.

So what is it that makes The Lakes Distillery so good at turning out superbly crafted spirits? (Their gin is rather tasty too!) The climate and geography is not too dissimilar to Scotland — which, as we all know, is ‘ideal’ for making great whisky. There is an abundant supply of water that’s good enough to bottle (a suggestion was made). A meticulous attention to detail when it comes to the process (as Alex the Regional Sales Manager informed us, Dhavall Ghandi, the Master Distiller is very hands-on and involved from the bottom-up with every stage in the process).

However, if £900 for the The Quatrefoil Collection is a little out of your price range fear not because we also got our eager hands, and delighted tastebuds, on their new whisky blend ‘Steel Bonnets’. Steel Bonnets is a beautiful marriage of Scottish and English malts with a great palate and really nice warm finish that genuinely brought back memories of sitting by a fire back home while the winter rain battered down the fells. The only problem I can see for The Lakes Distillery team, and it’s a nice problem to have, is being spoilt for choice. They have an abundance of really good products to take to market and there is a danger that some of their less recent successes are eclipsed by more current ones.

From talking to Alex, Lakes very much have a focus on developing their whisky presence in both the on- and off-trade, which is completely understandable. However, they have other products that are more suited to other circumstances where whisky may not be as relevant, like The Lakes Vodka. This is when a simple strategy like the one devised by Ketel One really pays dividends. In other words, get the best bar staff and mixologists in the world to serve your vodka and arm them with the brand stories that excite and inform their customers’ purchase decisions in the off-trade. I can’t think of a better brand story than that of award-winning British vodka to accompany a great British martini.

This not only opens up channels for The Lakes Distillery — that may not be as suitable for their whisky — but also establishes their provenance as a truly great distiller of very fine spirits (of which whisky is one).

Still Some Room For Cool Stuff

Whilst we know our market is looking for ‘variety’ ‘accessibility’ and ‘provenance’, we all (Gen Z and Gen Y included) like something new that makes us smile. We know ‘innovation’ in the industry rejuvenates a tired product curve. This is not about an ‘exciting’ new can, or a bottle with a temperature gauge on it, or even a taste variant made from something ‘unexpected’. We were looking for things that were a more innovative take on the category, something that intrigued or made us smile — and we found two.

Danish Genius

The first one was Nohrlund, who are a rather clever Danish company founded in 2014 by two rather talented mixologists with an uncompromising attitude to ingredients, and a love of creating their own cocktails. So together with a few friends they have been storming the Danish drinks market, with a range of pre-mixed cocktails.

So…what’s new about pre-mixed RTD cocktails? Which to be fair was a question we had for one of the founders, Søren Aamand. First of all, it can be served draft from a tap. Secondly, unlike a lot of pre-mixed cocktails, the recipes are of their own making and unique to Nohrlund. Thirdly, and most interestingly, they approach cocktail production like a microbrewer. In other words, if they have an idea for something they think will work — they make a batch of it, give it a name and wing it out to a very receptive and loyal audience.

This became apparent when I put the age-old Pimms problem to Søren “this is great in summer, but what happens when it’s winter?” Søren looked at me with the polite sympathy you reserve for the person who asked the dimmest question in the room, and with perfect honesty and disarming charm said that “unlike Pimm’s which relies on a single, well-known recipe, Nohrlund had the benefit of changing their recipes whenever they wanted to, and could easily react to different seasons with more appropriate ingredients e.g. red berries spices for winter…or anything else that inspires us.”

It took some Danish common sense and confidence to answer a question in seconds, that it took Pimms to answer in years! Tippling in at around 8% (your typical bar cocktail ranges in at between 10–15%), and served in long-drink size glasses it’s certainly a drink you can happily enjoy over a day or night (or both). With a product range only limited by the imagination and ingenuity of its creators, the only issue you’re likely to encounter is missing out on a flavour you wish you hadn’t.

