The Fuel Podcast

Tom Salmon and his team at Agency by Agency are modern-day marketing Magellans, charting the contours of the communications sector in the UK. Along the way, they've uncovered so many useful and fascinating facts about its agencies. This indispensable show is an exclusive look at the way we all view ourselves, what helps us stand out and what hurt us by making us all look the same. Unbland your agency with Agency by Agency's world first unbiased UK creative sector survey. Show notes: Tom's LinkedIn profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomsalmonleeds/ Agency by Agency web site https://agencybyagency.com/ Andy Farmer's Spotify page https://open.spotify.com/artist/2ynC1enfcKUTRzfh7bcVdW?si=gHZ623PfSHSJK6bmRZMWEQ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you want to keep your agency thriving, you'd better do everything you can to understand your audience. 75% of regular, everyday buying experiences are emotion-driven and Rob Harrison-Plastow's company SourceNine has created a tool called the Empathy Framework. This tool helps companies build customer engagement strategies that foster trust, deepen loyalty, enhance satisfaction, and create connection. If you understand your audience, everything you learn after that will make sense. This show helps you understand how to put yourself in your client's shoes and generate empathy, which will help you get those deals over the line. Show notes Rob's LinkedIn profile here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-harrison-plastow-12314228/ Source Nine web site here: https://www.sourcenine.co.uk/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When is your dream client going to hold a pitch? Richard Robinson, Executive Director of Ingenuity+ and one of the ten most influential Leaders in Digital & Tech is here to help us understand how to navigate the incredibly complex marketing, advertising, digital and PR agency landscape. It's a science - and science needs facts. Richard Robinson knows pretty much everything there is to know about the science of agency pitches and the ebb and flow of the factors that influence them. The Ingenuity+ Pitch Predictor research will help you and your agency understand all the moving parts that are going to help you put a point on your new business. What is a pitch? Understand what clients define it as and how agencies view them. How to build a pitch process for the 21stCentury. The value of chemistry and the investment needed, how to allocate marketing spend and creative budgets. The independent agency scene and how to break the holdco domination. The two ingredients you need to pitch against the big agencies. How much does it cost to pitch? The top 3 comms disciplines being pitches in the next 6 months. Are there still ‘Big Swing' adverts? The value of operational discipline in agencies. Bad briefs & confessions of an advertising expert   Links: Richard's LinkedIn profile here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rprobinson/ Ingenuity+ web site https://ingenuitylondon.com/for-brands The Tennent's Lager wall of fame https://www.tennents.com/us/heritage/our-story Our new theme tune! Musician Andy Farmer's Spotify page here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2ynC1enfcKUTRzfh7bcVdW?si=E9KdueGxSYmhYx9valpsvw Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Web design using no code software. Learn how to make your digital brand campaigns sing, soar and smash by listening to the wisdom of Hannah Springett – founder and CEO of HLabs – a trailblazing no code design studio that counts some of the world's biggest companies as its clients.   No code is what it sounds like, it uses visual interfaces to replace lines of code, meaning that the aesthetics take priority over the function.   In this show, Hannah explains her strategy for lightweight marketing ideation for publishers and how to bring the subscription model into the 21st century using her proven methods.   Find out why constant innovation is critical and why over-servicing clients works for client retention.   Hannah explains the difference between luck and opportunity and how to network for new business.   HLabs is proud to have a diverse, remote-working team and Hannah explains how  this can work in today's agency world.   We hear about how to avoid death by PowerPoint and get some great tips for pitch decks, using visuals. Show notes Some examples of HLabs' no code work: Agency Example (Brand & Website): Plastic Pictures  https://www.plasticpictures.tv/   Publisher Example - RedBulletin Magazine (Webby Winner):  https://redbull-trinity008.netlify.app/rbop-trinity-rodman/index.html   Branded Content / Advertorial Example (Illustration & Animation): Wired x Microsoft  https://www.wired.com/sponsored/story/empowering-ai-innovation-with-data/   Brand Example (Editorial, Illustration, Design & Build) - 11th Hour Racing's Composting Guide https://composting.hlabs.co.uk/  Hannah's LinkedIn profile here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannahspringett/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can the world's richest man - Elon Musk, get away with treating the US government like a startup, throwing out Nazi salutes and behaving like the citizens of the world are under-performing employees in one of his  companies, with no damage to the Tesla brand? How much damage can one man cause for his shareholders and does he really care? Rachel Konrad, Esben Pedersen and Craig Davis were all early employees in Musk's fledgling Tesla business. They knew him in the early days, before most of us got to know him. So has he always been the computer game end-of-level boss we all know now? Is there a charming side to Elon, or is he a 21st century Bond villain through and through? How much hurt can moving fast and breaking politics cause to his companies and does he really care? Three experts give their opinions on what he was like, how he won them over, and how he's screwed us all over and made Tesla one of the most toxic brands in the world. Most importantly – they suggest how Elon can get things back on track. This is an incredibly revealing show that everyone who defends the man should listen to. It's got all the facts you need to make a sound judgement on whether they were really Nazi salutes, whether he's hell-bent on efficiency or self-enrichment and most importantly whether he has ours or his own best interests at heart. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Creative agency procurement expert Tina Fegent explains how her process helps CMOs navigate their marketplace and get the right solution and the best value.   We discuss the power of independent agencies and how they can compete against the big HoldCo agency networks.   