Podcasts about nils leonard

And the winner is...Uncommon Creative Studio.In this episode of Campaign Chemistry, the Campaign team took a special field trip a few subway stops away to the NY headquarters of Uncommon Creative Studio to clink champagne glasses with its co-founder, Nils Leonard, celebrating the agency's recent win as Campaign's Agency of the Year in the US. Leonard discusses the innovative projects that have defined their brand, like the New York Fashion Week viral sensation Rat Boot, and the journey of starting the UK-based agency after leaving his successful tenure at Grey London. He discusses the state of creativity in today's world, along with the lessons learned and the principles that guide Uncommon's work. campaignlive.com What we know about advertising, you should know about advertising. Start your 1-month FREE trial to Campaign US.

In this episode of Spikes Excitement Talks, Gordon sits down with the brilliant Lucy Jameson—strategist, agency founder, and one of the most respected voices in the industry. Lucy shares how she stumbled into advertising simply because it started with an “A” in the Oxford career guide, and how that serendipitous choice turned into a lifelong passion and career.From her early days at the legendary BMP (later DDB), learning under industry greats to becoming Head of Planning at an unusually young age, Lucy reflects on what it means to truly care about the work—and how that mindset led her all the way to Global CSO at DDB.She opens up about the highs and lows of leadership, the art of winning pitches, and why she believes great strategy is about building brands that deserve to exist.Lucy also shares how her creative partnership with Nils Leonard sparked a bold leap: founding Uncommon London to do exactly that—create brands people genuinely care about.From econometrics to emotion, from spray-on safety paint to brand purpose, this is a conversation packed with insight, wit, and rare honesty about what it really takes to shape work that matters.Tune in for an inspiring journey through creativity, resilience, and the power of building things that matter.

Brace yourself, Robert Campbell is back for one last (probably) round of industry wisdom, outrageous stories and brutally honest predictions. If you haven't taken notes yet, now's your chance before your boss pretends they invented everything he says. This time, we dive into getting sued by Sir Martin Sorrell, ageism, Hammer Horror, Nils Leonard and... The Wombles? (Yes, really.)

In this episode of Beautiful Business, Chloe speaks with Nils Leonard, co-founder of Uncommon, the creative studio behind some of the most thought-provoking work in branding today. Nils brings a profound understanding of what it takes to build brands that resonate—not through fleeting trends but through meaningful, lasting connections. At the heart of Uncommon's ethos is the belief that the best brands are built slowly, with intention and purpose, much like the greatest bands in history. This approach challenges the fast-paced, short-term mindset dominating today's market and invites businesses to embrace longevity and depth.Throughout the conversation, Nils reflects on his unconventional path—not rebellious, but one of deliberate choices to break from conformity in meaningful ways. He shares his insights on creating brands that people wish existed, highlighting the importance of authenticity and purpose. “You wouldn't meet a human without purpose,” he says, “so why accept a brand without one?” It's this vision that has made Uncommon a leader in the creative industry, building work that doesn't just sell but inspires.The episode also explores the intersection of creativity and technology, with Nils offering a compelling critique of AI's limitations. While he acknowledges its efficiency, he argues that the raw human experiences of joy, grief, and ambition are irreplaceable drivers of truly impactful work. This blend of human emotion and purpose, he believes, is what elevates brands from functional to transformative.This conversation is a masterclass in leadership and creativity, providing invaluable insights for anyone looking to create work that stands the test of time. Whether you're a brand builder, a business leader, or someone inspired by the power of slow, deliberate growth, this episode offers a vision for what's possible when purpose meets creativity.

Brought to you by our sister podcast, Generation (Spotify) (Apple Podcasts).Imagine being handed a million pounds to develop a groundbreaking idea—but you can't get your client to see its value. Is it their fault? Or does the responsibility fall on how you tell the story? Today, Max sits down with Nils Leonard, co-founder of one of the hottest creative agencies on the planet, Uncommon.Nils has led viral campaigns for brands like British Airways, Nike, Monzo, and EA Sports, earning multiple Grand Prix Awards at Cannes Lions along the way. Max and Nils break down what separates the meaningful from the mediocre and why finance needs creativity now more than ever.Partner with us: https://business.finimize.com/Subscribe To Finimize Newsletter: https://share-eu1.hsforms.com/1TVySdLKsSxmyp0sBmOcNrg2b9knn

When EA Sports and FIFA parted ways in 2023, there was just one minor problem: the popular soccer video game's brand was entirely wrapped up in the FIFA name. Nils Leonard, Co-Founder of Uncommon Creative Studio, shares how he and his team approached creating a FIFA-less brand that honored the video game's 30-year legacy while positioning the brand to thrive for another 30 years and beyond. But would the new brand play well under pressure?To see the change of brand for yourself, visit achangeofbrand.com or follow us on Instagram @achangeofbrand.Created by Matchstic (matchstic.com / @matchstichouse), hosted by Blake Howard (@blakehoward), co-hosted by Tracy Clark, edited and scored by ATAM Audio, brief-in by Dee Boyle, fact-checked and coordinated by Jill Jeffries, produced by Brianna Belcher, and artwork by Stephanie Kim.

Edited highlights of our full length conversation. Which direction are you going? Nils Leonard, one of the co-founders of Uncommon - the award winning global creative studio - has been a regular guest on this show since I started Fearless seven years ago. In all of that time, I've wondered abut his partnership with his two co-founders, Natalie Graeme and Lucy Jameson. Why did they decide to go into business together? How does it work and what might get in the way? And what makes the Uncommon partnership particularly worth understanding is the extraordinary consistency between what they said mattered to them when they started, and how they show up today. This conversation, on a wet, rainy Thursday morning, at an outdoor restaurant in Cannes, shows why this partnership has worked so successfully so far and raises some questions about how it will need to evolve to guide the company's next stage of evolution.