Probably the best cocktails in the world? Possibly, but I am sure they won’t need to launch any ad campaigns apologising for the taste any time soon.

Magical Mythical Fun… Tastes Good

The second innovative brand, and probably the most fun we encountered at the event, was a range of rather delightful tears harvested from a range of mythical beasts. Worry not, Jenni Day, Head of Trade Sales for Unicorn Tears assured us no animals — mythical or otherwise — were harmed in this experience — apparently, they only “harvest tears of joy”.

With any ethical concerns allayed we got stuck into a really fun range of spirits — well what would you expect with super-cool, fun gift company Firebox behind them. We tried the ‘Tears (of joy)’ range which comes in 7 flavours of different tears:

Dragon Tears — Whisky with cinnamon
Phoenix Tears — Spiced rum
Unicorn Tears — Original white variant is a Gin Liqueur, and the pink variant is with raspberry (there is also a black variant with blackberry, but we didn’t get out sticky mitts on that one)
Pixie Tears — Elderflower and cucumber gin
Mermaid Tears — Blue tinged vodka
You can tell that they are all actually magical because when you give the bottle a shake they all shimmer and sparkle in their own unique way.

Okay, fun aside (as we know drinking isn’t all about fun, it’s very serious business…naturally). How did they taste? Personally I loved the Phoenix Tears, which was dangerously enjoyable and very easy to drink. In fact, they were all really nice tasting drinks, as well as good fun — granted I’m not holding out for ‘Dragon Tears’ winning the high-brow whisky awards, but as we’ve seen sometimes, it’s just nice to drink something that is different, tastes great and doesn’t take itself too seriously.

I think, if Firebox want to get any significant volume from their Mythical Tears range, crossing the threshold from “quirky/fun one-off gift” to “regular purchase” will be the first challenge that comes to mind. However, not an insurmountable one. The trick will be to create some unique and ownable drinking occasions and recipes — whether that is a ‘Dragon-bomb’ or a ‘Mermaid-martini’ — it gives the drinking public more reasons to buy, and also arms them with something to inspire and excite the on-trade.

The End Bit … (Phew)

In summary, I would say, yes, drinking with the intent of consuming alcohol is on the decline. However that is not driven by a rejection of alcohol. It is more that the alcohol content is no longer the priority, instead greater weighting is placed on pleasurable and interesting taste experiences.

Younger consumers (particularly Gen Z) have been heavily shaped by the effects of the 2008 crash, not just in terms of social values, but also in terms of the importance of getting good value for money. What’s more, like many consumers, they understand that ‘quality’ is as important (if not more so) as ‘price’ in the ‘value equation’.

Couple these two elements together, ‘lower volume consumption’ and a ‘willingness to pay for quality’ and we start to get a clearer picture of what is driving the shift in drinking habits.

This obviously has significant implications for mass produced stock alcoholic drinks, but is also a very positive trend for smaller independent brands offering something new and interesting, and who have a story to tell.

And if what we saw at Imbibe Live this year is anything to go by our consumers will not be disappointed!

animostaging

If an Ad Agency Were a Tin of Quality Street Chocolates

There are certain rituals that unite the British workplace. The awkward kettle hierarchy. The meeting that could’ve been an email. And, at Christmas, the ceremonial opening of a tin of Quality Street.

The answers were amusingly accurate.

1. Creative Director – The Purple One

2. Account Director – Toffee Penny

3. Account Manager – Caramel Swirl

4. Strategist / Planner – Orange Chocolate Crunch

5. Copywriter – Green Triangle

6. Art Director – Toffee Finger

7. Designer – Milk Choc Block

8. Content Creator – Strawberry Delight

9. Project Manager – Fudge

10. Developer – Coconut Eclair

Final Thought

The Seven Deadly Sins of Agency-land: Lust

What I don’t do as a ‘Suit’ owning my own agency – the Seven Deadly Sins of Agency-land.

