This week we welcome the incredible talent that is Martha Riley to the show. Martha has forged her career at some awesome agencies working on some incredible brands. Her stand out billboards however have all seem to come for the Airline industry.

Don't forget to head to https://www.getbehindthebillboard.com/?p=307 for the supporting artwork.

Once Hugh got all the airline gags away in the safety announcement, we managed to get behind why Martha loves the Outdoor medium, and what makes it first class [I can’t help myself now].

She took us on a trip [sorry] down memory lane with some fine examples of Outdoor work from her early days while on  placement at Saatchi’s for the BA client. It happened to be her first billboard campaign too which was a great take off point [OK I’m stopping now]. Martha told us the story of a young account manager Carrie Hindmarsh taking the risk of presenting it to the client. Without the bravery of a fantastic account person, this billboard would not have seen the light of day.

We moved on to Martha’s work on Virgin Atlantic while she was freelancing at Rainey Kelly. This is where we she worked up one of her most famous ads that actually trolled BA one of her first clients…. Famous because she very nearly got the word Shite into an ad.

We then talked about another awesome poster for Virgin around their new Caribbean routes. Amazingly well crafted in terms of art direction and typography.

We then talked about a great campaign featuring Dumbo and a Moose. Martha talked very passionately about the late Nancy Fouts, model maker and artist who had an awesome irreverent sense of humour and all round genius. You should read her obituary here: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2019/jun/04/nancy-fouts-obituary

We chatted briefly about some other 18-30, Silk Cut and others.

After taking some time out to have a family, Martha found her route back into advertising came from an unlikely source.

Her son was set some homework to design a poster for London 2012… The creative director inside was itching to get involved and worked on her own!

Getting back to her professional life we talked about Martha’s work at BBH for Dulux and Guardian among others. Then on to Ogilvy where Martha again knocked some amazing work out of the park… going full circle we end on an incredibly topical ad for British Airways around the World Cup.

We had such a great chat with Martha, and we could have spoken for hours… but she had to go and get her visa as she’s off on a new adventure to Silicon Valley!

Episode 5 of Behind the Billboard features a number of firsts.

See the website post for the images and videos that we talk about in the podcast...

https://getbehindthebillboard.com/episode-5-vince-cook-gary-fox-robinson/

Our first creative team, our first BlueJeans powered remote interview and our first (but no means last) OOH work from McDonald’s.

We talked about them meeting on the set of a TV commercial shoot on a US Army base, having been thrown together to make it happen.

Their creative relationship blossomed and soon lead to some memorable billboard work for the Green Beret's, America's Special Forces. The campaign encouraged people to 'Take a Brochure' - with the brochure on the billboard seemingly impossible to get. That one had to be pitched to a 4 Star General for approval. This great campaign also gave the pair their first taste of Cannes glory.

Gary Fox-Robertson and Vince Cook talked to us about their McDonald’s “Sundial” poster - one of the most iconic and audacious billboards of all time.

“At one point we had to call in a NASA scientist to ensure the poster and its sundial arm were precisely positioned to catch the sun every morning, offering an array of breakfast choices for passers by. The shadow's progression span the morning menu and gave each item a literal moment in the sun. At noon, the dial forms a perfect McDonald's M."

It was one of those rare moments, when a billboard made the national news and won Gold at every major award show around the world.

And it’s now made it’s way into our podcast.

Available mornings, noon and night from this Wednesday.

Thanks chaps, a great morning’s work.

Episode 4 of Behind the Billboard features Tony Davidson.

You can see all of the work on the blog post... There's a tonne of great work! https://getbehindthebillboard.com/?p=259

Tony is many wonderful things. Global partner at Wieden & Kennedy, 196 times ‘in-book’ at D&AD (a record) as well being its former President, Cannes Grand Prix winner, strong hugger and just a great big kid who adores ideas and making stuff.

He turned up 30 mins early and left 30 mins late, still texting thoughts and ideas on his way back to the tube. And yet it felt we’d only scratched the surface.

We went though his amazing portfolio of billboards as both CD and Art Director. For the Nike ‘St Wayne’ poster we heard how the art director covered himself in red paint to convince the client to buy the idea. We drilled into the story behind the world’s longest cross track poster with the world’s longest til receipt for the opening of a new Levi’s store. Then there was the reliable rotating VW billboard, Paul Ince and Adidas art direction, Run London, more Levi’s and the painful story of how the invincibles  ‘Arsena’ Nike ad never ran as a billboard. We finished on the recent Coke billboards, featuring a redesign of the logo for the first time in the company’s history, to incorporate a thirsty tongue.

Dan Wieden once said “If you want to be a partner at W+K you got to be some kind of saint and some kind of crazy.” We can safely say Tony is both of these and more. So much amazing work for so many brands with so much to say. A feast for our listeners’ ears. Thanks again Tony. 

You can see all of the work on the blog post... There's a tonne of great work! https://getbehindthebillboard.com/?p=259

Episode 3 features Tim Riley, one of the most famous writers in our industry.

IMAGE OF TIM: http://bit.ly/TimRileyMadMag

We say ‘writer’ rather than Creative Director or Head of Copy (both roles he excels at too), because deep down Tim is a man of words. Pithy, witty, cheeky, emotional, funny words. In his career he has written for John Smiths, The Economist, The Guardian, Boddingtons, Sony, Nike, Snickers, Sainsbury’s, winning awards on virtually every account he’s put his pen to.
 