What are you fed by?  This episode is the fifth in a series of conversations that I'm having in partnership with the Cannes Lion Festival of Creativity. For the weeks leading up to Cannes, we're focusing our study of leadership through a single lens. The impact of Artificial Intelligence on the Creative Industries. Are we moving fast enough? Are we going far enough? Is this an opportunity to fundamentally redesign the creative industries, or should we adjust and iterate, slowly and carefully? Do we follow the puck, or skate to where it's going? There are opportunities, and risks, around every corner. Nils Leonard is the Co-founder of Uncommon, a global creative studio based in New York, London, and Stockholm. I invited Nils into the series because I suspected he would have a strong point of view about what AI is, and isn't, when it comes to creativity. Nils has strong beliefs about many things, which is why I ask him back on the show regularly. One of those is the emotional leap of faith that every creative act demands. It's a deeply and uniquely human investment. At the end of the series, I'll offer some thoughts on what we've heard and learned, and where we might go from here. In the meantime, thanks for joining us.

Edited highlights of our full length conversation. What are you fed by?  This episode is the fifth in a series of conversations that I'm having in partnership with the Cannes Lion Festival of Creativity. For the weeks leading up to Cannes, we're focusing our study of leadership through a single lens. The impact of Artificial Intelligence on the Creative Industries. Are we moving fast enough? Are we going far enough? Is this an opportunity to fundamentally redesign the creative industries, or should we adjust and iterate, slowly and carefully? Do we follow the puck, or skate to where it's going? There are opportunities, and risks, around every corner. Nils Leonard is the Co-founder of Uncommon, a global creative studio based in New York, London, and Stockholm. I invited Nils into the series because I suspected he would have a strong point of view about what AI is, and isn't, when it comes to creativity. Nils has strong beliefs about many things, which is why I ask him back on the show regularly. One of those is the emotional leap of faith that every creative act demands. It's a deeply and uniquely human investment. At the end of the series, I'll offer some thoughts on what we've heard and learned, and where we might go from here. In the meantime, thanks for joining us.

Edited highlights of our full length conversation. What are you fed by?  This episode is the fifth in a series of conversations that I'm having in partnership with the Cannes Lion Festival of Creativity. For the weeks leading up to Cannes, we're focusing our study of leadership through a single lens. The impact of Artificial Intelligence on the Creative Industries. Are we moving fast enough? Are we going far enough? Is this an opportunity to fundamentally redesign the creative industries, or should we adjust and iterate, slowly and carefully? Do we follow the puck, or skate to where it's going? There are opportunities, and risks, around every corner. Nils Leonard is the Co-founder of Uncommon, a global creative studio based in New York, London, and Stockholm. I invited Nils into the series because I suspected he would have a strong point of view about what AI is, and isn't, when it comes to creativity. Nils has strong beliefs about many things, which is why I ask him back on the show regularly. One of those is the emotional leap of faith that every creative act demands. It's a deeply and uniquely human investment. At the end of the series, I'll offer some thoughts on what we've heard and learned, and where we might go from here. In the meantime, thanks for joining us.

Traditional (or established) media is having somewhat of a resurgence, the pendulum is certainly swinging to a more balanced view. We have the likes of Nils Leonard celebrating the power of OOH, Mark Ritson telling us that if we allocate 11% of our marketing budget to radio advertising, the entire campaign's effectiveness will double and Peter Field releasing Why TV is at the heart of effectiveness and NeuroInsight showing that a 30-second cinema ad had 1.75 times more chance of having its “intended impact” on memory and engagement than a 30-second TV ad. So it was time for That's What I Call Marketing to sit down with leading industry bodies to get their take on the landscape, the challenges and opportunities faced by traditional media, innovative research studies, and the importance of measurement and effectiveness in advertising. Featuring insights from Jill McGrath of TAM Ireland, Aoibhinn Lennon from the Outdoor Media Association, Cassie Joyce of Pearl and Dean Ireland, and Ciarán Cunningham of Radio Centre Ireland, the discussion delves into how traditional media channels are adapting to digital transformations and the perceived effectiveness of digital vs. traditional advertising. The episode also highlights the need for marketers to be curious, challenge assumptions, and consider a balanced media mix to achieve brand success. Recorded at Poddle Audio00:44 Diving Into the Media Landscape: Challenges and Opportunities01:12 Expert Insights on Traditional Media's Evolution02:59 The Digital Shift: Analysing the Impact on Advertising Spend05:13 Reassessing Media Strategies: A Shift Back to Broadcast?06:52 Breaking Down Misconceptions in Media Planning11:05 The Importance of Diverse Media in Campaigns12:59 Measuring Success Beyond Digital Metrics24:11 Revisiting Event-Based Media and Consumer Engagement27:02 Addressing the Digital Focus in Media Planning and Buying29:51 The Sonic Boom of Audio Media30:06 Marketing Challenges and Strategies36:06 Innovations in Media: A Closer Look38:21 The Future of Media Measurement and Creativity52:10 Busting Myths and Setting New GoalsThanks to today's show sponsors: The Indie List and Diplomat, the global brand agency Thanks to Dee Reddy at Poddle Audio for hosting this episodeGet in touch about sponsorship or content partnerships, email EmailInstagram X YoutubeListen to all episodes here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Nils Leonard the founder of creative agency Uncommon Creative and former chairman and creative director of Grey London joins us for a chat about culture and creativity in the modern marketing world. Nils profile from Oct 2023 in The Irish Times https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2023/10/19/creative-leadership-in-advertising-in-peril-as-tech-giants-lure-talent-says-agency-founder/ Nils on Linkedin https://uk.linkedin.com/in/nils-leonard-373b2b3 Uncommon Creative Homepage https://www.uncommon.studio/