Why diversity is an agency superpower, how to increase the odds of getting on the short list, the importance of creativity, how procurement solves business problems, agency remuneration models, whether public sector work is worth chasing and the efficiencies of artificial intelligence. Tina's LinkedIn profile here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tina-fegent-fcips-2103573/ Tina Fegent Limited: https://tinafegent.com/ Tina Tells – latest edition: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update urn:li:activity:7311144893765087233/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Keeping the conversation going. New research – and evidence from hundreds of thousands of client and creative agency pitch processes, shows that it can take up to 21 months for a pitch to take place from the initial meeting of a prospect. So what tips can you learn to help keep the client engaged, other than sending them annoying “Just checking in” emails every few weeks or risking being accused of stalking them at their kid's school plays? The PRCA – Public Relations and Communications Association, recently held its inaugural New Biz Fest conference, where hundreds of new business experts and those thirsty for knowledge gathered together to share their tips and experiences. The Fuel podcast was there and I invited my friend and RockstarCMO Ian Truscott on for a live podcast, where we discussed what tactics work best when you're trying to hold a client's attention over this incredibly long journey. Ian shared his best practice advice for anyone working in PR agencies on how to turn the initial spark of a meeting into a flame that burns brightly and longly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are on the cusp of a fundamental shift in the role that journalism plays in our lives. Terms like “Fake News” exist to downplay scandal, social media has unchained hate and negativity and allowed those with the most money to have biggest voice and to punch down on anyone who speaks out against them. Public Relations stands at the vanguard of democracy right now, defending free speech, diversity, climate change and exposing hypocrisy and cruelty. As Chairman of PRovoke Media, Paul Holmes is the figurehead for the world's public relations business. If you need to know what's what in the increasingly influential world of public relations, anywhere in the world, then you'd better speak to Paul. Show notes: Paul Holmes' LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-holmes-4255475/ Provoke Media: https://www.provokemedia.com The Ivan Fernandes LinkedIn article: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ivanfernandes1_strategy-wpp-accenture-activity-7276729033378136064-3gVp? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you winning enough business? And when you do win business, is it regular enough and is it the right kind of business? Have you been ghosted? Are clients not revealing budgets until the last minute? Have you had your pitch ideas stolen? Above all – how do you know how much business to win? All these questions and more are addressed in the new blockbuster PR agency new business report from the PRCA. ‘Pitch Forward' is an astonishingly detailed survey of PR agencies around the UK on the critical issue of new business. The report gets up close and personal with PR agencies on their new business habits and more importantly, those of their clients and prospects. Debbie Little is the PRCA's ambassador for growth, heading up its Matchmaker service which helps clients find the right agency partner and in conjunction with 3 Gem Research & Insights and PR Software company Muck Rack, Pitch Forward covers every aspect of the pitch process and analyses what works, what doesn't and how to make sure that you pitch to the right companies at the right time, regularly. This is a fascinating journey through one of the most secretive aspects of agency leadership.   Show notes Muck Rack: https://muckrack.com 3 Gem: https://www.3gem.com Debbie Little's LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbiejackson2017/ PRCA's new web site: https://www.prca.global/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everything you need to know about how to target, grow and thrive in China and the Far East with expert consultant Domenica Di Lieto of Emerging Communications agency. You'll learn how important it is to develop a bespoke approach to planting and growing your business in a market governed by a completely different value system. You'll hear predictions for business in the Chinese New Year of the snake and learn about the incredible speed of change in culture and business infrastructure. Learn some of the common business assumptions and why it's so important to know your new customers and your competitors. We discuss how the sales process works in China and how the consumer mindset works. We also discover how the work from home and the 886 culture works as well as hearing about all the new growth opportunities in Asia. Show notes Domenica's LinkedIn profile here: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/domenicadilieto Domenica's company web site here: https://www.emergingcomms.com Free handy documents about doing business in China https://www.emergingcomms.com/guide/china-b2b-marketing/ https://www.emergingcomms.com/guide/china-marketing-strategy/ https://www.emergingcomms.com/guide/chinese-student-recruitment/ https://www.emergingcomms.com/webinars/chinese-social-search/ https://www.emergingcomms.com/webinars/china-brand-localisation/ https://www.emergingcomms.com/resources/chinese-influencer-guide/ Healthcare white paper https://www.emergingcomms.com/blog/chinas-healthcare-evolves-opportunities-for-more-innovative-product-growth/ https://www.emergingcomms.com/blog/livestreaming-for-pbsa/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Peter Souter legendary copywriting genius of the advertising industry and now Co-Producer of Netflix's animated Christmas hit ‘That Christmas' with ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral' and ‘Love Actually' Director Richard Curtis.   It's an epic production starring Brian Cox, Bill Nighy, Jodie Whittaker, Fiona Shaw, India Brown and a galaxy of talent, including musical assistance from Ed Sheeran.   And Peter is here to tell us all about it and make sure we all book at least one viewing of it on our Netflix wish list.   We discuss how the movie came into being and what it's like working with all that talent. We discuss the connection between Walberswick and Stellar Street and why you should always surround yourself with incredible talent.   Peter tells us why it's important to pay attention to the numbers but to avoid the reviews in this Neo Hollywood landscape and we learn how he uses positive reinforcement.   How are Peter's advertising and creative skills useful in film making and how good is his Christmas trivia knowledge? It's all wrapped up in a bow by discussing the other greatest Christmas movie ever made.   Peter is an advertising industry A-lister and now he's a movie big wig too! We were so lucky to snag him for the show and it was an incredible hour. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

