Simon Patel

Here's a handy reminder of what's expected of a Creative Director. My A to Z guide is not comprehensive; I cover more details when coaching people, but this is a good start. ⚡ ⚡ ⚡ ⚡ ⚡ ⚡ ⚡ ⚡ ⚡ ⚡ ⚡ My 'HOW TO BE A CREATIVE DIRECTOR WITHOUT SUCKING AT IT' Coaching Course starts on June 26 - there are 2 spots left. Sign up before the end of June 17 for a 10% discount. Message me or comment for more details. #creativedirector #creativecoach #advertising

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"Stories don’t just capture our attention. They keep us engaged, and they stick with us afterwards. All the ingredients for an effective ad - and an impactful photo." Joanna Barnett, our brilliant new Strategy Director, featured this week in the 'I Tried This' series, for Creativebrief BITE, asking industry leaders to share the #experiences which have positively impacted their creative outlook and how they have influenced their work. Joanna shares how #photography has broadened her perspective and reminded her of some of the fundamentals of #advertising. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gB3FzUep

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Fair amount of people popping off in the creative community about Jaguar's new rebrand with some pretty heavy comments. Am I defending the choices and is it for me? No. But here's the thing: how many dropping these clever and scathing comments about "death of British icon and its heritage" were actually ever planning to buy a Jag? Or even considered it a viable car they'd be looking to buy in the next 3-5 years? 10? Truth is, heritage brands like Jaguar face an impossible task. Stay the same, you're dinosaurs - sales fall off as only 65-year-old blokes are buying them. Try to evolve, you're "killing an icon." It's a poor rebrand (or a very clever stunt), but at least they're taking a swing at reaching a new generation. The execution might not land for everyone (or at all) but from one creative to another – sometimes you need to break things and upset a few people to build something new. And sometimes you have to fail. #Branding #CreativeDirection #Jaguar

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📣 UPDATE ANNOUNCEMENT: I have made some changes to this - it is now One-To-One - not a group. Why? Well, I have had some requests for this, as it can be difficult for some people to stick to set times - life and work can be hard to juggle, so it helps if there can be some flexibility in things like this. There are limited spots available - you can start now, or sometime in September or October - whatever works for you. I'm offering a 20% discount if you sign up before August 29. The current group taking part in my Creative Director programme is about to wrap up, so it’s time to get started with some new sessions. You can see more details in the carousel below - but ignore the whole group thing and dates - LinkedIn won't allow me to replace the carousel. 😎 What can you get out of it? ☑ New perspectives. ☑ Inspiration. ☑ Answers to burning questions. ☑ Advice on how to navigate certain obstacles. ☑ Creative leadership advice and insights. ☑ And much more. And if you want it…I'll share my guacamole recipe. Better creative leadership skills lead to better work, happier staff, and stronger client relationships. There are limited spots available. If you want to get on board and benefit from a discount then sign-up before August 29. Oh, and don't forget about the guacamole recipe. It's pretty good. Just sayin'. If you're interested in joining please email me for more details - [email protected] #creativity #creativeleadership #advertising

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Have you see the Asda rebrand by Havas London? I took some of my own advice I give to partners & clients.. sleep on it. First impressions are important but let it percolate... so... Its impressive work from Havas for a Supermarket. Its a bold confident change for Asda. When I first saw it, I felt this rebrand had all the hallmarks of a fintech challenger and was jumping on the youthful, sticker laden social orientated bandwagon. However, on closer inspection and thinking about how this brand is positioning with its customer, its disruptive and and a clever move. When the brand identity is paired with photography that is synonymous with groceries, thats when it really works IMO, specifically the upper/lowercase of the headline font. (I would like to see the guidelines for how a lowercase letter is chosen in words/sentences, thats for sure!) The typography is playful and the subtle concept driven from hand-painted green grocer signage is a nice touch; They say its more humans, and I agree. I would like to see more POS applications as that is where the detail will live everyday.. and the true test of time will play out. Overall, I feel that this will resonate with Asda's customers and bring new, younger shoppers across who are responsive to all things new. Come on.. tell me what you think? #branding #ASDA #rebrand #brad https://lnkd.in/ewJyA5uf