Economist Array: http://bit.ly/36cH6vM

This incredible body of work has propelled him to the lofty title of Creative Partner at AMVBBDO …..and yet you’d never know from listening to our chat he is a man with such a revered position. Tim is a humble, funny and disarmingly charming guest who was incredibly open and frank in telling us about his career to date.

Jordan Economist: http://bit.ly/2v6mn02

We soon got into The Economist work and how over the past 22 years, Tim has worked as a writer and CD on the account. He told us the story behind the ‘Someone mentions Jordan’ billboard and the circuitous route to the final poster.

We’ll let Tim explain more, but as ever, it’s an unpredictable path to getting work out, and this is another great example that lead to one of the most famous Economist posters ever.
 

BONUS IMAGE - MR BLOBBY! http://bit.ly/2NHHiNm
 

However, the main chat was about Tim’s John Smiths billboards when he was at DDB (now known as Adam&EveDDB).
 

JohnSmiths:

http://bit.ly/3auCGUr

http://bit.ly/36gC3La

http://bit.ly/2G7bzRG

http://bit.ly/2tqnwzb
 

This didn’t disappoint either for back story, involving a bottom drawer idea from a MAD magazine that Tim had had for years and magically pulled out to inspire the brilliant irreverent posters.

MadMagazine: 

http://bit.ly/2G7mISh

http://bit.ly/379oxKk

We admire Tim for his honesty and it should give us all hope that the bottom drawer can still yield greatness.

Nike Jordan:

http://bit.ly/2sFPlmu

Thanks again Tim for your spoken words, along with the written ones, that will hopefully inspire our listeners.

In episode 2 we’re with Art Director extraordinaire Paul Belford.

Paul has worked at more agencies than most of us have had hot dinners…. and that was before he worked anywhere half decent (his words not ours!). Interestingly all of these jobs followed a degree in bio-chemistry! As ever, there are no straight routes into a career in advertising, and what an incredible career Paul has had so far.

Spanning over 30 years at agencies such as TBWA, LEAGAS DELANEY and AMVBBDO, Paul has produced award-winning work for Waterstones, the Economist, PlayStation, Le Creuset, The Guardian to name but a few.

His work is incredibly distinctive. The level of craft is second to none. His name often appears twice in credits. “Art director”. “Designer”. His name even appears on other people’s work as “Designer” he’s that good.

Many a time someone has said in a creative department. “Yeah can you give it a bit more craft. Do a Belford on it.”

We talked mostly about the story behind The Economist lightbulb Billboard. Possibly his most famous billboard and a truly iconic poster.

BILLBOARD IMAGE: http://bit.ly/economistlightbulb

A copywriter conveniently on holiday. Another billboard featuring a horde of rats that was continually rejected (and then reworked for a different client) and a savvy account man all played their part in making it happen.

We also discussed another absolute belter of a poster. PlayStation Dot-screen which again has a great back story.

BILLBOARD IMAGE: http://bit.ly/playstationdots

Paul is a rare breed of passion, craft and uncompromising creativity rarely seen these days.

Thanks again Paul. And hope everyone enjoys it.

Oh and here's the Rat idea reworked for Reed....
http://bit.ly/ratsforreed

In our first episode we speak to John Patroulis, Global Chief Creative Officer of Grey.

We discuss the billboards that John has been passionate about, from his first to his most awarded and personally rewarding.

Before joining Grey, John spent six years at BBH New York, rising to become the first-ever Creative Chairman in 2015. Under his leadership, BBH New York featured in Advertising Age's Creativity A-List and John was named in the Adweek 50. With integrated campaigns for Playstation, Axe, Google and Cole Haan, BBH New York became one of the most awarded agencies in the city, winning multiple Lions across Film, Cyber, and Integrated categories, as well as scooping the Integrated Grand Prix for Netflix "House of Cards."

Earlier in his career, John helped co-found both McCann Worldgroup's agencytwofifteen and T.A.G. in San Francisco. There he helped globally lead the Xbox Halo 3 "Believe" campaign, which became the most creatively awarded campaign of the decade, winning multiple Lions and two Grand Prix and at the time became the biggest launch in entertainment history - thanks to its innovative approach to integrated storytelling.

A globally recognised creative innovator and leader, John was named Worldwide Chief Creative Officer of Grey in August 2017. In 2019 he was Cannes Lions Jury President for Outdoor Lions where he presided over an international jury focussed on the best-in-class outdoor advertising from the previous year.

John travelled to London in December 2019 and found time to sit down with Hugh and Dan to chat about his favourite billboard work.

John was super charming, smart, funny, witty, polite, handsome…all things Dan and Hugh desperately aspire to.

He talked about his first billboard campaign for Continental Airlines, often spotting his work in the Manhattan night sky on the way home after working late, giving him the confidence he was doing the right thing, a crucial moment in any creative’s career.

A few years later the billboard campaign that properly made him famous came from a fairly humbling story. After surviving skin cancer, he was determined to warn others of the perils of the sun. By using a clever printing technique, he created an incredibly impactful campaign for SkinCancer.org, reminding people to wear sunblock on the beach.

Finally we talked about the multi-award winning campaign for Halo, the most successful gaming launch ever, which featured numerous ground-breaking ideas, including fake outdoor statues and plaques commemorating the fallen players and characters from the game.

John was also was the voiceover for the Halo case study videos, which made us realise there isn’t much he can’t do.

Thanks John for getting us up and running!

We hope you all enjoy episode 1.

Read more about it at: www.getbehindthebillboard.com

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