I’m joining DCH

It’s true. I am joining Doner Cardwell Hawkins (DCH) from May to become their Planning Director and injecting a bit of digital plannery goodness and my unique brand of me into their agency. Why? Because I believe in their vision, the people and the project. I get the chance to re-connect with Mr Nik Margolis again, who was a shining light of sanity in my formative years at BHWG before they became Proximity, and work with some good people who I’ve already connected with through shared ideals and beliefs. And I get to help them achieve what they want to do. More on this in the coming weeks/months. I don’t doubt it will be a challenge for me and for the agency but it’s a challenge I’m seriously looking forward to. I feel excited about things. And I’ll be on Charlotte Street in London town, with a view next to Scala Street (unless I’ve been moved already). Come and say hi. Or expose yourself at my window.

Looking back

Sometimes life moves at such a pace that you forget how much you have done. It’s been a tad over two years since I joined LCG (inc. Five by Five, Headstream and Five by Five People) and I’ve probably delivered a higher quantity of stuff and things during this time than at any other agency I’ve been at. Some have been outstanding, some good and some not worth remembering for various reasons. Here’s some of my highlights (I may add to this over the next week as the memory returns):

Maintaining WKD as the #1 RTD brand in a declining and challenging market through digital innovation, branded entertainment and social engagement.

Representing Beverage Brands and by default the entire digital industry in the Government Alcohol Enquiry and being part of the consultation for the new Portman Group socially responsible marketing guidelines.

Developing the content strategy, re-structuring the architecture and inspiring the new design direction for B&Q’s diy.com.

Providing a roadmap for social development of B&Q’s diy.com resulting in BazaarVoice being implemented for user generated comment and reviews, and a consultancy project on social listening ending with B&Q developing a  community manager role and being active in the social space.

Being part of the biggest entertainment launch EVAH! For Activision’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. We pwned the internet on launch day & helped to sell $550m in week 1. And then that shit flick Avatar came along…

Getting our work on LucasArts’ Indiana Jones game to transcend “the line”.

Strategic development of the Guinness World Record beating Guitar Hero pan european gaming fest and stuff for GH and DJH.

Beating some big name agencies to win Sony MAG and Sony Singstar despite some mental puppet concepts and singing in the SingStar pitch.

Winning the pitch and delivering a social-led strategy for the new McLaren Automotive MP4-12C supercar. I saw Ron, Jenson and Lewis but also Heikki Kovaleinen in the buff. I didn’t get to sit in the car.

Inspiring (hopefully) the next generation through community outreach to local Universities to share digital goodness with BA and MA students. And sharing my thoughts and stuff to people here.

Becoming a sought after speaker and thought leader and received some fuckawesome feedback from the kind folk at Haymarket.

Instigating a digital and social media appetite in the agency and collaborating to develop the social media strategic approach.

Development of social media analytics offering that made data sexy again and our Activision client said made him want to “splooge”. You can’t get higher recommendation than this. Opened the door for many a fine client including Cadbury, Bacardi and Skandia.

Winning the Fantasy Football league last season and the Euro 2008 championship before it. I look to be doomed this year to scrapping for 4th place.

Developing, growing and nurturing the planning team and instigating a planning led culture for new business and key clients. These are the people I will miss the most. Graham – our brand planner with huge amounts of experience and knowledge and one of the most insightful people I have ever met. He also likes boats which does mark him down somewhat. Nick – my big, gey bear and partner in crime in offbeat humour that no one else gets. He’s also a wonderful analytics dude. Katie – hugely passionate, talented and she’s been the driving force behind a lot of the great things for this agency. She’s also a filthbag. Mike – so intelligent I think he actually has two brains. We’re trying to corrupt his purist views and introducing him to bad places such as the Panda to eat. He’s the Mayor of The Cricketer’s already on FourSquare. And Slutbag. She never worked for us but we used to see her having a fag every day outside our office. When she left it all went wrong for me. I will of course miss other people but then I’d have to list you all and those who didn’t make the cut might cry.

So, next week I shall mainly be at the pub.

Thanks to Patrick for letting me use some of his images without him knowing. I will miss you too. Terribly.

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