Jones and Kershaw.
It is Sunday 28th April as I type, and I think back to Wednesday of this week when I caught up with two old and treasured contacts.
The first coffee in Haunt on Peter Street was with Simon Jones who I have known for a number of years. Simon Jones heads up Wavemaker Studio and has made a massive impact to the business with the set up and growth of this area, especially where media budgets are showing contraints as are margins for agencies.
It was a good chat as to life, family, and business. And it is tough times for a lot of people in and outside of our business. Heading in to meet Si, I felt Manchester busy for mid-week, but not as busy nor vibrant as I would expect. But good old Wavemaker Manchester under the steady and capable hands of Emma Slater is doing well, and also in new Quay Street offices.
Amusingly after Haunt we headed to Greggs on St Peter’s Square for a pizza slice for Si, sausage roll and ring donut with sprinkly things for me, and kindly paid for by Si. Off he went, and I kept myself busy before seeing Jon Kershaw at Ditto Coffe on Oxford Street.
Forgot to photo snap Jon at Ditto Coffee, so apologies Mr Kershaw I used LinkedIn instead.
Where do I start with Jon Kershaw? Someone I have known for a number of years and highly respect. An example of being able to get to a senior role in this game and retain being a nice chap, someone who cares, and runs a good business.
Jon heads up PHD in Manchester, and the agency has a roster of good clients, staff, and is widely respected. Jon is a strategist and thinker at heart and we enjoyed a good chat and vague attempts at forecasting the marketplace and when it would pick up. We think, and I use this loosely, that improvement or even stability probably won’t be seen until at least Q3 next year. There is a lot going on globally, and there is also a concern of a potential shift of advertising clients to London, and their not recognising the strength of the North. We may pitch against each other, but if one agency loses a client to London, then we all lose.
And as I have said before London looks after London.
I suspect people and businesses in the advertising industry (all emcompassing term that covers all disciplines and the offline/online split) are treading water some gracefully as a summer swan, others a fresh unsure and rain drenched Cygnet. But better to float than sink in my opinion, and I always believe that in times of uncertainty we have opportunity, as change can breathe afresh in turned soil. Sometimes we need re-ploughing, when we risk growing in the same vein.