Campaign

A month is a long time in advertising...

So. It's been almost one month since Garry and Robert officially opened the doors of Garry's Audi for business.

What have we achieved? (Apart from dancing around a maypole like a couple of Beltane Geezers)

1) We've found an office. Or at least we think we have. It's right next to the Charlotte Street Hotel. Handy for breakfast.

2) We've hired one or two really good people. Can't tell you who yet. Sorry to be so boring.

3) We've made a lot of friends. And received a lot of e mails about our strange Ubuntu practices. But that's cool.

4) We're working like stink to win a couple of pitches. Can't tell you what. Sorry to be boring, again.

5) We're quietly confident that starting Campbell Lace (Beta) wasn't the silliest idea we've ever had.

6) By and large we're having fun.

7) Oh. And we discovered this remarkable piece on the secret of acquiring wealth. We haven't used it yet but we figure it might come in handy soon.

Freddie Tarrant.

Robert first met Freddie Tarrant in 1983, when she and Canna operated out of Charlotte Mews.

Freddie and Canna were legendary. They were so glamourous, so much fun, and so good at their job.

Freddie had to nag Robert until he finally wrote a piece of copy for his student book.

"You can't be a copywriter if you haven't written any copy" she told him. And, of course, she was right.

Rest in peace, Freddie. We'll miss you.

An apology...

Robert's in disgrace for something he wrote in this blog last week...

"One of the best things about not having any clients is you have time to hang out with friends. We go to visit Sue Unerman and Jane Ratcliffe at Mediacom. It's pretty clear as soon as you walk through the door of Mediacom why it was voted UK media agency of the year. It's feels vibrant, modern and powerful.

Sue, Jane Garry and Robert discuss many things, including what a great idea the t mobile flash mob was in Trafalgar Square last week. A fabulous piece of media thinking. We wonder who came up with it. The 'media' agency, or the 'creative' agency?"

So Robert's in disgrace because, from what he wrote, it's not clear that the T Mobile campaign is Saatchi and Saatchi's idea.

Meanwhile, the guys over at Mediacom look as though they don't know that it was Saatchi's idea.

We all know it was Saatchi's idea. And that it's brilliant.

So Robert must apologise to both Saatchi and Mediacom for causing confusion. Actually what Robert was trying to do was provoke a bit of debate.

Who is best positioned to conceive and execute powerful ideas in this multimedia world in which we now live and market?

Media agencies? Or creative agencies? Or maybe its time for a new kind of model. 

Ashamed, Robert stares out of the window. A flash mob of irate ad folk has gathered. They are crying out for blood. They think Robert's writing is sloppy, and factually incorrect.  Not to mention boring.

E mail hello@campbelllacebeta.com

AND PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS (APPRECIATIVE OR OTHERWISE) BELOW.

Ubuntu rules...

Last year Robert helped set up the Elders. http://www.theelders.org/ He had the extreme privilege of working up close with Archbishop Tutu, Graca Machel, Jimmy Carter, Mary Robinson...

One of the things that 'The Arch' taught Robert was 'Ubuntu.' Ubuntu is a humanist philosophy practiced by the Bantu and other African tribes. Tutu and Mandela are both great proponents of it. Ubuntu is a way of being. It defines the way we interact as human beings.. It is truly about collaboration, not competition.

Garry and Robert are thinking of making Ubuntu one of (Betas) core principles. As we build our village of like minded individuals and companies Ubuntu will be our guiding principle.

Now some may say that dragging Bantu tribal philosophy into the work place is a bit rich. Particularly for a couple of guys who look more drugs squad than Bantu.

But, interestingly, the other day we were talking to a mangement consultant. He spends half his time working for the government, and the other half working for big comapnies like Unilever.

He told us that he has often used the concept of Ubuntu to help teams in large corporations work more effectively together. He said it captures the imagination, gets people to think differently, removes the self interest that so often stands in the way of great ideas, and delivers amazing results.

Collaboration, not competition? Ubuntu rules. 

theelders.org

hello@campbelllacebeta.com

THE HISTORY OF CAMPBELL LACE (BETA)

Michelle Pfeiffer, Ivan Pollard, Nat and Lolly...

We have just about accepted that we are not going to get on the Innocent pitch list.

We unchain ourselves from the railings outside Innocent's headquarters, and return home for a nice hot bath. Bloodied but unbowed.

We will continue to buy Innocent's products even if they will not buy ours! We still love Innocent.

Robert is concerned because we because we can't upload pictures onto our blog. Technical problems. We discuss this with our new found blogging friends, Nat and Lolly. 

