Martin

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Woke up... got out of bed... no it’s 4.00 am. Is it Aberdeen? (need to get up now!)... The office? (two and a half hours to doze!)... London?... yes, think so! Need to orientate properly. Don’t rush around only to find it’s a weekend (have done that before... that was pretty good. The pleasure of returning to a warmish bed to plan for a day out...)

No, it‘s a Tuesday and it’s London, so a little lie in ‘til 6.15.

Woke up, got out of bed... no it’s OK, just dropped off for ten minutes. Can I get to sleep for a bit, or should I worry about work...? Oh no! That’s started it... no choice now.

...brand ideas for silicone rubber (you’d like to know)

Pick an easy job... bit of advertising for library security systems* pitch... no! too complex... brand ideas for silicone rubber (you’d like to know)... yes, err...no. Stick to something boring... no... we don’t have any boring work! OK, company finances... that’s pretty boring... but essential. So... how much are the newest accounts worth... ? ******* OK, that’s good... and our three biggest accounts...? ****** yeah, they’re good... SMEs will average about... ****** three or four projects are delivering about ***** each, and then the new pitches - say we win half of them...? ****** mmmmm... what about new staff? ****** Maybe up the new business budget... ohhhh, this is a familiar circle. So...some big ideas! Now, it’s getting interesting...whoaaaaahhh! I‘m late!!!!... Get out of bed...

“London return with travel card, please!” One hour and twenty minutes, two coffees, headlines, some editorial and the sport section of the Independent later and it’s onto the underground for a 9.30am meeting with Crisis’* new Head of Communications. It’s the third person we’ve worked with and it’s satisfying to be referred on. Hopefully we can provide some continuity.

In some ways, it feels decisions will have a direct, positive impact on people’s lives (would like to think so).

Today, it’s issues of branding for their cafés in London and Newcastle, leading on to wider problems for control and development of the brand. Always enjoy these meetings. In some ways, it feels decisions will have a direct, positive impact on people’s lives (would like to think so).

Meeting over, walk through Spitalfield market – what a mess! The old market’s decimated, enormous office block over and around it, (my wife used to go to school here, so she’s always interested in the changes)...

Tube to Paddington, grab a sandwich and sit on the station staring at their new publicity. In half an hour will facilitate the Brand Management Team for First*, so need to check agenda and notes. I’ll get there a bit early. They usually let me work from one of their offices. Ring office to see if they got email about ideas for bioactive feed additive ad. campaign (some moral dilemma around this, as I don’t eat meat!) … Finish my second cheese and tomato sandwich and remember the better life animals get with our clients’ products (before being slaughtered)...

Don’t often ring the office. They ring when something’s urgent. See the phone as a necessary evil. They’re all fine, very busy (feel guilty about ringing with so little to say).

Meeting starts, finishes, obviously must keep confidentiality but lots of notes and follow-up to do.

Never met a cash-rich marketing director that would admit to being cash-rich!

Back to King’s Cross just make the 17.50. Outline notes on train, wi-fi emails and still manage to read interesting bits of the Evening Standard. Check out our ads on Newark station. Will they catch the eyes of cash-rich marketing directors? Never met one that would admit to being cash-rich!

...shall we lurk in the shadows of Junktion 7 watching punk/thrash metal bands?

Home and decision time ... shall we lurk in the shadows of Junktion 7 watching punk/thrash metal bands ‘til midnight before the wagon pop maestros begin their set, or watch ‘The Apprentice’?

Neither…. it’s a rare sunny evening, so over the fields to the pub, think about holidays and plan DIY. Actually, plan holidays and think about DIY.

To bed, perchance to wake up worrying I‘ve missed the plane to Aberdeen...

* Pitch for 2CQR national library security company – won

* Crisis – fighting for hope for homeless people

* FirstGroup – UK business Superbrand 2007/2008