�� Lust: Why chasing ‘sexy’ clients can leave you sore, broke, and creatively unfulfilled.

How to Waste Your Holiday

I remember going on holiday as a kid with my parents – as many of us were lucky enough to do – and being presented with a number of perfunctory cautions, all ending with: “…you’ll waste your holiday.”

The Seven Deadly Sins of Agency-land: Envy

What I don’t do as a ‘Suit’ owning my own agency – the Seven Deadly Sins of Agency-land.

�� Envy: Why we don’t waste time playing Hunger Games with other agencies.

The Seven Deadly Sins of Agency-land: Wrath

What I don’t do as a ‘Suit’ owning my own agency – the Seven Deadly Sins of Agency-land.

�� Wrath: How unchecked egos, insecurity, and creative tantrums ruin more than just the work.

The Seven Deadly Sins of Agency-land: Greed

What I don’t do as a ‘Suit’ owning my own agency – the Seven Deadly Sins of Agency-land.

�� Greed: Why squeezing every penny out of your agency, or your client, leaves everyone poorer.

Greed

The False Economy

The Relationship

The Seven Deadly Sins of Agency-land: Pride

What I don’t do as a ‘Suit’ owning my own agency – the Seven Deadly Sins of Agency-land.

﻿ Pride: Because nothing says 'teamwork' like a four-hour ego battle and a cleaner’s opinion on beer.

Pride

Is it Time for B2B Marketing to Stop Being the Dull One at the Party?

In the creative world, B2B marketing has long been seen as the less exciting, more sensible sibling of B2C. The one who insists on an early night while B2C is out there leading the conga.

Nobody Ever Took the Lead by Playing it Safe

Who Says B2B Buyers are Different?

The Cost of Thinking Small

So, What Needs to Change?

Let’s Take B2B from Boring To Brilliant

The Creative Hack Pack: 7 Ways to Generate Big Ideas from a Brief

For this edition of ‘Thoughts by Animo’, I’m taking a look at how creative teams turn a proposition into a big idea. Think of it as a creative hack pack; a guide to unlocking fresh, impactful concepts from a brief.

Let's Start With The Brief

1. Find the Human Truth

2. Flip the Expected

3. Steal Like an Artist (But Make It Your Own)

4. Shift the Setting

5. Keep It Simple

6. Break the Medium

7. Have Fun With It

Final Thought

Writer’s Rituals: 7 Habits to Keep Your Creativity from Going Soft

Did you know Jackson Pollock didn’t start his illustrious career flinging paint willy-nilly?

1. Talk to Yourself (Preferably in the Shower)

2. Read, Read, Read

3. Perambulate While You Cogitate

4. Walk Away Now & Again

5. Rewrite, Rewrite, Rewrite

6. Return to Pen & Paper

7. Share Your Ideas with Others

Final Thought

7 Things We Learned About This Year’s Super Bowl Ads

The Super Bowl isn’t just a game. It’s the biggest entertainment spectacle on the planet. And when millions of viewers tune in, advertisers aren’t just competing for attention; they’re competing for entertainment value.

1. Nostalgia is More Than a Gimmick…It’s also an Emotional Shortcut

2. Celebrities Are Only as Good as Their Role

3. Humour Works Best When It’s Relatable

4. Music Can Make an Ad Unforgettabl e

5. Emotion Is Still the Most Powerful Hook

6. Weirdness Isn’t a Strategy…It’s a Lazy Shortcut

7. Satire Works When You Trust the Audience

Final Thoughts

Why being a ‘decent’ Creative Director matters more than being a ‘great’ one

This year marks 25 years for me in advertising and marketing (crikey), with a fair chunk of that spent being – or at least trying to be – a decent creative director.

Give them a clear brief then get out of the way

Creativity doesn’t come from exhaustion

Feedback should build, not break

Ditch the ego – the best idea wins

Pride: Because nothing says 'teamwork' like a four-hour ego battle and a cleaner’s opinion on beer.