TEDx luminary, leadership mentor and coach, now book author, Peter Anderton is on the show to give us a historical lesson in great leadership.   In this show, Peter reveals the simple methods that anyone can learn about how to be a great team, business, sporting, family or company leader.   The secret hacks that will improve your leadership style, learning from the greats of the past.   Peter explains how a kid's TV game show from the 70's simply explains all you need to know about motivation and inspiration.   Peter also turns the tables and puts Keith under the spotlight; to examine his perceptions of leadership and he rates his old bosses from best to worst!   You can implement these rules whether you're a company of one, or a leader of many, and we tell you how you can take a free test to find out what areas you need to improve.   How to focus on the stuff you can control and lessons from Nelson Mandela and Elon Musk's weaknesses.   The power of positive belief, saying nice things about people behind their back.   How to listen and practice gratitude and why appreciation goes a long way. Show notes: Peter's LinkedIn profile here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-anderton/ Take the test to see how you measure up as a leader! https://theinspirometer.com/ Alison Jones' highly recommended book writing course: www.alisonjones.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How can AI help creative agencies win business and get up to speed on any sector or area of business fast? Justin Wohlstadter is the inventor and founder of Waldo, one of the leading AI-powered research and analytics tools, used by some of the world's leading creative agencies. Our sponsor – The Advertist has been using Waldo for some time and it's given the new business platform a massive advantage. Justin has been working in the field of AI, technology investment and agency research since the start of the century and Waldo provides support for agency pitches, brand strategy and creative work by reducing the sheer time and effort required to research and verify insights and reports. Find out how YOU can leverage the advantages of Waldo for your business, because like it or not, AI is here to stay and you're either part of the future, or left behind in the past. How much can we trust AI research? How AI can help the creative process How humans and computers can coexist  and how agencies can embed simple AI technology into their business model.   Show notes Justin's LinkedIn profile here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinw/ Sign up for a free trial of Waldo here: http://waldo.fyi Some compelling research: https://www.dba.org.uk/2024-what-clients-think-report/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What makes podcasting such a great advertising platform? Should you make your own podcast or advertise on existing ones? Is your story compelling enough to build an audience or is it better to leverage any one of the established 4 million plus podcast hosts? How podcasts can be used to train your people and help build a remote workforce. Jason Falls is the CEO of Marketing Podcast Network (www.marketingpodcasts.net) and in this exclusive interview, we discuss how powerful podcasting has become to helping brands target a premium audience. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Keith & Natasha as they chew the new business fat after a very long summer and autumn break, as they get to the bottom of what makes the perfect client? Is there ever such a thing as the perfect client for any agency? Is it a myth and legend on a par with Excalibur and Xanadu? The guest for this exciting little podlet is Geraint Edwards, Chief Growth Officer for design agency Tangerine. He helps us answer some of the most intriguing questions around this subject, including: What makes the perfect client for a creative marketing agency? What can clients do to get the best out of their agencies? What should agencies do to get the best out of their clients? Is it right for agencies to question the brief they're given? How should clients react if you offer up diverse, radical ideas? Plus a perfect news story and Natasha reports on the very latest hair styling trends for the season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is your company pet holding your agency's sales back? Is your leadership giving out leader-ick vibes? Agencies often think they know what makes a winning creds or pitch deck, web site or even presenter, but if that were the case, you'd win more pitches, right? Steve Fair of Sponge NB is an expert in agency credentials targeting, preparation and presentation and in this show, he gives us a simple list of do's and don'ts for advertising, marketing and PR businesses. He outlines what creds and pitch decks are supposed to say, what to leave in and what to leave out, where to meet, meeting length, meeting chemistry, web site hierarchy, personalisation and the art of cold outreach. Show notes   Steve's LinkedIn page https://www.linkedin.com/in/spongenb/ Sponge NB's web site http://www.spongenb.com Sponge's LinkedIn new business shorts: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?keywords=newbusinessshorts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then what does your LinkedIn profile say about you? Your LinkedIn profile copy, posts and pictures should all be carefully crafted to convey the message you want to give. And so are your prospects'. This gives you a fantastic opportunity to learn more about the person or company that you're looking to sell into. But how do you decode the hidden cues and clues that could mean the difference between you being an also-ran to pole-position contender? If your LinkedIn profile and web site simply and effectively displayed what you do and how you do it, then you'll automatically have a 60% greater chance of converting the client. Nancy Zare is the LinkedIn Whisperer. By day, she helps companies and sales professionals achieve high-quality results by using her psychology background to analyze their prospect targets' LinkedIn profiles and web presence. By night she rescues dogs! Nancy's in-demand talents for helping sales teams are legendary in the USA but not so well known in the UK, but now she's been on the show, that's all about to change! Even the most talented, service-minded people stumble on sales calls, either because they are unsure of how to sell effectively or by accepting "no" too quickly. Her company Rapport Builderz teaches business people to overcome these obstacles to make more money with confidence and ease with her AlikeAbility(TM) System. Helping them understand and communicate like their buyers. She's like a forensic detective who uncovers subtle insights that elevate any sales pitch and give every sales call the best possible chance of success. This show is a masterclass in salescraft techniques that can give your new business effort a boost. And Nancy is also offering a free exclusive LinkedIn profile audit, to help you see how your LinkedIn profile measures up and give you tips to help you optimize it. This show perfectly aligns with our mission for 2024 of uncovering the intangible elements of the sales process and is a must-listen for anyone interested in the clever techniques that some might call ‘special sauce' in new business. Show notes Nancy's LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyzare/ And don't forget she is offering a FREE LinkedIn profile audit Nancy's web site: https://rapportbuilderz.com The Farm Dog Rescue Project: https://thefarmdogrescue.com/farm/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Female British Entrepreneurs need to behave like American male founders.   