About me
I love problem solving - not maths, I’m rubbish with numbers. I mean proper problems. Problems that people like us care about.
How to come up with a great idea that gets people clicking, tapping or chatting. How to write great headlines and subject lines that hook you from the get-go. How to follow them up with lovely, crafted copy, whether short and punchy, or long and chatty, depending on the TOV.
And before that, how to get a cracking brief with a strong insight and prop to give the creative juices something to work on. How to make the deck sing with a great narrative and the work shine. Above all, how to enjoy what you do and do what you enjoy.
I’ve been lucky enough to have done that for lots of different clients and agencies. Mainly in London. But I also spent a year in Frankfurt and a trés mad week in Paris.
I’ve mentored baby writers, worked alongside strat, helped direct films, sat for hours in recording studios with great sound engineers and amazing talent, won awards, judged at awards, had a poster exhibited in the V&A and even dabbled in a bit of Figma! If you know you know. It’s been ace.
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Awards
2022 BIMA, SILVER, Best Digital Strategy, Toolstation
2022 BIMA, SILVER, Best Use of Data and Insight, Toolstation
2021 DMA, SILVER, The Open University, Best Acquisition Campaign
2021 DMA, GOLD, Best B2B, Toolstation
2021 DMA, GOLD, Best Use Of Mail, Toolstation
2021 Drum, Best DM, Toolstation
2019 IPM, GOLD, Best New Product Launch, Reeses
2017 DMA, BRONZE, Peugeot 807
2012 Chip Shop, VINEGAR, Best Window Postcard
2012 Chip Shop, VINEGAR, Best Stationary Design
2011 Creative Pitch Idea Awards, BRONZE, Euro RSCG Worldwide Network
2010 MCCA Best Awards, FINALIST, Barclays Local Business
2009 B2B Marketing Awards, FINALIST, Best Customer Acquisition, Barclays Local Business
2008 B2B Marketing Awards, FINALIST, Best Customer Acquisition, Barclays Local Business
2007 B2B Marketing Awards, FINALIST, Best Customer Acquisition, Barclays Local Business
2006 Caples, BRONZE, Consumer Multi Media, Oxfam
2005 DMA, BRONZE, Consumer Direct Mail, Peugeot
1992 D&AD SILVER, Poster, Castlemaine XXXX
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Experience
Jan 2015 – Nov 2024
Employed at HAVAS CX helia.
As a senior creative writer, I created a film set in the future for the Aston Martin F1 team, helped shape Compare the Market online campaigns and made click-crunching ECRM for VW, Škoda, CUPRA, Audi and the Department for Education.
I also subjected people to a demented Reese’s chicken outside Tesco supermarkets which won a Gold for best product launch, created award-winning through-the line work for the Open University and got people to dump their Toolstation catalogues
with a multi-award-winning DM pack. Among other things!
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Mar 2012 – Dec 2014
Employed at HAVAS EHS.
Started getting involved in lots of online and film work for Dove, my first foray into the beauty market. I created the world’s
most beautiful hair tests - a series of online films showing the benefits of using Dove. Me and my art director Libby, also took part in a week-long Creative Hot House in Paris where teams from around the world came together to pit their creative muscle against each other on a single brief for Dove. They were very long hard days and nights but we came out the winners.
I also mentored junior writers and started overseeing other teams’ work, and me and my partner Libby just missed out on becoming ACDs. Busy, busy, busy.
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Aug 2009 – Mar 2012
Employed at EHS 4D Group.
Me and my old AD Libby, pitched for and won Barclays LocalBusiness three times in a row against the likes of BBH.
One of the clients said mine was one of the best presentations he’d ever heard. Thanks :) We went on to create award-winning press and direct brand campaigns for them, shaping their brand and TOV, whilst getting millions of people to spend their Clubcard vouchers for Tesco at the same time. Also did an in-house bit of work for the agency highlighting their data security capabilities with a pre-shredded letter which is now hanging in the Royal Mail offices as an example of great DM! Oo err.
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2001 – 2009
Employed at EHS Brann
Created an X-Ray of a boiler for British Gas to show why you need an expert to keep them fit and healthy, got more people shopping online at Tesco.com and in-store with a big POS campaign, and showed how Peugeot cars could pamper their owners. Also had a great time working on The AA, NS&I and Churchill. Oh yes.
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Mar 2000 – May 2001
Employed at Brann London
Worked on lots of DM for Toshiba, Mitsubishi and Guinness.
Lovely looking drink, pity about the taste.
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1999 - 2000
Freelance at Craik Jones. Grey and Creative Partnership Marketing
Worked on a whole bunch of different accounts across different media at these three agencies including Phones 4U, Barclays and Persil. Fun :) They called me and my old partner the ‘Ambient media specialists’ at Grey. We just missed out on getting a job there due to lack of budget.
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1998 - 2000
Freelance at Publicis, Grey, MBO and The Brasserie
Did some nice work for Iveco Trucks, the Woolwich, Macleans and some fruit company I can’t remember the name of!
At Publicis, I got involved in some very meaty financial accounts. We nearly pulled off having lots of key monuments and buildings covered in pink cloth aka Christo style for a big insurance company.
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May 1993 - Aug 1998
Employed at Holder Henry Pierce and Bailey
Created lots and lots of press, radio and posters for NatWest. Including a special-build billboard on the Cromwell Road demonstrating the fact that a NatWest Mortgage Advisor will meet you wherever and whenever you want. I love doing radio.
I love trying to create a catchy thought in such a short space of time and getting it all resolved in the end. I love working with the talent and engineers to get the best out of the script (that goes for film too) and it’s ok if the clients are there. At least that way you can get it approved on the spot.
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1992 - 1993
Freelance at BSB Dorlands and Y&R.
Did a press ad for Range Rover encouraging you to crash and nearly got a TV ad out for them. At Y&R, did some splashy radio spots for the Welsh Waterboard and mooched around Camden Market at lunchtimes.
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Aug 1991 - Sep 1992
Employed at Lowe Howard Spink
My first ever proper job. Did TV and press for Vauxhall, Vauxhall and more Vauxhall. And every now and again,
we tucked into a bit of Kinder. A really great experience but not sure how I got back in one piece!
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Jun 1991 – Aug 1991
Work placements at Saatchi & Saatchi and BBH
These were my first introductions to the big wide world of advertising. And what more brilliant places could you ask for?
We got £15 a week, a priceless amount of experience and a D&AD silver nomination for a Castlemaine XXXX poster. Magic.
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Education
June 1990 – September 1991
School of Communication of Arts
September 1986 – June 1989
Manchester University, BA Hons in English Literature and History
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