Manchester in the Sun
Tuesday and Wednesday of this week saw me in Manchester. A delight as were the people I saw, places visited, hot weather that hit the city after an unduly wet and poor summer thus far.
The resplendent Charles Reid.
I’d not ventured into Manchester in a short while and was certainly delighted to do so after what had been a short while. Across Monday evening to Tuesday afternoon I was subjected to hot and balmy weather and a city abuzz with summer calm and goodwill. Manchester in the damp, dark rain of a February makes for poor mood.
So why was I in Manchester?
There was not detailed plan of action apart from seeing some old contacts for a natter and catch up and to get a gist of the state of the Manchester advertising marketplace.
At the moment I am taking a sabbatical and enjoying it, with my Claire in Tobermory teaching. I am not due up there permanently until July next year.
Sabbatical:
noun
a period of paid leave granted to a university teacher or other worker for study or travel, traditionally one year for every seven years worked.
"she's away on sabbatical"
adjective
1.
relating to a sabbatical.
"sabbatical leave"
2.
ARCHAIC
of or appropriate to the sabbath.
I am not religious, so the Sabbath bit goes out of the window. Certainly not a university teacher. So I suppose as a self employed person it comes down to being off from work, which must therefore translate into being lazy, wastrel, derelict, dosser and the like if canvassing a Tory at present. But I don’t care. My business, my life, and I enjoy the time.
Back to people of interest
So Monday early evening saw me catch up with Dani Briers for a good, solid strategic chat as to business and all that goes on. So it is clear that money can be made ethically whilst all seems to be going the way of ancient Rome - decadence, invading tribes, people at war, and not enough beer, bread, and games to keep the mob on your side. The ruling Senate and Emperor in GB Ltd is fighting a rear guard action akin to the friggin’ Alamo.
But money can be made if you are good at what you do. And Dani shows this with knowledge, care, expertise, and transparency. So there is hope for me.
Deansgate with smile and nice threads. Hot and sticky as well.
Tuesday
This saw me venture back into Manchester for a first meeting with Mick Style at Foley’s in Manchester though with a bit of confusion as I’d missed the venue on Quay Street instead ending up at the other off Hardman Square. Anyway we got there in the end, and enjoyed a lovely coffee and sandwich (this cheese and ham morsel being kindly bought by Mick S) while chatting over business and a Lakeland walk. Mick is off with a posse up Coniston and sought some advice as well as my using the OS Map App I have on the phone; with the route looking a good shlep up the Walna Scar Road, Brown Crag, Dow Crag, the Old Man, then over to Swirl How, and Wetherlam via Prison Band and back to Coniston.
Business wise Mick, like myself, is on the hunt for consultancy work and if you know of any do let us know. Mick like myself is ethical, a consummate professional, and knowledgeable as to media, creative, and commercial stuff. (If honest and humble Mick is on a much higher level of all the aforementioned than I am, and I doth tug forelock to him in reverence.)
Mick and I then walked over to the correct Foley’s on Quay Street to say hello to the lovely Rich George of Wavemaker, both ex-colleague and friend to Mick. He’s a good guy Rich, and after Mick left I enjoyed the chat we had as to business including changes Group M/Nexus level across to his wife and what she’s achieved and my moving (eventually) to Tobermory and Mull.
Rich confirmed as others business is a question of treading water at present until change, whatever that brings. And I don’t envy the traditional salary man in the advertising agency if honest. It must be a hard lot at present, pleasing the taskmasters of London (see useless twats who have no clue as to regional business.)
But Rich and Co are fine. A good bunch of nice people who work well with clients and have done so over many years. Both have come through the ranks “old school” style and know the journey.
Bonded Warehouse and Charlie Reid
After saying goodbye to Rich it was a short walk to Bonded Warehouse (a beautiful old brick built industrial warehouse) behind MOSI to see Charles Reid of Dentsu.
Seeing Charles is certainly like seeing an old pal, old school teacher, a long lost friend where distance and time disappear with today only being yesterday since you last chatted.
And chat we did. Business, life, people. It was enjoyable indeed. I am pleased all at DAN have Charles leading. He is firm but understands people and cares for them. And I suspect he acts as a buffer between London and the North.
Business is steady and again more a question of treading water.
What did I learn?
To never give up hope in dire economic and global climate as espoused and shown by Dani Briers. Of always being cheerful, pragmatic and hard working as shown by Mick and Rich. Of having the brains and common touch that Charles has, whilst still always smiling and making time for people, knowing people matter. Of how there are still a lot of decent people in this business, but the older ones worry for those coming through who don’t seemed to have worked their way up, nor been trained in traditional advertising values, and that this is a pointy finger mostly at the digital lot.
I can see in Charlie Reid that experience is so valuable in such a time, weathervane to impending storms, calm in the turbulent and truculent waters. But we are classed as old, and PAH to that I say!
And treading water is action, not inaction. There is a time and a place for everything. And a little bit of patience does not hurt advertising people. I suspect it is something they need to learn.