Nlis Leonard is co-founder of Uncommon Studios and while visiting Dublin he took time out to talk to That's What I Call Marketing, we met up at Windmill Lane, where the likes of The Rolling Stones, The Cranberries, U2, AC/DC and Van Morrison recorded. And what an apt location because this episode is Rock and Roll from start to finish, we talk about how Nils started, lamb and mint sandwiches, his time at Grey, curiosity, why it matters to matter and so much more. Check out this episode and hear about:Nils Personal Background and Creative InfluencesThe Journey into AdvertisingThe Importance of Surrounding Yourself with Inspiring PeopleThe Importance of Passion and AmbitionThe Role of Creativity in BusinessThe Challenges and Rewards of Starting Uncommon StudiosThe Importance of Diversity in the Creative IndustryThe Impact of Uncommon Studios' WorkThe Future of Uncommon Studios and Expansion into AmericaCreativity and InspirationThanks to Core Creative for hosting us in Windmill Lane. To IAPI and the Marketing Society for bringing Nils to Dublin. This show is in partnership with The Indie List www.theindielist.ieTo contact That's What I Call Marketing Email thatswhaticallmarketing@gmail.com Instagram www.instagram.com/thatswhaticallmarketing/ X twitter twitter.com/thats_marketing .Youtube: www.youtube.com/@thatswhaticallmarketing You can listen to all old episodes www.thatswhaticallmarketing.com/listen Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

Nils Leonard is returning to the Uncensored CMO podcast after selling his agency, Uncommon to Havas. We discuss what's next, why he feels it's an investment not an acquisition, what AI means for creativity, culture and more.Timestamps00:00:00 - Intro00:01:11 - Selling Uncommon to Havas00:02:10 - What does partnering with Havas allow them to do?00:08:22 - How did the team react?00:09:50 - Expanding to the US00:12:22 - What's changing?00:14:42 - Part 2: What's new with Uncommon?00:16:33 - Keeping creativity alive00:19:20 - Is advertising dead?00:21:21 - Getting Chat GPT to write a new British Airways Strapline00:22:49 - Chat GPT writes an ad for British Airways00:24:46 - What car brand Nils would most like to work on00:27:01 - The work Uncommon actually did for British Airways00:28:52 - The importance of advertising internally00:29:59 - Making 512 different productions for BA00:32:13 - The power of simplicity00:34:26 - Making out of home powerful00:35:22 - What does AI mean for creativity?00:38:09 - Do CMOs understand the value of creativity?00:43:58 - Biggest problems we as an industry need to solve00:47:27 - Demonstrating the value of creativity00:50:57 - Creating culture in a growing agency00:55:11 - Power of generosity00:56:26 - Uncommon's “faff tax”00:58:45 - The world's #1 podcast by Jon Evans00:59:59 - 2 Uncommon stories01:02:51 - What what Nils do if he wasn't running Uncommon?

Visuals: https://getbehindthebillboard.com/episode-58-nils-leonardAI / Elderflower cordial  / B&Q / Inflatable cushions / Cannes / Air conditioning / AwardsIt went pretty much in that order on a warm day earlier this week, where the air con and Hugh's home brew kept us cool.Episode #58 features a fascinating chat with Nils Leonard, co-founder of Uncommon, who became our first ever returning guest.We first spoke to Nils back in Feb 2021 when we were remote, stuck in various houses and offices trying to have spontaneous conversations on Zoom. So it was wonderful to meet irl and we can report Nils is even better in the flesh

Today I'm Having a GAS™ with Nils Leonard, CCO & founder of Uncommon, a creative studio building brands. More on Uncommon here: https://www.uncommon.london Nils Leonard has spent over 18 years in the advertising and design industry working across a spread of the most recognised and influential agencies in London. In his most recent post as Chief Creative Officer of Grey LDN, Nils oversaw the most profitable and awarded years in the agency's 52 years history and became one of the youngest agency chairmen in the world leading its brands globally and locally. In 2015 Grey LDN became the only agency in the world to win two Grand Prix at Cannes Lions and under his creative guidance the Grey was named most awarded agency of the year twice in just three years at D&AD. Nils was voted into the Ad Age creativity 50 and named the most creative person in advertising globally by Business insider. An unconventional background in design, his most recent work on the Tate Britain won the Grand Prix at the Design Week awards and picked up 15 lions at the Cannes festival of creativity. A creative champion, agitating for change and diversity in the industry, Nils is a regular speaker and judge at industry events, is on the board of trustees of D&AD and is listed as the Sunday Times 500 most influential people in the UK. Over the last year Nils has led the inception and launch of the ethical capsule coffee brand Halo to global acclaim. A true challenger brand Halo was reviewed by GQ Magazine as ‘The coffee keeping Nespresso ambassador George Clooney awake at night.' More recently Nils has founded the Uncommon Creative Studio alongside Lucy Jameson and Natalie Graeme. Uncommon is a creative studio building brands the world is happy exists. Having a GAS™ is the podcast that talks to the great and the good of the creative industries, and in particular finds out what makes great music for film, for TV, for advertising; for dancing to, for cooking to, f*cking to, and more... GAS™ Music is a music production agency in Manchester, UK. We compose and produce original music, create awe inspiring sound design and have a fully integrated audio post-production studio. We also have a great record collection, and welcome any additions, recommendations or criticisms. http://www.gasismusic.co.uk​​​   © GAS™ Music 2023

Edited highlights of our full conversation. Here's a question. Are you happy? This week's guest is Nils Leonard, the co-founder of Uncommon London. Nils has been on the podcast before. I ask him back pretty regularly because every one of our conversations expands my understanding of leadership. I think he keeps saying yes because each time he learns something about himself. In this week's episode, we covered a lot of new ground. In truth, I could have highlighted a number of areas as worthy of close attention. But this is the one that really stands out for me. Life is short. Careers are shorter. I find myself saying this quite often these days as a reminder that within the maelstrom of running a business, we are also, and more importantly, living a life. Leadership comes at you hard and fast. It is demanding and unrelenting and it is easy - very easy - to get swept along in the expectations that are placed on us. Managing those expectations are hard when they come from other people. But the more important and consequential challenge is to manage the expectations we have of ourselves. The first and critical step is to define what you mean by success. In all its forms and attributes. Personally, I believe that one of those definitions should include the word happy. Too many people think doing that makes them selfish. But in my experience, the people that are clear that they want to be happy are also the ones who have given the most thought to what that means to them. Often, most often, it includes the desire to help others unlock their potential. So, are you doing something that makes you happy? And how do you know?