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At Principles Agency we recently landed on 4 things brands need to do to succeed. We call these the Principles of Unforgettable Brands. Rather than plucking a framework from thin air because the letters created a neat acronym (ours don’t, DEVC is really rubbish) we put the hard work in to create something useful and effective. Including... ▪️ Speaking to countless senior marketers at successful brands ▪️ Studying the leading, or fastest growing, brands in different categories ▪️ Stealing knowledge from all the conversations Douglas Burdett, Jon Evans and Fergus O'Carroll have had in recent years ▪️ Absorbing the learnings from the best books and brains in our industry (namely Orlando Wood, Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, sarah carter & Les Binet, Mark Ritson et al) From all this work we landed on a very simple, but effective list - to make brands come to mind quicker, and stay there longer, we help them to be more distinctive, entertaining, visible and consistent. In celebration of this little feat, I’m going to share an unforgettable brand or campaign every week that I think best demonstrates these principles in action. Kicking off for week 1 is this belter from Peugeot back in 2003. It’s possibly my favourite ad, and reminds me of a time before car ads were just city montages and ethereal sunsets. It’s a perfect example of pure entertainment (Principle #2) and whilst there’s too much to say in here about the excellent storytelling craft in this ad, the main thing to note is that it has enough confidence in holding the viewer’s attention to build up to a satisfying reveal - something we’re seeing less and less of since the rise of skippable content. #Marketing #BuildingUnforgettableBrands

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‘You can’t really measure the impact of PR’. I hear that said so often that sometimes even those of us working in the sector can be at risk of internalising that belief. Which is why it’s so uplifting when a client takes the time to write in on a Friday afternoon to say ‘the result of the press coverage [that Rostrum generated] is a 25% increase in website traffic and a 50% increase in form completions’. That’s a measurable return on investment from your PR programme.

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Surprisingly, there is very little guidance for those wanting to step up to the Creative Director position or those who have landed in the role and are looking for more advice. That’s why, as part of my coaching services, I have added a programme focused solely on how to be the best Creative Director you can be. I’ll be sharing, via video calls, insights and the lessons I have learned along the way on my creative leadership journey. Details are in the carousel below. #creativedirector #creativity #creativeleadership #advertising

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‘I designed that… and it’s one of my proudest achievements’ mark whelan said to me as I walked out of the Havas London HQ. There are two things I love about out this… 1. An accomplished (British) leader being ok with saying ‘that’s one of my proudest achievements’. That just doesn’t happen. 2. The proudest achievement being something physical. That you can walk on. Look at. Touch. I wrote a thing about Spatial design making a resurgence recently. And I think a return to ‘physical’ isn’t just a counter movement to all the chat about AI and screens. I think it’s primal. I think humans want to feel things again. I think it’s why Cannes was flooded with humans. And I think it’s why Brands are investing in retail, experiential, events. Either way, if you didn’t know, now you know that Mark designed those cool stairs at Havas… and it’s actually a map of Kings Cross made from used metal from Kings Cross station. Luzz it. Thanks, Mark.

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More thoughts for your mind from our minds: the effective magic of brand collabs, AKA "when will Flying Object stop talking about Greggs?"* *never https://lnkd.in/egVnjE2n

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Struggling to break down silos and achieve brand consistency across departments? Join The Unified Brand Podcast this week as we chat with Hugo Timm, Senior Creative at Frontify and former Design Director at WeTransfer and BBC Creative. Hugo dives deep into the challenges and solutions for building a strong, consistent brand in today's digital world. Listen to the full episode and learn how to break down silos and unify your brand experience: https://lnkd.in/e-8Qwjag #BrandManagement #InternalBranding #MarketingStrategy #DesignThinking #TheUnifiedBrandPodcast