With a change in government in the UK, what initiatives should they focus on to help grow the economy through innovation and entrepreneurship?   We can either tax our way to prosperity or grow our way to success on the world stage. Or both.   Julie Thompson-Dredge, founder of Frame PR is at the cutting edge of the start-up world and among other duties is responsible for comms for the Made in Britain campaign and she's passionate about helping founders to develop their start-up's narrative so they can effectively communicate their marketing messages.   In this show, we discuss the basics of promoting a start-up business, using effective low-budget marketing tools and tricks, and also how to develop a captivating story designed to attract funding.   Key to this discussion is the urgent need to create the right environment for female entrepreneurs to flourish, and how Julie helps British women founders behave like American male entrepreneurs.   A fascinating discussion for anyone interested in the world of start-ups, funding and new economic drivers.   Show notes:   Julie's LinkedIn Profile here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-thompson-dredge-336ab33/   Grace Beverley https://www.linkedin.com/in/grace-beverley-574a10102/   Anne Boden - Starling https://www.linkedin.com/in/anneboden/   Mary Portas https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-portas-2420108a/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marketing budgets are increasing, and yet creative spend is decreasing. Clients want more creative for less. This podcast teaches you how to find those efficiencies, using working examples in the retail and B2B sector. My guest is Michael Veitch, ex-Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand and a seasoned digital master, whose new company OutcomePath helps companies across all sectors find their online MOJO. He explains why copying the competition can be one of the easiest mistakes to make; ignoring your organisation's DNA can become costly and is sometimes fatal. We examine what happened at The Body Shop and how disaster could have been avoided. Mike also has some wonderful advice for anyone looking to acquire and relaunch the retailer, as well as providing handy tips for measuring your company's online performance and making sure it matches the offline experience. ------------- Mike's LinkedIn profile here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mcveitch/ OutcomePath web site here: https://outcomepath.co.uk/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

https://www.linkedin.com/in/natasha-ellard-shoefield-the-hand/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ukkeithjsmith/ In the news: Parkrun and phone boxes that power cars. Interview with Jayne Noblet of The Collaborators - What does it mean to be a B Corp? How to obtain B Corp status B Corp and the Food and Drink industry How B Corp helps you win new clients Should B Corp be adopted by the Government? Missed climate goals and targets Unilever's change of purpose strategy Show notes: Parkrun: https://www.parkrun.com/about/our-story/20-years-of-parkrun/ Jayne Noblet's LinkedIn profile:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaynelilly/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The road to hell is paved with good intentions, says the proverb. Never has that been truer than in the case of corporate purpose, the movement that took over the business and advertising world following the financial crisis of 2008.   Nick Asbury, creative writer, corporate purpose critic, poet, songsmith, humorist and author of the new blockbuster book The Road to Hell, discusses his perspective on how the advertising and marketing business became consumed with the idea of doing good to the detriment of everything else.   We cover the wide and varied reactions to the book from the industry, the rights and wrongs of BCorp, Edelman's Trust Barometer, the link between tobacco & purpose marketing, Paul Feldwick's superb definition of "creativity", Nick Cave and AI and how ChatGPT's creator OpenAI has switched its purpose-driven goals.   Show notes: Nick's LinkedIn profile here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-asbury-2573322/ Asbury & Asbury web site: https://www.nickasbury.com/ Buy the book: https://www.nickasbury.com/writing/roadtohell Paul Feldwick's definition of Creativity: https://adassoc.org.uk/credos/what-does-creativity-mean-in-advertising/ Stephen Fry reads Nick Cave's letter about ChatGPT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGJcF4bLKd4 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Discussing the findings of a massive survey of creative agencies and their clients, actor, coach and business presentation guru Catherine Allison gives advice on how to make business presentations, talks, seminars and online meetings fun, engaging, entertaining and most of all, memorable. Catherine uses her extensive career in the spotlight to help remove the ‘resent' from presentations, put the ‘power' in Powerpoint, and the ‘we' in webinar. Catherine gives simple tips on how to win pitches through the unspoken and spoken power of communication. She teaches us how to stand tall, how to imagine our own dragon tail, overcome nerves and deliver powerful messages in person, online and on the phone. Included totally free-of-charge in this podcast is a simple method of structuring a sales pitch that delivers all the right feels, based on classic acting know-how. Show notes: Catherine's LinkedIn profile, here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherinea/ Catherine's company web site here: https://mastertheart.co.uk/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The undeniable link between advertising and entertainment explained by Paul Feldwick, the author of ‘Why Does the Pedlar Sing?' Paul's investigation into this subject began a few years ago when he worked in senior planning roles in some of the world's biggest advertising agencies. As our focus on metrics and data increases, it seems our understanding of the basic principles of marketing is similarly decreasing. Since the first time a person sold another person something, we've always tried to make it an enjoyable experience and the industry-wide pearl-clutching over the apparent lack of creativity in our profession can be easily explained by an expert of Paul's calibre. This is as enjoyable a podcast as I've ever done and Paul is a wonderful storyteller. The show was a revelation to me, as it