Edited highlights of our full conversation. Here's a question. Are you happy? This week's guest is Nils Leonard, the co-founder of Uncommon London. Nils has been on the podcast before. I ask him back pretty regularly because every one of our conversations expands my understanding of leadership. I think he keeps saying yes because each time he learns something about himself. In this week's episode, we covered a lot of new ground. In truth, I could have highlighted a number of areas as worthy of close attention. But this is the one that really stands out for me. Life is short. Careers are shorter. I find myself saying this quite often these days as a reminder that within the maelstrom of running a business, we are also, and more importantly, living a life. Leadership comes at you hard and fast. It is demanding and unrelenting and it is easy - very easy - to get swept along in the expectations that are placed on us. Managing those expectations are hard when they come from other people. But the more important and consequential challenge is to manage the expectations we have of ourselves. The first and critical step is to define what you mean by success. In all its forms and attributes. Personally, I believe that one of those definitions should include the word happy. Too many people think doing that makes them selfish. But in my experience, the people that are clear that they want to be happy are also the ones who have given the most thought to what that means to them. Often, most often, it includes the desire to help others unlock their potential. So, are you doing something that makes you happy? And how do you know?

Here's a question. Are you happy? This week's guest is Nils Leonard, the co-founder of Uncommon London. Nils has been on the podcast before. I ask him back pretty regularly because every one of our conversations expands my understanding of leadership. I think he keeps saying yes because each time he learns something about himself. In this week's episode, we covered a lot of new ground. In truth, I could have highlighted a number of areas as worthy of close attention. But this is the one that really stands out for me. Life is short. Careers are shorter. I find myself saying this quite often these days as a reminder that within the maelstrom of running a business, we are also, and more importantly, living a life. Leadership comes at you hard and fast. It is demanding and unrelenting and it is easy - very easy - to get swept along in the expectations that are placed on us. Managing those expectations are hard when they come from other people. But the more important and consequential challenge is to manage the expectations we have of ourselves. The first and critical step is to define what you mean by success. In all its forms and attributes. Personally, I believe that one of those definitions should include the word happy. Too many people think doing that makes them selfish. But in my experience, the people that are clear that they want to be happy are also the ones who have given the most thought to what that means to them. Often, most often, it includes the desire to help others unlock their potential. So, are you doing something that makes you happy? And how do you know?

The last episode in the first series of Creative Review's podcast Creativity Sucks! addresses how brands should embrace sex and sexuality today. Photographer Sophie Ebrard, Uncommon co-founder Nils Leonard, and Headspace VP of marketing Louise Troen join host Eliza Williams for the discussion.

Hear why Nils Leonard is one of the world’s top creative talent, and one of the UK's most interesting people. The scale of his ideas is matched only by the force of his personality as he takes us through his unrelenting, take no prisoners approach to creative excellence. If a podcast on creativity ever came with a warning - this would be it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We talk to Nils Leonard of Uncommon Creative Studio and Nora Apsel, founder of Morty, a company shaking up the US mortgage market by putting consumers in control. Nils and Nora are entrepreneurs who share a passion for consumer advocacy, a commitment to doing business with purpose, and a belief in challenging and changing the status quo. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We talk to Nils Leonard of Uncommon Creative Studio and Nora Apsel, founder of Morty, a company shaking up the US mortgage market by putting consumers in control. Nils and Nora are entrepreneurs who share a passion for consumer advocacy, a commitment to doing business with purpose, and a belief in challenging and changing the status quo. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nils Leonard is Founder of Uncommon Creative StudioIn this episode  Nils shares his wealth of experience and some powerful insights into how to remove fear from your leadership.He also talks candidly about why we need to differentiate between being in a client services business and the creativity business, the importance of having a view of the world, to really create impact and make your work matter and why you need to let go of the need to be dependent on other people to achieve your dreams.Just in case there is anyone out there who doesn't know who Nils is, he is the Co-Founder of the fastest growing startup in advertising history, Uncommon Creative Studio.He also spent time as Chief Creative Officer of Grey LDN, where he oversaw the most profitable and awarded years in the agency's 52 years history and became one of the youngest agency chairmen in the world leading its brands globally and locally.He was voted into the Ad Age creativity 50 and named the most creative person in advertising globally by Business insider, is on the advisory group for the Royal Academy, and is listed as one of Sunday Times 500 Most Influential People in the UK.Topics covered include: Embracing changeConverting frustration into successThe importance of convictionThe courage to be your authentic selfNeed for changeStanding by your valuesHow being open about company standards provides clarity of expectationsFollow Joanna Howes and The Change Creators: website: https://www.thechangecreators.comlinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joannahowes/For Leadership and team coaching and training, you can message me at joanna.howes@thechangecreators.com and we can book a call. website: https://www.thechangecreators.com linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joannahowes/youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2kZ-x8fDHKEVb222qpQ_NQ