Nat and Lolly also like to put pictures on their blog. We decide to start a campaign to get Rory to put pictures on his blog. For the benefit of those of us who don't have a degree in philosophy.

http://community.brandrepublic.com/blogs/younglionsfromcannes/default.aspx

Ivan Pollard has made an interesting post on his blog about 'old' being the new target to market. http://community.brandrepublic.com/blogs/ivanpollard/default.aspx This is not lost on us. One of the projects we are continuing to pursue is creating a 'Sexy Saga.'

To be clear this does not mean we are creating an advertising agency that targets old people. We are creating a 'product' for the upmarket 50+ demographic. Or 'fiftyjusts' as we like to call them. Like Michelle Pfeiffer http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7890160.stm

One of the best things about not having any clients is you have time to hang out with friends. We go to visit Sue Unerman and Jane Ratcliffe at Mediacom. It's pretty clear as soon as you walk through the door of Mediacom why it was voted UK media agency of the year. It's feels vibrant, modern and powerful.

Sue, Jane Garry and Robert discuss many things, including what a great idea the t mobile flash mob was in Trafalgar Square last week. A fabulous piece of media thinking. We wonder who came up with it. The 'media' agency, or the 'creative' agency?

Innocent until proven innocent

Today is May 1st. The day that people dance around the maypole. Sometimes naked.  And to celebrate we've decided to officially launch Campbell Lace (Beta.)

We start the day with a big meeting with a big potential client. It's a fascinating project, and not the sort of thing a traditional agency would get asked to do. The meeting is over by 10am. We really really hope we get this. It would get us off to a brilliant start. Fingers crossed.

Next we go back to the office to submit an RFI (request for information) for a pitch. We've been working on the RFI all week. We've put a fabulous team together. Experts from all sorts of disciplines. Our solution is anything but conventional. We stick the RFI on a bike and wave it goodbye. Toes crossed.

Now onto the next RFI. It also has to be sent off today. But Garry has other ideas. He has become obsessed with getting on the Innocent pitch. Even though the list has been compiled and is now shut. Garry is like a Pit Bull with lockjaw. He can not and will not let go.

Robert is delighted. Innocent are one of the best brands on the planet. We are unconcerned by Innocent's reputation for being difficult  to work with.

When Virgin came to RKCR in 1993 they had a reputation for being the client from hell.  They turned out to be the client from heaven.

Perhaps the difficulty is that Innocent have not yet found the agency that is right for them. 

Ad agencies often have problems working with clients who have already had a powerful idea for themselves. Like Innocent and Virgin. They just can't accept that clients can be creative too. 

Garry's Blackberry is smoking. Please Innocent. Put us on the list. Before Garry spontaneously combusts.

Two weeks down. Ten thousand to go...

It's Thursday Morning.

Garry and Robert sit in the Electric on the Portobello reading Campaign. The Electric is our unofficial office. We think Nick Jones should give us shares.

It's two weeks since Campaign fired the starting gun. We are very much still in Beta. What have we achieved so far?

Lots that we can't talk about . And a little that we can.

We've done the 'legals' and the 'financials.' We're delighted to say that Lewis Silkin will be our laywers and Kingston Smith or Accountants. This might sound dull to some, but it isn't. These two companies have nurtured many of the great start ups. They know how to do it.

We've looked at a few buildings. Rents are fantasticaly low at the moment. We love recessions! But we're not sure. We've had several offers of 'camping' at friends companies and this is what we'll probably do for a month or two.

We're genuinely humbled at the industry response to Campbell Lace (Beta)

Most people seem to be pleased to see us back, and there's a genuine interest to see how (Beta) tackle the issues that currently face the industry.

We've been overwhelmed with offers of help from individuals and companies. Which is brilliant, because we're hoping to take up on most of them. One of our core principles is putting collaboration, not competition at the heart of our organisation.

We believe collaboration is the way to solve most of this industry's ills.

 Perhaps this is the Dawning of the Age of Aquarius for Adland.

We've begun the process of finding our partners. We will have news on this front soon.

We're establishing the network of companies we're going to collaborate with. It's not complete yet. But these companies cross all media and all disciplines, in the UK and across the world.

And we've started talking to clients.

Have we got a client yet? No. But there are definitely some clients circling.  And they are of the innovative and courageous variety. What more could you want from a client?

Both of us feel it is really good to be back. We're loving it.

We leave the Electric to discover Garry's been clamped.

He refuses to have his picture taken standing next to the offending object.

Age of Aquarius? Will someone please tell the traffic wardens.

Talent, collaborators, and frustrated traffic wardens, e mail  hello@campbelllacebeta.com

AND PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS BELOW. .

Lakshmi Goddess of money

A friend of ours has sent us the following e mail...

"This is a Money Goddess. Pass it to 6 of your good friends or family and be rich in 4 days.Pass it to 12 of your good friends or family and be rich in 2 Days. I am not joking. You will find an unexpected windfall. If you delete it, you will never know. SHE WORKS SHE REALLY WORKS!!! Money coming your way..."

Wow. So what happens if you stick Lakshimi Goddess of Money on your blog? Do you get stinking rich? Or not?

Is there some smart media planner out there who can answer this question? Answers, please to hello@campbelllacebeta.com

Valencia. The new Cannes?

This weekend Robert's judging at the Valencia Media festival. It is amazing how this festival has arrived out of nowhere, and now how big it is.  The world's media buyers, planners, media owners, and some pretty major clients have gathered to discuss the present, and to carve up the future. Robert's in good company. Chuck Porter's come to speak. But apart from that no one else from above the line ad land. Pity. Lord Puttnam gives a truly scary speech at dinner about sustainability and adland's responsibility to embrace the cause. Otherwise we'll all be making like dinosaurs.  

Garry and Robert take their hats off to Richard Huntingdon, Adliterate blog guru and head of planning at Saatchi. We've just heard Richard has landed the job of co-hosting the new tv ad show, The Gruen Transfer with Paris Hilton. Sorry. Not Paris Hilton, James Hilton from AKQA. Whatever, Richard is one of the best and most amusing presenters in adland. Can't wait to see the show.

Garry and Robert would like to point out that they are also available for tv appearances etc. With or without Paris Hilton.   hello@campbelllacebeta.com

And speaking of tv, here's some ads we did earlier THE HISTORY OF CAMPBELL LACE (BETA)

Who's Beta?

Robert had a brilliant client at RKCR called Alison Copus. She was marketing director of Virgin Atlantic. Alison's best description of the task in hand - marketing Virgin - was 'We are building an airplane in flight.' In other words, Virgin were always in Beta. And at Campbell Lace Beta, we think the best businesses are always in Beta. Always experimenting. Always changing things. Always having new ideas. Always aiming higher.  These days to stand still, to claim perfection, is just foolish. That's why we're called Campbell Lace (Beta.) Will we always be in Beta? We haven't decided yet...we're in Beta.

This week has been very busy. We've been starting the process of build the alliances and relationships we need to achieve the total solution we intend. As well as all the practical stuff you have to do when you're starting a company. We didn't even have a place to sit when the agency was announced last week. But now we do. We're borrowing desks off some great friends who will add a whole new perspective to what we do. We'll be talking about who and how next week.

Meanwhile, here's some suggested logo designs. All in Beta at this stage. This one uses Jackson Pollock's painting 'Convergence.' Only problem is we'd have to buy the painting....

We like this one....The 'media maypole' metaphor is currently going down well with those who are struggling to master the chaos that is the modern world of media...

And for those heartless b@@stards that said Garry and Robert looked like a couple of spooks from the drugs squad in Campaign last week we've done this logo...

All comments gratefully received at  hello@campbelllacebeta.com or Notting Hill police station.

Meanwhile if you'd like to take a look at some of the work we did in the days when television commercials were fashionable, check out  THE HISTORY OF CAMPBELL LACE (BETA)

PARTNERS WANTED!

You know, starting an agency is pretty exciting. There's tons and tons of stuff to think about. But when you strip it right down there's only three things to think about.

1. Getting talented,courageous, forward thinking people to come and work at the agency.

2. Getting talented, courageous, forward thinking clients to come and work with the agency.

3. Doing some great work.

If you don't get those bits right, the rest is a bit academic.  So at Campbell Lace Beta we've decided to search for four partners. We have a pretty good idea of who were looking for, but we're not locked off yet. (We are, after all in beta.) Only rule is one of them has to be at least half Campbell's age. So if you have any suggestions on what the front line of a new kind of ad agency should look like, don't keep them to yourself...hello@campbelllacebeta.com

THE HISTORY OF CAMPBELL LACE (BETA)

Lunch time day one...

By lunch time I'm knackered.  Too much talking. What with new agency gossip and  a conference call to my friends at Peace One Day.  Garry's on his way up to Norfolk for the long week end. Driving one armed with a phone Sellotaped to his ear. 

We giggle about the proposed Campbell Lace Beta logo. We're thinking of a maypole.  It's a metaphor for the way we see the world working. All the media. From ITV, to e commerce, to twitter, dancing round one central idea. 

In the beginning there was Campbell Lace Beta…

On Monday Garry fell off his bike and broke his arm.

Let’s hope that’s not some kind of omen. Because here we are, its Thursday morning, and Campaign has just announced the birth of Campbell Lace Beta.

Why Beta? Because we're in beta. There’s going to be more partners, tba. There’s going to be more structure. There’ll be strategic alliances. There’ll be a building. There’ll be clients. (God willing.)

The name could change. There might even be a launch party. But right now there’s just Garry and me and Garry’s broken arm. Campaign has fired the starting pistol, and we are hitting the phones.