triggered memories of my own childhood and a series of artworks called ‘The Cries of London'. Join me as I ask Paul – Why does the Pedlar Sing? Show notes: Paul Feldwick's LinkedIn profile here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/feldwick/ Buy the book ‘Why Does The Pedlar Sing?' here: https://a.co/d/129x0ms Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Retail stores need to do everything they can to entertain and retain their walk-in customers, and on a wider basis, brands are fighting for an increasingly tougher share of their customers' attention. Sound is the new frontier of marketing and AVC Music specializes in matching brands to audio content. Managing Director Euan McMorrow is ex-radio industry DJ and producer who knows a thing or two when it comes to audio marketing. In this show, I sit down with Euan to discuss the history and potential of branding in the audio landscape. We discuss in-store audio, news, podcasts and the music industry and Euan gives listeners 3 fascinating tips for launching a podcast. Show notes: Euan's LinkedIn profile here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/euan-mcmorrow/ AVC Music web site here: https://avcmusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When times get tough, companies always look to the sales team to help them out. The new business role in agencies is one of the most underfunded and yet entirely necessary responsibilities in creativeland. Adam Graham is one of the people who agencies turn to when they need help with their company's growth. He's got years of experience helping creative agencies straighten out their sales and new business process. He runs Gray Matters, one of the marketing industry's most well-known new business and growth agencies which offers the whole new business consultancy. He also looks after BD Matters, an exclusive community and marketplace of agencies and founders to workshop various issues, bring in special guests and generally help lift the awareness of new business as part of the agency growth model. All the tips and tricks you need to know about growing your agency, in less than an hour. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some incredible agency management advice from David Meikle - the former head of Ogilvy London and Russia.   Alongside his role of advising some of the world's biggest brands and agencies on their strategic marketing advice, he's the author of two pivotal books – How to Buy a Gorilla and Tuning Up, which have been helping agencies create greater value for the advertiser through marketing transformation, pitch management, training and workshops. This show is an in-depth look at the key highlights of both books and offer sound advice and data to help your agency become pitcher perfect!  Subjects include: Agency investment models Product development strategies The triangle of doom Monkey House logic What areas CMOs need to ask for help with New business prospecting tips The awfulness of leaned hopelessness Selling petrol Companies wasting effort and time with wildcard pitches The self-propelling business model   All delivered in a light-hearted, but informative conversation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What's in a name? Does your agency's name influence its destiny? How important is getting your business's name right? It could mean all the difference between winning and losing. Keith and Natasha pour a coffee and muse this proposition with the help of Laura Bent, a co-Director at creative agency CITE, who relates her own personal experience of trying to transition from one agency into another, after an acquisition. Our two intrepid heroes discuss this theme and contrast it against amusing evidence and illustrations, as well as supply their own personal important news headlines, updates and bon mots. - All in less that 20 minutes! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Howard Gossage - often dubbed the "Socrates of San Francisco," revolutionised advertising in the 1950s and 60s with his unconventional and humanistic approach. So it took two equally unconventional and humanistic creatives - Steve Harrsion and Dave Dye, to write - no, craft - a book documenting some of the most captivating and exemplary pieces of Gossage's short but prolific career, producing a form of advertising so ahead of its time that we're only now catching up with it. The problem is, that, like the man in the river surrounded by crocodiles, we've forgotten that the original objective was to get to the other side. We've forgotten the point of advertising - and that is to entertain. Gossage was a born showman and it lived and breathed in his work, which is what makes it sadly unique. If you've never been Gossaged before, I suggest you start here. If you have, then I hope you'll appreciate this podcast and an opportunity to reminisce on a lost period of advertising that we still have a chance to reclaim and make advertising great again. Thank you to Steve Harrison and Dave Dye for a memorable podcast. If it sounds a bit jumpy, I apologise and hope that it doesn't spoil your listening enjoyment. We had to record it in two goes and splice the best bits together because of a technical SNAFU. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How much your agency charges for its work is critical to success. Or is it? What is creativity worth? How long does it take? Keith & Natasha - two new business experts sit down over a coffee to discuss the issue and how it impacts agency life. We also interview David Meikle, author of 'Tuning Up' and 'How to Buy a Gorilla' on the value of creative ideas to clients. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We need a hero. We need someone Pleasingly Reserved and Artfully Modest. Mark Denton is a creative veteran of some 40 years. He's directed over 500 commercials. He's one of the most awarded creatives in the world Yet he still regards himself as the new boy. An hour of entertainment, delivered in Mark's inimitable style: Ageism, the best old TV adverts, Stingo, a tribute to Brian Griffin, AI Photography, Magic Markers, how creative used to be done, making your own clothes, making the creative genesis, the SKIP button, the advertising industry's biggest star, the ultimate umbrella campaign and Cobra Kai & Eagle Fang. Living at St Luke's, Mark is available for your next campaign. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Influencer marketing is a form of marketing as old as commerce itself, but in recent times, where there's so many messages being blasted at us and lies dressed up as facts, the medium has taken on a new level of credence. We trust influencers more and more these days, and it's fast becoming THE weapon of choice for so many CMOs. It's not just the high-profile consumer icons we all know - it's happening at b2b and micro levels too. We're all under the influence! But why? How can they reach the parts that other forms of marketing cannot reach? In this 15-minute podlet I sit down with my go-to fact man Victor Houghton to uncover the intelligence of influencer marketing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Stand and Deliver!" is not a recommended sales technique we've ever heard of, so why are behemoths like Apple, Google, Twitter and Facebook all doing it? Keith & Natasha dissect the right and wrong way to generate new business and create loyalty. In less than 20 minutes! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who are you? Director, Relater, Socialiser or Thinker? Who you are – how you communicate and who you're communicating to, depends on knowing this. Grant Thornton says that within this decade, every leader of every dynamic organisation will need to have a clear strategic vision and be able to articulate that to the business. This is important stuff, and as part of The Fuel Podcast's quest for answers to how we communicate better as humans, our sponsor The Advertist has teamed up with author and business coach Trenton Moss to give you a FREE workshop, so you can begin your journey of greater communication discovery! On Tuesday 5th March at 1pm, Trenton is offering friends of The Advertist a free workshop to hear how the contents of his best-selling book ‘Human Powered' can be implemented in your agency. He's doing this exclusively for The Advertist, so don't miss out on this amazing opportunity. Take part in this fun hour of a workshop. https://forms.gle/m7mwc52Xnoii5DraA It's so good, we've all done it. Book your place now and we look forward to seeing you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Discussing morality in the creative agency world. What role do agencies play in changing the public mindset when it comes to big oil or tobacco? And what other sins do creative agencies regularly commit? Also - your chance to choose our theme music! Vote: 1. Acid 2. Dance 3. Starsky 4. Chill 5. Cheezy 6. Bebop All in a highly caffeinated 15 minutes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What effect does faith have in the sales and marketing process? Whether you're a religious person or not, belief in things yet to happen is part and parcel of sales and marketing. We're all doing things now that will hopefully benefit us in the future. But does believing in the future make it happen? There's more to the sales process than technique, there's also attitude and that's what this show is all about. Brad Smith is the CEO of Succeed Digital and his belief system helps him every day – and it can help you too. Digging the ditches, having faith that it's going to rain will make it rain. In this truly enlightening show, Brad outlines his philosophy for winning business and creating memorable and meaningful client relationships. We discuss: When it's OK to compete on price Retention v Acquisition The 30-second summary for your business Making growth a team sport How to choose your prospects Being nice as a business skill Using referrals Treating people as you'd like to be treated Credibility, memorability and visibility SHOW NOTES Brad's LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/succeedwithbradsmith/ Succeed Digital's web site: https://www.succeed.digital Sir Anthony Hopkins' ‘Digging Ditches' speech: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=714018422472470   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this show, we discuss the unspoken signs of success; in leadership, branding, and work and personal relationships. Semiotics is the study of signs and symbols and their use or interpretation and my guest - Dr Rachel Lawes is a social psychologist specializing in the interface between individuals and consumer culture. She is a Fellow of the Market Research Society and her latest book "Using Semiotics in Retail: Leveraging Consumer Insight to Engage Shoppers and Boost Sales" makes her the ideal person to tackle this subject. This show is packed with insights that will give your brain a load of new wrinkles, including: Those leaders with high EQs How to make the best of a cold Why Christmas decorations are like viruses The delirium of duty free Top down and bottom up semiotics Elite Waitrose shoppers Creating a reality that others will follow The downside of tech driven relationships Semiotics and the pharmaceutical sector The baboon that finds lost things The horrors of The Bible     Show notes: Dr Rachel's LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachellawes/ Buy the book ‘Using Semiotics in Marketing: How to Achieve Consumer Insight for Brand Growth and Profits': https://www.amazon.com/Using-Semiotics-Marketing-achieve-consumer/dp/1789662079 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is the advertising business a form of business or entertainment? It needs to be entertaining but there definitely is a science to it. Paul Bainsfair is the Director General of the IPA – the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising. He's a veteran of the industry, with board-level experience at TBWA, Saatchis and Iris, he's using his 35+ years in the business to champion the cause of advertising as a driver of the economy. But he's also acutely aware of the issues facing the world of advertising – the environment, DE&I, frequency and advertising fatigue. So, the IPA's focus for 2024 is the 60:40 rule and helping companies and brands to strike a balance between brand building and activation – as the old song goes, like love and marriage, you can't have one without the other. In this wide-ranging chat, Paul and I discuss the difference between US and UK advertising, why ads need to deliver the relevant unexpected, the latest Bellwether reports and a marketing budget forecast for the next 12 months, the wisdom of Tim Delaney, balancing the standards, saving the economy, new business opportunities for all agencies, the analogy of steam trains and Irish songwriters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is today's technology preventing us from developing meaningful relationships - in business and in life? What techniques can we use to make sure that our approaches are both genuine and timely? Keith Smith sits down with experts Natasha Ellard-Shoefield - the founder of business development consultancy The Hand, and Peter Meikle Partner and Head of News & Media Relations EMEA, at PR agency FleishmanHillard UK to get their thoughts. Sources https://hbr.org/2017/04/a-face-to-face-request-is-34-times-more-successful-than-an-email https://sproutsocial.com/insights/b2b-influencer-marketing/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Brown, the host of the ‘Creatives with AI' podcast is on the show to simultaneously scare and soothe us about the unstoppable march of AI into our lives.   David is a creative agency owner, so he totally understands how AI can be used to help us win business and grow our agencies.   We discuss the subject of how the military is using AI and the global view of AI ethics. We look at how our privacy will be affected The development of guard rails AI's impact on photography already and what's to come The environmental cost of AI How to be the best prompt engineer and why this is the career of the future We discuss how AI reflects all the best and the worst of humanity What the creative agency of the future will look like.     