Nils Leonard doesn't really need any introduction. Once you've met him you'll never forget him. He's the former leader of ad agency Grey London who left to let his creativity run free with a bunch of like-minded colleagues at Uncommon. As you'll hear, Nils rejects the stuffy-service-focused image of advertising and insists that he's in the business of creativity and making a difference every day for himself, his team and his clients. How come we've created an industry that has its own ‘delete' button on the internet? It's the ideas that create the gravitational pull of the agency and Uncommon is walking the talk every day. From unique and memorable marketing and advertising campaigns, film & music direction, to startup incubation and flower arranging. It's all here. Nils talks about his early years, his passion for working with clients that are in a transformative state and want to become a brand that customers wish existed. He also covers Uncommon's brilliant ground-breaking mental health work with broadcaster ITV, British Airways' new campaign and turning taboos into talking points. We talk Halo coffee, green issues, his top 3 personal creative awards and the release of Uncommon's first documentary. Also how he managed to catch Donald Trump on film, smashing up a solar panel with a golf club. So strap yourself in for the ride of your life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Uncommon London was just named Creative Agency of the Year for the second year in a row, and Independent Agency of the Year. It's the first time a company has ever received both awards in the same year. Creative leadership is not a theory. It's practice that happens in the real world. And the reason this podcast exists is to bring the lessons of the best leaders in the world into the light where they can be learned form and applied. This week's episode is a re-run of one of my very earliest episodes. It's a conversation I had with Nils Leonard in the summer of 2017. Nils was on the show only a few weeks ago. But I'm airing this episode again now for a simple reason. It's a case study. When we recorded this conversation, Nils and his partners - Lucy Jameson and Natalie Graeme - had just launched Uncommon. They had big dreams. Big beliefs. And, as Nils realized at the end of our conversation - something else to support all that. Hope sits at the heart of any creative endeavor. The willingness to try, the capacity to fail and then try again are all fueled by hope. But if hope is the driving force, then the track that you lay down is held in place by the standards that you hold yourselves to. If you take the time to listen to this conversation, or read the transcript, you'll find evidence that when it comes to leadership, saying what you mean and meaning what you say matter a lot. Maybe more than anything. And less than five years after this conversation, the company that Nils, Lucy and Natalie are building is proof that it is possible to predict the future - by inventing it. What do you want to have built by 2027?

Edited highlights of our full conversation. Here's a question. Who do you really want to join you on the ride?  This week's guest is Nils Leonard. He's one of the co-founders of Uncommon London. They describe themselves as a creative studio building brands that people in the real world actually wish existed. Nils has been on the show before. He was one of my early guests on the podcast and that conversation came in the early days of Uncommon and he was very open about his ambitions and his expectations for himself and his company.  Four years on and it's hard to see the gaps between what he said back then and how he talks about the company today.  In my experience - both as a company founder and as a coach - there is one aspect of leadership that brings many to their emotional knees. Firing someone.  When to acknowledge that the fit between the person and the organization doesn't work. On a human level, we all want to belong and the fear - conscious or instinctive - that we might one day be on the receiving end of this conversation, makes many leaders do everything they can to avoid that moment. The one in which we say out loud, to someone's face, we don't want you.  Even now, as you're listening, if you hit pause and say out loud, we don't want you, there will be a feeling in your stomach that you hope goes away fast. But there are three other parts of this that don't get enough weight in the emotional wrestling match. First are the hopes, needs and expectations of all the people that work for you who are contributing so much that they will never be part of a conversation like this. Whose talent and efforts and commitment to you and to the business are subsidizing the person who doesn't fit. Second are the needs of the organization as a whole, which has no agency and no ability to help itself, and which is as reliant on your protection and care as an infant. And third is the person who is receiving this news. Who knows, in almost every instance in my experience, that this job isn't a fit, that these people are not their tribe and that they are, to use Nils' description, a passenger on someone's else's ride. “Death twitches my ear. Live, he says I'm coming.”     They say that life is a journey. And so is building a business. Who gets to go on that ride is perhaps the most important decision that a leader takes.

Here's a question. Who do you really want to join you on the ride?  This week's guest is Nils Leonard. He's one of the co-founders of Uncommon London. They describe themselves as a creative studio building brands that people in the real world actually wish existed. Nils has been on the show before. He was one of my early guests on the podcast and that conversation came in the early days of Uncommon and he was very open about his ambitions and his expectations for himself and his company. Four years on and it's hard to see the gaps between what he said back then and how he talks about the company today. In my experience - both as a company founder and as a coach - there is one aspect of leadership that brings many to their emotional knees. Firing someone. When to acknowledge that the fit between the person and the organization doesn't work. On a human level, we all want to belong and the fear - conscious or instinctive - that we might one day be on the receiving end of this conversation, makes many leaders do everything they can to avoid that moment. The one in which we say out loud, to someone's face, we don't want you. Even now, as you're listening, if you hit pause and say out loud, we don't want you, there will be a feeling in your stomach that you hope goes away fast. But there are three other parts of this that don't get enough weight in the emotional wrestling match. First are the hopes, needs and expectations of all the people that work for you who are contributing so much that they will never be part of a conversation like this. Whose talent and efforts and commitment to you and to the business are subsidizing the person who doesn't fit. Second are the needs of the organization as a whole, which has no agency and no ability to help itself, and which is as reliant on your protection and care as an infant. And third is the person who is receiving this news. Who knows, in almost every instance in my experience, that this job isn't a fit, that these people are not their tribe and that they are, to use Nils' description, a passenger on someone's else's ride. “Death twitches my ear. Live, he says, I'm coming.” They say that life is a journey. And so is building a business. Who gets to go on that ride is perhaps the most important decision that a leader makes.

Nils Leonard is a creative champion with a long list of MotherF&ckers to prove wrong.  An agitator for change and diversity in the industry, Nils is a regular speaker and judge at industry events, is on the board of trustees of D&AD and is listed as the Sunday Times 500 most influential people in the UK.  More recently Nils has founded the Uncommon Creative Studio alongside Lucy Jameson and Natalie Graeme and is on a mission to build brands the world is happy exists.   On their 4th birthday, they are doing that in ways that's influencing the entire industry.

