Visuals: https://getbehindthebillboard.com/episode-92-rick-brim

Episode #92 features Rick Brim, Co-Founder and CCO of adland’s newest agency, Ace of Hearts. Rick joined us with the agency just a few days old, so we discussed the big stuff such as if he knew how to work the photocopier, who locks up at night and how they came up with the name.

During 25 years in the industry, Rick’s won every award going, including 4 Cannes Grand Prix in the same year for Harvey Nichols Christmas campaign: “I spent it on myself.” During his tenure at adam&eveDDB the agency was named Agency of the Decade by both Cannes and Campaign magazine. He’s been President of both D&AD and the Cannes Films Lions jury.

We started with Shelter ‘House of Cards’ and discovered if there was a connection with the name of the new agency. Next several graphic posters for Think! where Rick & Dan involved Paul Belford in the design of the campaign. Then it was Sunday Times Rich List - one of the most fun and awarded of all the STRL campaigns.

And then “I spent it on myself’ which started life as real products sold in real Harvey Nichols stores at Christmas.

We also discussed CALM and the campaigns created under Rick’s tenure. We focussed on Project 84, an iconic piece of OOH from Ant & Mike who are now Rick’s successors at adam&eveDDB. We finished in pets corner with cats going crazy for a pack of Dreamies on a billboard, followed by a huge inflatable dog stuck between two buildings in New York for IAMS dog food.

Rick, thank you so much for sharing the stories behind your brilliant billboards. It was a blast. Hopefully you’ll return soon with more ace work from the new gaff.

Visuals: https://getbehindthebillboard.com/episode-91-gary-fawcett-amp-lisa-nichols

Podcast episode #91 features Gary Fawcett & Lisa Nichols, ECDs at TBWA\MCR, in the second part in our Manchester special.

Gary & Lisa have worked in the business for over 25 years, for a huge array of clients including Pizza Hut, British Airways, EA Games and Harvey Nichols. Their work has been recognised at Cannes, D&AD, The One Show, New York Festivals, Epica and London International Awards.

We spent a lovely hour chatting all things Manchester, advertising and a tiny bit of football (Gary, like Hugh, is a long suffering United fan).

We discussed how to crop a man’s elbow perfectly to resemble a man’s bottom for prostate charity Prost8. A brilliant and incredibly important campaign which has been one of our favourites for ages now.

We covered the Stop Homelessness Spiking work highlighting the worrying trend of harmful architecture. The work is graphic and disturbing and we really hope it helps. To learn more go to hostiledesign.org

We also discussed classic OOH campaigns for Harvey Nichols Manchester, British Airways, MBNA, Anti-Knife Crime and appropriately enough ending on the Lowry Centre which we could see from GAS studios.

Thank you Gary & Lisa so much for coming in and sharing your work in such friendly and humble fashion. Manchester is lucky to have you.

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Visuals: https://getbehindthebillboard.com/episode-90-tim-jones

Podcast episode #90 is the first of our Manchester special and features the charming and uber-talented Tim Jones. Tim has an incredible track record when it comes to OOH, both from his time at BBC Creative and more recently at Meanwhile, the agency he set up with long term creative partner James Cross and Al Marchant.

Meanwhile have enjoyed great success since launch in 2022, thanks not just to their creative work, but savvy association with Bez of the Happy Mondays, himself an icon of the North West. It’s no surprise Meanwhile were Campaign’s Start Up Agency of 2023.

We discussed Tim’s extensive OOH portfolio, including the 7m tapestry for the BBC World Cup in Russia which formed the centre pice of the History Will Be Made campaign and was meant to have an additional segment, allowing for the next bit of history. Tim told us how he was prepping the new piece to incorporate Harry Kane lifting the trophy. Oh Lord. How many years of hurt?! Too much. Anyway, it wasn’t meant to be, but a brilliant story about what goes on behind the tapestry.

Then there was the Netflix Diamond Heist and how Meanwhile placed a 9-carat diamond onto the side of a billboard.

Next Travel Supermarket with a vertical stack of inflatables in a shopping trolley on the side of a building. How will they stay up? What happens if a member of the public throws darts at them? And a million and one other daft questions that have to be answered in order to get creative work to run.

On and on the stories went, the Manchester tram that toots the theme tune of Coronation Street, the BAFTA winning work for BBC Tokyo Olympics, the award-winning launch work for Chester Zoo, the iconic Park Run work for Mental health Day.

Thank you Tim. It was a total pleasure. We can’t wait to see what you and Meanwhile do next.