Show notes The AI Dilemma YouTube show https://youtu.be/xoVJKj8lcNQ?si=m8C1FM1Mx51_yOzP   Unknown killer robots trailer for Netflix https://youtu.be/YsSzNOpr9cE?si=S8w-8rAyiML660y3   David Brown's LinkedIn page https://www.linkedin.com/in/4mdbrown/   The Creatives with AI podcast on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/3l97IiQzlKDnioO166RSyc?si=d193538ca2084137   The Hi Ren video (a must watch) https://youtu.be/s_nc1IVoMxc?si=7Tkeq3uDLkpMF2T6 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Clare Sutton, Managing Partner at Public Relations agency Clarion, part of the WPP Group, is a specialist in the food and drink sector. Recently, the agency released its ‘state of the sector' report on the latest trends and influences in the Food and Beverage industry. It's a quick analysis of the latest innovations and developments in what is one of the UK's biggest economic drivers. Clare is a wonderful guest, she loves her work and is a wonderful motivator - perfect to kick off season 4 in 2024! In the episode, we discuss: Shrinkflation Purpose Influencers Diversity and Inclusion Aldi (a lot) Capturable opportunities Cakes Pantries Scottish food and drink Dead royalty Motivation Show notes Clare's LinkedIn profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/claresutton/ Clarion PR web site http://www.clarioncomms.co.uk The Food and Drink report: https://clarioncomms.co.uk/news/hungry-for-the-hottest-food-and-drink-trends-clarion-serves-up-the-latest-insights-in-its-most-recent-food-for-thought-report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New business expert and comedian Jeremy Davies stops by to share a glass of eggless eggnog and pull a cracker or two. Before we get too drunk on liqueur chocolates, we discuss what we can all learn from sales in other sectors and we breathe new life into the aphorism "People Buy People". We discuss AI, Benders in Escorts, streaming Nottingham Forest games in Ibiza , discuss what those little bits in the player thing of Trivial Pursuit are called and Jeremy makes a great case for the renaming of Monopoly. he tells us what the worst Christmas record in the World is - all while he's madly trying to tidy up the house before his wife gets home! A happy holiday to all our listeners, currently sharing a mini mince pie and having their Christmas get-together in a phone box. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Timothy Leary once told us to Turn on, tune in and drop out; to unplug from the mainstream distractions and get to know yourself a bit better. but did you know that this is a habit that's adopted by most of the high-functioning creatives today? AND... did you know that you can use it too? David Pearl is the creative force behind the global World Wide Wander social movement - where common business problems are solved by going out and immersing yourself in your surroundings; be it the highlands or the high street. We don't pay enough attention to Nature's simple solution for high-speed brain power. In one of the most entertaining podcasts we've ever done, David takes us through his unique method for helping blue chip companies unleash their creative potential using some of the most innovative methods of workshopping we've ever heard of! From Mozart to Mowgli, we explore how creative solutions used in the world of entertainment have crossed over into the commercial world. Measuring the felt world Lessons learned from working with Stanley Kubrick Drafting and redrafting creative content The Flaneur movement How the unexpected things are the stuff of life Experience Engineering Do brainstorming sessions work? The two phases of the creative act Does giving away creative power affect mental health? Score keeping in a marriage And the wonderful solution for the end of The Italian Job Show notes: Our sponsor - new business development platform The Advertist https://www.theadvertist.com David's LinkedIn profile here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidpearlhere/ The Street Wisdom movement: www.streetwisdom.org The Selective Attention Test: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJG698U2Mvo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The value of doing research before making bold marketing moves - and what happens when it all goes wrong. Keith Smith investigates with the help of Creative Director Peter Souter, research guru Victor Houghton and a bunch of crazy adverts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You could argue that, since the advent of digital media, social media, podcasting and vlogging, AI and content marketing, that public relations has become the most adaptable marketing technique in the toolbox.   Fleishman Hillard is one of the founding agency groups of the modern public relations business. Lyndsay Haywood, who looks after the UK arm of the company is also one of the most successful new business directors around - and she loves her work.   In this show, you'll hear how she accidentally discovered public relations, tapped into her sales mojo and rose to the top, all the while lifting up those below and is now one of the best ambassadors for the new business development profession.   Topics covered:   Interviewing one of the most feared news interviewers   Public relations as a career option   Dealing with imposter syndrome   Mental health and how we should be addressing it   The value of a global agency network   Why the PRCA's Communications Management Standard accreditation matters   The impact of the climate change debate on the sales role   Working as influencer Rob Mayhew's agent   Using data to make influencer marketing work   Is PR a creative business?   Lyndsay's favourite campaigns of the year   Humans v AI in PR   How Fleishman Hillard is continuing to innovate and lead the industry.   Our sponsor The Advertist – grab a free trial!: https://www.theadvertist.com PRCA 5 word words that will win you new business: https://www.prca.org.uk/Five-words-that-will-win-you-new-business Lyndsay's LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lyndsayhaywood/ Fleishman Hillard UK: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fleishmanhillard-uk/ Norwich City's mental health advert: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tX8TgVR33KM CALM's “Last Photo' web site: https://www.thecalmzone.net/thelastphoto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While most great creative is inspiration, that inspiration always comes from a source based in facts.  