Nils is a creative's creative who isn't afraid to hold a mirror up to himself and the industry he loves. His recent TBD talk was going to be called ‘Life is too short to give up and become a cynical old sl@g' but being the helpful, positive soul he is, Nils plumped for ‘What to do when you are being punched in the face'. Nils knows ‘good' when he sees it and isn't afraid to burn down houses to find it. A good thing when you're asking about post-pandemic client relations to how creativity is changing because of platforms like TikTok. About Flavia: (@nilsleonard)+20 years in the advertising and design industry, Nils has worked across the most recognised agencies in London. From his time in the Chairman/Chief Creative Officer role at Grey LDN to being voted into the kill-your-grandmother-to-be-a-part- of the Ad Age's creativity 50, Nils has won a slew of accolades and titles for his creativity. From ethical brands to home staples, Nils, Lucy Jameson and Natalie Graeme are making waves at Uncommon, the creative studio building brands the real world is happy exists. Clients include Google, WWF, Ovo Energy, Unilever and ASOS.Find out more about Nils over at Uncommon.ABOUT MOUTHWASH: Mouthwash season two begins July 5, for more information, check out mouthwashshow.comThanks to Shell for supporting the show, and to Ecologi for planting a tree for every listener! TBD Conference will return in 2022. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nils Leonard has spent over 20 years in the advertising and design industries working at a number of the most recognised agencies in London. In 2017, he founded the Uncommon Creative Studio alongside Lucy Jameson and Natalie Graeme, which aims to be “a creative studio building brands the real world is happy exists”. This episode is split into 3 parts, including a bonus segment from my recording with Nils over a year ago. Here's what we covered:Part 1 - Creating brands you wish existed  How Nils turned art into a career How he found the 1 ad land job at the Job centre The importance of culture & trust in the turnaround of Grey Why it's always the people and not the name above the door you should care about The importance of being so clear on your mission that people choose to be in the room How Volvo Life Paint was the inspiration for Uncommon Why you should invest in your own idea rather than begging others to do it Mystery project names, secret hotels and being followed by private investigators How Halo coffee came into the world Why the stories we tell ourselves manifest who we are How panic drove the early success for the agency The power of a website with nothing on it Walking away from a major new client because it didn't lead to Uncommon work Giving young men confidence via the one second suit Part 2 - The Uncommon work Why Uncommon's B&Q campaign brought tears to my eyes Uncovering a real truth that led to those funny bright orange posters for B&Q Blowing things up with Reality TV stars for ITV Why we need to make the Ad break as entertaining as the programme Backing start ups with an Uncommon accelerator Moving from advertising to design, experience and new product launches Why the Olympics needs to hold up a mirror to the world right now An Uncommon year to win Campaign Agency of the Year How the Pandemic crisis put creativity into overdrive The emotion of seeing people in the office again Nils gives his best advice to CMO's on how to get to the best work Painting a picture of cultural success as much as commercial success Don't be ashamed of talking about your personal ambition to make an impact in the world Jim Carey “if you can fail at what you don't love why wouldn't you risk trying at something you do” How fear gives us loopholes to get out of what we should be doing Why you can't brief someone else on your dream. Only you can make it happen. Part 3 - a pre-pandemic view on the world An early mistake by Nils when he did ‘release copy' too early how Jon shut down the underground Why your personal purpose matters and how we are seeing a return to creativity The Gigabyte landfill of social content that no-body is asking for How people used to look forward to the Ads as much as the programs themselves Is the fire in your belly stronger than the fear in your head? Breaking the internet with BrewDog's first ever TV Ad How we entered the age of outrage and sharing what we are offended by Why you should treat outdoor like Instagram The woods are burning so make a choice because everything we do is something we don't do How making good work is actually a magnet for talent What the Uncensored CMO's mission should be to galvanise people to start their own venture Make a difference in the world because our time is short

This episode’s guest is Nils Leonard - the co-founder of Uncommon, the London-based Creative Studio. They were just named Agency of the Year by Campaign UK. He believes that, 'Good things happen to people who do stuff’. He’s got enviable energy. And he’s in a hurry. He’s not alone in that. Most leaders are in a hurry. Sometimes constructively. Sometimes not. People are really going to be in a hurry this year. They already are. To go back. To move forward. To not get left out. Those instincts can take over. Progress becomes everything and the quality of that progress becomes secondary. Sometimes, it even becomes a nuisance. Nils told me that he slowed down earlier this year. He was diagnosed with COVID-19 and ended up in hospital. Suddenly what was important became clearer. Some things became even more so. Some things dramatically less. It’s human nature to be in a hurry. We want to make progress. It’s how we’ve survived as a species. And making progress is critical to leadership. It’s how we keep our people interested. But progress is relevant. It requires context. From where to where? And why? Take away that context and you have no way to judge what is important and what isn’t. In that sense, context is the leadership equivalent of a hospital bed. Only less frightening. What are you doing today and why? How are you making progress?

Uncommon Creative Studio founders Lucy Jameson, Natalie Graeme and Nils Leonard talk to Campaign's UK editor Maisie McCabe about winning Campaign's UK creative agency of the year, despite being a three-year-old business and having to navigate the Covid-19 pandemic.Some Campaign articles to aid your listening experience (all links to campaignlive.co.uk):- Uncommon wins agency of the year- Broadcasters' joint ad campaign promoting power of TV- B&Q's relaunch ad in SeptemberAnd here is Facebook EMEA VP Nicola Mendelsohn speaking on the Campaign podcast last October.  Her new podcast is called "Now, Then Ten". This episode was edited by Lindsay Riley.Read advertising industry news, features, and see the latest ads on campaignlive.co.uk.Follow us on Instagram: Campaign MagazineTweet Tweet @CampaignMagJoin our LinkedIn group

I'm not interested in stories about the past or any crap of that kind because the woods are burning, you understand? There's a big blaze going on all around.

