I've been watching people in the US try things with Muse - and now dots - while sitting here in Europe checking what we're actually allowed to use. Another demo. Another app-store search. Another wait. Europe feels stuck in permanent fast-follower mode. The regulatory landscape doesn't exactly help that feeling. New tools appear across theContinue reading "The future arrived. It booked my MOT."
The Olympic logistical super fun times with AI: why I traded Claude’s sass for Gemini’s brain
Expectation: A seamless Olympic dream. Reality: Standing at a snowy border in Switzerland, staring at a sign that says “Müstair, cunfin” and wondering where on earth the bus is. 🚌❄️ Planning for the most spread-out Games in history was a trip. Between the "Milano shuffle," soggy venue burgers, and an official website that had the urgency of a sloth, I had to outsource my brain to Gemini. We traded AI sass for actual intelligence, bypassed the Milano Centrale madness, and found a "secret" bus stop thanks to some very kind Americans. Moral of the story? AI can give you the map, but you still have to be the one to jump off the bus. Literally.
The Stuff & Things Lab: I built an App with zero coding skills. Here’s the prototype…
https://youtube.com/shorts/TwKYYHxagJM?feature=share You know that feeling when your brain is a browser with 47 tabs open? I wrote a book about it (Stuff and Things), trying to capture the haphazard collection of professional musings and life in advertising. But a book is static. Once it’s printed, the ink is dry. My brain, however, keeps making noise.Continue reading "The Stuff & Things Lab: I built an App with zero coding skills. Here’s the prototype…"
AI in agencies: The execution gap is widening. Start building.
I spent yesterday at the Prolific North event, courtesy of my clients at Twisted Loop. If you want a snapshot of where the UK agency world sits with AI, it’s a study in optimistic paralysis. We are all excited. We are all experimenting. But the gap between our strategic intent and our operational execution isContinue reading "AI in agencies: The execution gap is widening. Start building."
Tesla Road Trip Part 2: The Return
You find me in Italy. If you haven't read Part One yet, do yourself a favour and start there. It sets the scene beautifully (in my head, at least) and explains how we arrived at this point without completely losing our minds to range anxiety. Interlude: On Italian Charging Infrastructure (A Pleasant Surprise) Before divingContinue reading "Tesla Road Trip Part 2: The Return"
Tesla Road Trip: UK to Italy and back.
A little departure from the usual marketing stuff. Part one of two. The Short Version I drove a Tesla from the UK to Italy and back. Nothing catastrophic happened. This surprised everyone, including me. The Longer Version When I chose the Tesla, it wasn't because I'm particularly green or because I enjoy explaining to petrolContinue reading "Tesla Road Trip: UK to Italy and back."
Same but different: Where Artistic Intelligence Meets Artificial Intelligence
The topic of AI, unsurprisingly, comes up increasingly at the agency. Sometimes because clients explicitly ask, sometimes it just emerges naturally. Earlier this year, our team at Cannes heard AI echoing through every conversation, every presentation, every late-night debate. AI and LLMs aren't just game-changing. They're the first technology that genuinely amplifies human creativity ratherContinue reading "Same but different: Where Artistic Intelligence Meets Artificial Intelligence"
Details matter. Be more useful.
Details matter. Be more useful. I went to the O2 in London recently (well, pre Xmas now - this has been in my drafts a while) to see Paul McCartney. It’s the first time I’ve ever used my American Express priority tickets. I queued diligently and then bought two tickets. Easy. (If not eye-wateringly expensive).Continue reading "Details matter. Be more useful."
Podcast S1 E6 | Never Stop Learning
Watch on YouTube Listen on Spotify https://youtu.be/_h_3MlJQ3b4 When Was the Last Time You Felt Uncomfortable? In the latest episode of "Stuff and Things," I'm tackling a truth we often avoid: comfort is creativity's quiet killer. Here's the thing - our minds are like gardens. Without new seeds of thought, fresh perspectives, and occasional weeding ofContinue reading "Podcast S1 E6 | Never Stop Learning"
Podcast S1 E5 | Respond Quickly
Watch on YouTube Listen on Spotify https://youtu.be/P8JHtVin7t4 When Did We Stop Talking to Each Other? A heartfelt exploration of communication in the modern business world. We've all been there - sending a carefully crafted proposal, attending a meeting, following up… and hearing nothing. Not even a "thanks, but no." In this latest episode, we unpackContinue reading "Podcast S1 E5 | Respond Quickly"
