About Me

The guy behind the guy behind the guy
 

When I was first introduced to the world of branding as ‘the new bloke’ at the world’s first advertising planning agency, Red Spider in London in the 90s, I assumed it was all about creative intuition. My response to any brand problem was to deliver an advertising solution. I would write the ad idea and give it to my mentors. They were suitably impressed but their answer was always the same. How do you know if that is the solution when you haven’t done the analysis of the problem? And why would you assume that advertising is necessarily the right medium to reach the consumer in the most effective way? Your first guess might be right (see Malcolm Gladwell’s Blink), but you won’t know if that’s true without working through a strategic rationale.

Fortunately these brilliant minds, many of whom were dissidents from Bartle, Bogle and Hegarty, taught me how to use tools, processes and logic to deconstruct branding issues and rebuild brand solutions. That was almost 20 years ago and I have never looked back since.

Engagements often include one or more of the following:

• Brand Definition
• Creative Idea Generation
• Strategic Positioning
• Brand Expression
• Messaging
• Targeting
• Strategic Direction
• Communication Architecture

Other Interests

A musician since 11, I have always been a creative explorer. I have drummed in many bands (The Sundays, Ben Folds) and played on many sessions (William Shatner, Mat Kearney, Brendan Benson, Michael W. Smith), and I’m now an active member of Elle Macho (“the most powerful band of noise in the world today”).

I am the Creator, Producer and Host of the Find The Beauty YouTube television series.

In 2010 I scored the independent film The Colonel’s Bride.

I have also enjoyed giving talks about ethical branding at Vanderbilt and Belmont Universities and on the American Marketing Association circuit.