Dan and Hugh meet with founder of Uncommon London Nils Leonard, covering Outdoor work for Volvo, Tate, Habito, Brewdog and the 2020 Outdoor hall of fame campaign for B&Q.  Follow the visuals here:  https://getbehindthebillboard.com/?p=820

Uncommon's Nils Leonard and Mother London's Katie Mackay-Sinclair talk to Brittaney Kiefer about what creative work stood out and creative companies have adapted in this pandemic-hit year (14:40). They are candid about how the creative process has been helped and hindered by home-working, how brands with purpose had effective messaging during the pandemic, and what lies in store for 2021. Omar and Campaign editor-in-chief Gideon Spanier discuss the latest industry news, including Dentsu announcing another major round of job cuts and latest forecasts that the UK ad market will 'only' shrink by 4% this year (02:20). Plus Sarah Salter, head of innovation at Wavemaker, reveals what she will look out for as chair of the judging panel for the upcoming Campaign Tech Awards (https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/wavemaker-innovation-chief-sarah-salter-chair-campaign-tech-awards/1701966?bulletin=campaign_brands_bulletin) (44.30). - Leonard: "This country in particular is going to need to find its venom and its again, because we’re lost. The creative industries are going to see a renaissance like we’ve never had." - Mackay-Sinclair: "The Microsoft Sam montage of ‘all Covid ads look all the same' (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vM3J9jDoaTA) is the best reflection of what happens when everything is conditional and everyone is crippled by fear." This episode was hosted by Campaign's media and technology editor Omar Oakes and edited by Lindsay Riley. Read advertising industry news, features, and see the latest ads on campaignlive.co.uk (https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/) . Follow us on Instagram: Campaign Magazine (https://www.instagram.com/campaignmagazine/) Tweet Tweet @CampaignMag (https://twitter.com/Campaignmag?) Join our LinkedIn group (https://www.linkedin.com/groups/3614115/)

Back in 2017, Lucy Jameson and her co-founders (fellow Grey London colleagues Nils Leonard and Natalie Graeme) set out to create a different kind of agency, one which builds brands that 'people in the real world really wish existed'. Since then, Uncommon Creative Studio has delivered standout work for the likes of Brewdog, ITV and Chillys, and has been crowned Agency of the Year by Campaign on two successive occasions. Tune in to learn how Lucy and the Uncommon team are shaking the foundations of ad land. - Join the Journey Further Book Club: http://bit.ly/2r4fBWR Get in touch: podcast@journeyfurther.com

Lucy Jameson is one the best UK planners of her generation and has featured on Campaign's list of top 10 planners multiple times.She started her career at one of the founding agencies of the account planning discipline- BMP- where she stayed rising through the ranks for 19 years.She was one of a handful of leaders hired by Grey to transform the London office and operation, a task she succeeded in winning multiple new accounts, Campaign's Agency of the Year, and many creative and effectiveness awards. In 2015 she was made CEO of the shop.Prior to starting her own agency Uncommon Creative Studio-in 2017 with Nils Leonard and Natalie Graeme- she worked as an intern at Facebook and spent time in a tech incubator. Uncommon Creative Studio has worked with the likes of the WWF, ITV, Habito, and many others and is all in the business of building its own brands like Halo- a more eco-friendly alternative to Nespresso and a candle company which donates money to COVID related causes.In the episode, we talk about her career trajectory, her thoughts on planning, brands, and the approach Uncommon takes to clients and business.

József Váradi is co-founder and CEO of Hungarian airline Wizz Air. Váradi helped to guide Wizz through the financial crisis of a decade ago and explains why Wizz is well placed to hit new heights in the future. We also hear about the looming office revolution from Bruce Davison, CEO of GoSpace AI, and why hope is a great motivator from Nils Leonard , founder of Uncommon Creative Studio.

Lucy Jameson has had massive roles - CEO, CSO, and ESD. And she's had these roles at massive London agencies - Grey and DDB. But, despite these massive roles in these massive places, in 2017 she founded Uncommon with Nils Leonard and Natalie Graeme. In this interview, we discuss the different ways creative agencies can make money and what really matters once you're out of the holding company beast if you want to create an agency that is both profitable and constantly doing good work. You can find Lucy here: https://twitter.com/lucyjameson You can find Uncommon here: http://www.uncommon.london/ For COVID-19 context, this interview was recorded on March 13, 2020. Sweathead strategy classes are in session: http://courses.sweathead.co

This episode is our third of Season 2 - shorter, focused conversations in which we discover how some of the world’s most innovative and creative leaders are adapting their leadership to our new reality.  These people are among the world’s best problem solvers.  This episode is a conversation with Nils Leonard - co-founder of Uncommon - and one of the most thoughtful and original leaders I know. Nils describes the role of leaders in moments like this as dealers in hope. We also talked about recognizing the energy that different people bring and tapping into that. About the benefit of giving people time to focus. About what’s going to happen to society’s complacency. And why, to quote Virginia Wolf, “you can’t find peace by avoiding life”.

The global pandemic has created a challenging environment for many businesses. But at the same time, there is plenty of opportunity to start delivering solutions for clients and customers. This week, Monocle’s editor in chief, Tyler Brûlé, offers a moment of clarity, while Pip Jamieson answers questions from listeners. In our feature interview, Nils Leonard advises on how to kick things into gear, to stop asking “what next” and to refocus on purpose.

“I was able to do things very differently that year [her year long gardening leave imposed by Sir Martin Sorrell], I spent a lot of time outside of the industry. Purposely, I wasn't trying to look at the industry. I was trying to explore how other people, other creative industries, and the world sees coms. As a result, I came back with renewed vigour as to where it is we can add value and what's exciting about it, but also where we waste a lot of our life. You know, there's so much faffing. And there's quite a lot of complicity between clients and agencies that use each other as a bit of a crutch.”In this episode, I talk to Natalie Graeme who famously founded the creative studio Uncommon 18 months ago with partners Nils Leonard & Lucy Jameson, one of the UK’s only majority female-founded creative studios. As per usual with the podcast we go in deep, discussing a variety of subjects and advice from how to avoid burn out to the importance of creating headspace in order to come up with ideas.We also go through her amazing career journey and how she landed at the advertising agency Grey managing and leading over 550 people, along with the importance of putting a structure in place so you can let your team thrive and avoid micro-managing. But most importantly, we talk about why it was so important for her to start her own agency. Starting with the famous year-long gardening leave imposed by Sir Martin Sorrel before her and her partners could open up shop. Uncommon is already a successful creative studio that has a different, and some might say unconventional, approach to creating better work.I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did recording it!