These days, we're surrounded by fake news and alternative facts that if you don't check them out, could cause irreparable damage to yours or your client's brand. In this show I chat with one of the advertising industry's leading fact-finders. Victor Houghton has been supplying irrefutable facts to advertising agencies for years. Those facts have helped them put together multi-million pound and dollar-winning pitches. An hour of truths, actualities and factualities on working from home, diversity and inclusion, greenwashing , deepfakes, artificial intelligence and the best free research tools agencies can get. Show notes: Vic's LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victorhoughton/ VH Insights web site: https://www.vhinsights.com The Neuron https://join.theneurondaily.com/ Chat GPT https://chat.openai.com/ Google Bard https://bard.google.com/chat Waldo https://www.waldo.fyi/ Pi https://pi.ai/onboarding Claude https://claude.ai/ My Social AI https://app.mysocial.ai/ Riot in the Taverna playlist https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5ckxgzY7GnpDiYGZxzmJ8f?si=c5b3e26dbaa84c33 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is it possible to own words? How can a few big players in the UK's dairy industry prevent non-dairy and plant-based food manufacturers using words like Mylk or Sheeze? In this podlet, I investigate the issue of copyright and protectionism with the help of Creative Director Mike Everett, Palm PR co-founder Liam Keogh and Trading Standards Authority team leader David Pickering. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How to build a PR agency for the future Liam Keogh is the co-founder of PALM PR, arguably the UK's most creative independent PR agency working in the food and drink and hospitality sector. He's one of those guys who runs through walls to make stuff happen – and it shows in how his agency works. Collaborating with his team to identify future clients, issues and policies that ensure everyone plays a role in the progression of the agency is just one of the secrets of his success Palm PR is also the agency behind the controversial petition to get the Government to stop preventing plant-based innovators from using words like “Milk”, “Cheese” and “Butter” in their product descriptions and marketing . Currently, in the UK there is a blockade on the use of these words and Palm PR argues that this is directly impeding innovation in the industry. This is very typical of the spirit and energy that Liam and his sister Emily have built Palm PR on. Employee-owned Palm is a true innovator, which the PR industry has recognised through all the awards and acknowledgements it has garnered in its history. Liam explains how to tick all the boxes to create an agency that is built for the 2030s. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Not every green creative is a great creative, but every great creative is a green creative. It takes far less energy for an original advert or promotion to enter the public consciousness than it does a bad one. How big swings are behind some of the most iconic creative ads of our time and how they create their own momentum. Featuring: Sir John Hegarty, Mike Everett, Nils Leonard and Nick Looby Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the 1970's Mike Everett went straight from secondary school into advertising, starting in the mail room and eventually trying his hand at copywriting, at which he became an expert. In 1973, he began a 14 year stint at Collett, Dickenson, Pearce and Partners - one of Britain's most outrageously creative and prolific advertising agencies. He worked at Lowe International with Sir Frank Lowe as worldwide creative director. He's still at it, as creative partner at Anatomised - a digital, display and TV advertising consultancy. He's on the show to discuss his incredible career and also his book Methods of the Madmen, a behind-the-scenes look at some of the ads that made Britain great, giving a detailed look at the creative process and the struggles to bring some of the most adventurous adverts to life, working with the best film, art and creative directors of the time. Starring: Tony Brignull, Paul Collins, Mike Cozens, Graham Fink, Steve Harrison, John Kelly, Tim Lindsay, Dave Dye, Terry Lovelock, Sir Frank Lowe, Sir John Hegarty, David Abbott, David Hughes, Bill Bernbach, Sam Delaney, Peter Matthews, Sir Alan Parker, Sue peters, John Salmon, Paul Smith, Mike Townend, Alan Waldie, Graham Watson, Paul Weiland, Peter Souter, Martin Galton and many, many more. Buy the book and be amazed! https://a.co/d/gnF25Er Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the greatest minds in the world of advertising is on the show to explain how we can recapture our creative essence and make the business of marketing the sexy, inspiring innovative, funny, thought-provoking, engaging and compelling business that attracted us to it in the first place. He also explains how great creative is better for the planet. Importantly, he's also here to tell us how we can all join his masterclass called 'The Business of Creativity'. The link to sign up is in the show notes for this show at www.thefuelpodcast.com. The free press of podcasting Learning from history Game changing works of art What one advert John Hegarty holds up as an example of the complete big idea Why companies need creatives at the top How to win a pitch Why brainstorms are boring Diversity Hiring the best What Sir John would like on his gravestone And why you don't put a tow bar on a Ferrari.. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A real tale of inspiration, determination and motivation as I sit down with the leader, the brand ambassador, the genius behind The Black Farmer brand – Mr Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones MBE. His story begins as part of the Windrush generation, coming from poor farming stock in Jamaica with his parents, as part of Britain's shambolic attempt to rebuild the country after World War II. Left to fend for themselves in a strange country, thousands of miles from home, with little or no support from the host nation, Wilfred's parents settled in one of Birmingham's poorest districts, but there was a glimmer of hope in the form of a small allotment, which Wilfred tended to help supplement his family's food. He dreamed of becoming a farmer His education was from the school of hard knocks. He battled racism, otherism, prejudice in business, climbing the ladder at the BBC and going on to become a marketing and broadcasting expert. He achieved his original dream, going on to create The Black Farmer organic sausages, burgers, meatballs, bacon, chicken, free range eggs and cheese, which has now become a £10m creation. He was awarded an MBE (Member of the British Empire – a royal appointment), he's written a book on overcoming fear for failure and most of all, he beat cancer. He's now working on his latest project - a series of farm shops in deprived communities, bringing healthy natural artisanal brands to food deserts. He's an awesome man who champions the underdog. And he's here giving his unvarnished truth in this thoroughly entertaining, frank and forthright interview for grown ups. Wilfred's LinkedIn profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/theblackfarmer/ Company website https://www.theblackfarmer.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices