I once sat in an intimidating Radio 4 studio, poaching in my own
sweat on a very hot day in September, across the microphones from the DMA's Robert Keitch, cool as a cucumber. Keitch and I were there to take part in a live Radio 4 discussion about the national media onslaught on DM in August 2006.
That scene came to mind when I heard that Keitch has been appointed as chief of Membership & Brand and as part of that, be the DMA's official mouthpiece.
It should solve a weakness that has proved a huge issue for the
DMA these past few years: the lack of a decent internal spokesperson.
Late last year, when we rang around for nominations for our Marketing Direct person of 2008, Keitch's name came up repeatedly, often with the word 'grumpy' in the same sentence.
Grumpy perhaps from sheer exhaustion in trying to get the green standard PAS 20:20 off the ground.
But he did so, early this year.
If passion and energy are the flip sides of being grumpy, give me Keitch the Grump anytime.