Glenn Fisher talks to one of the founders of Uncommon London, Nils Leonard, about the creative process, the risks of being original and how you can use influencer marketing to your advantage. NOTES ON THE PODCAST: Nils Leonard has worked in the advertising industry for over 20 years and has won almost every award there is. He is one of the founders of Uncommon London, along with Lucy Jameson and Natalie Graeme. You can find out more about Uncommon here: http://www.uncommon.london/ Glenn Fisher is an author, speaker and copywriter. His first book, The Art of the Click is an Amazon bestseller and is published by Harriman House. It's available now on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/2lu7zDt The television version of the Brewdog advert we discuss can be found on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9OZMXsw5tI The Nike Lionesses advert we discuss can be found on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmhVGF9EICc The Fox and the Star by Coralie Bickford-Smith is available on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/2k1QsZC Grief Is A Thing With Feathers by Max Porter is available on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/2k1FCTr The Shape of Water by Andrea Camilleri is available on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/2k1RUeu The Flame Alphabet by Ben Marcus is available on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/2jZiGUN For more free insight into copywriting and marketing, visit: allgoodcopy.com/

"Owned By No One - Part 1". I’m just back from the Cannes Lions festival of creativity and recorded some podcasts while I was there. This is the first of them. The topic is the idea of Nils Leonard - founder of Uncommon and a guest on "Fearless” a couple of years ago. Creativity requires risk and uncertainty. Two attributes that the business world has developed powerful resistance to. Want to try something new? In a publicly traded company, you’ve got to convince the c-suite, the board, the analysts and the shareholders. That’s a lot of institutional antibodies. What then of the flip side of ownership? When you own the company yourself? Does that more easily produce the conditions in which creativity and innovation can thrive? In this conversation I’m joined in the Vice Penthouse overlooking the Croisette in Cannes by three people who have previously been guests on ˜Fearless’ - Nils Leonard of Uncommon, Alex Goat of Livityand Mohan Ramaswamy of Work & Co. And by Spencer Baim, who is the Chief Brand Officer of  Vice Media.      

"Owned By No One - Part 1". A 15 minute edited highlight of our full-length conversation. Creativity requires risk and uncertainty. Two attributes that the business world has developed powerful resistance to. What then of the flip side of ownership? When you own the company yourself? Does that more easily produce the conditions in which creativity and innovation can thrive? In this conversation I’m joined by Nils Leonard of Uncommon, Alex Goat of Livity and Mohan Ramaswamy of Work and Co. And by Spencer Baim, the Chief Brand Officer of Vice.

With the traditional ad industry in its final death throes… what does the ideas company of the future look like? Nils Leonard, the founder of Uncommon, and named the most creative person in advertising globally by Business Insider, joins the pod to talk us off the ledge. LINKS www.uncommon.london/ OVO Energy commercial: https://tinyurl.com/y8epysxf A Pint With Seaniebee Buy Seaniebee a pint here: www.patreon.com/seaniebee Audible Feast's list of Best Podcast Series of 2017: https://tinyurl.com/ya5yj9vs Top 12 Best New Podcast Series of 2016: http://tinyurl.com/gps9tn5 50 Best Podcast Episodes list 2017: https://tinyurl.com/y7ryajat 50 Best Podcast Episodes list 2016: http://tinyurl.com/hp83rnw Release date: November 10th 2018 Runtime: 33m Recorded: Kinsale

From Sainsbury’s and Asda to WPP’s results, Uncommon’s Nils Leonard and Havas’ Chris Hirst reunite to chew over the week’s headlines in Campaign's latest newscast.. Thanks to Havas for all their help in the recording of this podcast.

Jon Wilkins, chairman of creative agency Karmarama, now part of Accenture Interactive, and Nils Leonard, co-founder of creative studio Uncommon London, talk about the challenges of launching a start-up agency, the possible future for agency networks and why now is the time for agencies “to create stuff”. We also learn why keeping a punk-rock sensibility is vital, when and how to fire a client and why it’s important to invest in sturdy furniture when trying to woo potential big-spending accounts.

A five minute edited highlight of our full conversation.

'The Difference Maker'. Over time and with experience, the best leaders are able to quiet the internal noise. The voice in their head becomes less critical and more confident - more certain and more consistent. That’s when things really start to happen. When it really gets interesting. For them. And for the people around them. It requires a willingness to look within. To ask the questions and face the answers.That ’s where the journey towards being a Fearless Creative leader begins. Where it finishes is up to you. Nils Leonard is the definition of a self-made success. As you’ll hear, his journey carried him from humble roots to becoming the chairman and chief creative office of one of the most celebrated ad agencies in London before he turned 40. Today, he is the co-founder of Uncommon, a company that builds brands that people wished existed in the world. He is a disruptive and somewhat controversial figure.  I met Nils on a recent trip to London in Uncommon’s offices, and we talked about why tattooing played a critical role in his early life, about what he’s learned about unlocking creative talent,  and about his own personal evolution and understanding of what matters most.

Welcome to the Marketing Mind, a new podcast brought to you from the team at Marketing magazine, and powered by Somethin' Else. This month's Christmas special sees the industry's top creatives cast a critical eye over 2015's crop of festive ads, from John Lewis' annual "cry and buy" to Lidl's humorous, service-oriented campaign. Emma de la Fosse, chief creative officer of OgilvyOne; Nils Leonard, chief creative officer and chairman at Grey London; and Chris Clarke, chief creative officer at Digitas LBi join Rachel to look back over Christmas ads past and present. Please note that this episode features some explicit language, and party blowers.