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"10 years ago, the single biggest killer of young people was accidents. Today it’s suicide. It has claimed the lives of 6,929 young people." Amazing new work by Campaign Against Living Miserably adam&eveDDB the7stars Hope&Glory PR! 👏 A timely reminder ahead of WSPD that we need to CARE for each other, and especially the young people in our lives. These simple steps could help save a young persons life: C: Check in with the young people in your life. A: Ask if they’re feeling suicidal. R: Remain close and remove them from harm. E: Escalate to emergency services - like CALM’s suicide prevention line or 999 - if necessary. For more information on how to use CARE, please visit care.thecalmzone.net #unitedagainstsuicide

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Wrote some some stuff about that rather conspicuous John Lewis Christmas Ad. Read below why I found it deeply offensive. Link: https://lnkd.in/ehbeAj7w Thanks for having me, LBBonline - Little Black Book

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The power of our error bias is clear in both of these critically acclaimed adverts. Firstly, we've had Uncommon Creative Studio's British Airways campaign and now this week we bear witness to BBH London's Tesco Out of Home campaign. Both of these leverage the distinctive brand assets just enough to point you to the brand in question. The British Airways type is cut but our brain fills in the gaps, whereas the Tesco campaign makes you work out the maths beyond white and blue dotted lines. Would it be as easy to digest without 'Every little helps'? I doubt it, that finishing touch delivers just enough to stop you in your track and make you work out the 'T' from tangerine. I think thats what it is, but who cared I can work out the rest. Both of these campaigns have been crafted within a millimetre of their lives. The craft of art direction in advertising is here to be enjoyed. I even love the shadow set on each piece of food like its floating where the Tesco logo once was. Nils Leonard has long talked about the power of a simple idea and how Out of Home is a long last art that many are returning to beyond a orgasmic digital world of mayhem and madness. Calm against the storm has the power to stop us in our tracks, both of these brilliant campaigns do just that. Bravo to all involved, agency teams and brave clients alike. Long live the billboard! #advertising #distinctivebrandassets #bbh #uncommon #britishairways #tesco

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Love it or hate it, Jaguar's rebrand has everyone talking. Attention is currency – and Jaguar just made a massive deposit. However, rebranding isn't about shock value. It's about evolution that respects brand DNA. Where the leaping jaguar once symbolized automotive excellence, the new brand feels disconnected from Jaguar's heritage of luxe perfornance. A logo is more than a visual mark – it's a storytelling device. Strip away a brand's essence, and you risk turning everyone against you. Successful rebrands progress, they don't depart. The focus should be on preserving the emotional connection that originally captivated your audience. #DigitalMarketing #Branding #BrandStrategy #JaguarRebrand

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Bringing Urban Decay’s Face Bond to the UK: Our Triple-Action Launch 💥💄 After its high-profile US debut, We Are Collider knew we had to make the UK launch of Urban Decay Cosmetics’ Face Bond foundation nothing short of show-stopping. We kicked things off with CGI films of the product making its transatlantic journey from LA to London by hot air balloon! 🎈 This was followed by the unboxing of 650 glossy magazine-like ‘PR boxes’ on social, revealing flawless shade-perfect matches. And finally, interactive billboards hit city centre locations with brush-ready make-up artists on hand to assist. The results? Nothing short of epic: 📈 487,500 video views showcasing the buzz. 📲 1,219,000 unboxing impressions putting Face Bond front and centre. 🛍️ 1,693 shade matches and samples bringing product trial straight to the people. I'm super proud of how this launch tapped into the power of immersive brand experiences, crafting a flawless journey from discovery to trial. Massive kudos to our team and Urban Decay for making this campaign a standout hit. It really was a ‘foundation’ for success! 💄✨ Want to see the magic in action? Check out the video to catch the stunning visuals, behind-the-scenes setup, and everything that made this launch unforgettable. 🔗 Read more HERE: https://lnkd.in/e_kZAS73 #ExperientialMarketing #UrbanDecay #FaceBond #Beauty #Creativity #Content #BrandExperience #Engagement #Storytelling #BehaviouralScience

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💥 We’re getting our sh*t together (pun fully intended!)💥 I am over the moon to share that we’ve WON the Innovate UK Creative Growth Grant! 🎉🥳 After 6 months of hearing "NO" on repeat: ❌ NO, we don’t fund consumer products. ❌ NO, it’s not “deep-tech” enough. ❌ NO, it’s not “life-science” enough. ❌ NO, you’re not Forbes Under Whatever and, oh yeah, you don’t have a p3nis. ❌ NO, you’re just a mum making products for other mums. ❌ NO, you don’t have enough traction. ❌ NO, you’re pre-sales, it’s too risky. ❌ NO, come back when you’ve got an MVP (spoiler alert: we will! 😉), and… ... 👻‘ghosted👻….. The good thing about rejection is it makes you better than ever before. Because of those “no’s”, we finally got the YES ✅ that matters. 🙌 And that's what counts! 💪 A MASSIVE shoutout to Asadullah Khan (more on him below) for his incredible work in helping us develop our Proof-of-Concept, which has been instrumental in securing funding 🎉 The grant will fund research that informs product development while proving that our game-changing, innovative product is exactly what parents need—and, crucially, something they’re willing to buy. 💥 🔍 We’re diving into some seriously cool stuff—working alongside the brilliant Isabel Lydall and Allyson Binnie from Curious to Clear Collective to kick-start ethnography studies. 👉 What’s that you ask? We’ll be listening to lots of parents (mums AND dads!) diverse in ethnicity, socioeconomic background, and with babies aged 3-30 months to understand their priorities on health, sustainability, convenience and affordability. We’ll be giving them an exclusive first look at our current design during focus groups and backing up insights with a significantly large quantitative study. We’ll learn exactly what functionality to prioritise in development, and—most importantly—why👏. Basically… we’re getting some SERIOUS traction🚀. And traction means more investment 💰. Stay tuned for what we’re working on because who doesn’t "love a good change®"? 😉 ===================================================== Before I wrap up: ✅ If you’re looking for a biomedical device design engineer with razor-sharp CAD skills and a can-do attitude, look this way. Asad interned with us over the last 6 months through our collaboration with the University of Southampton. His contributions have been nothing short of brilliant. Asad is a total gem 💎, and I highly recommend him. ✅ If you’re an expecting parent, or have a baby under 3 and want to be involved in the development of one of the most exciting products of our generation, DM me! ====================================================== Please like, comment, and share to celebrate this huge win with us AND boost visibility for Asad as he sets off on his next exciting adventure.🚀 #Onwards and #Upwards!!  🔥

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👉 'FFS' more coverage with ChargeGuru ⚡ 🪫 Great to see the continued media support for our FFS campaign with ChargeGuru. Two new articles have gone live; I had the opportunity to speak with MediaCat Magazine and Creativepool, together we dug more into the campaign; the background and the creative process. *** With Media Cat, we discussed how 'Marketing and the media are essential in accelerating EV adoption'. Snippet: Marketing and the media are essential in accelerating EV adoption by making it relatable and addressing misconceptions head-on. This is where smart marketing can step in. We need to educate the public about the cost-efficiency and sustainability of electric vehicles (EVs). By showcasing advances in EV technology and infrastructure, we can alleviate concerns and anxieties about going green. Providing accurate information that can empower potential drivers to make informed decisions. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/eZXSwkzi In Creative Pool, we explored the creative process behind the campaign in the article titled 'Inside ChargeGuru’s Groundbreaking Campaign'. Snippet: What is one funny or notable thing that happened during production? Using a guerrilla-style projection tactic, we set up quickly, projected, and moved on, generating public excitement and candid reactions for the campaign video. At one location, we were asked to leave, with the police even called. Fortunately, we captured all necessary footage before needing to pack up—no laws were broken! Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/ewueD2iQ #EV #Marketing #MediaSupport #ChargeGuru #Campaign #ElectricVehicles #Sustainability #CreativeProcess The PHA Group Denis Watling Elizabeth Davidson

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