Behind The Billboard

Visuals: https://getbehindthebillboard.com/2022/03/04/episode-39-graham-fink-pt1/

Episode 39 features an icon of the industry, Graham Fink.

It feels a bit strange to think we got this far without talking to Graham who was D&AD’s youngest ever president and winner of China’s first ever Cannes Grand Prix.

But as you can imagine for someone who is now a multi-media artist, agent to Sophia the world’s first humanoid robot and finktank founder, his time is limited.

So we felt especially lucky to have him on to talk billboards.

And boy did we talk…so much so that we had to make it a 2 parter.

Part 1 is about his early career, how he got his first job at CDP dressing up as an old man and his iconic Benson & Hedges (B&H) billboards.

We covered wolves who refused to howl at a pack of fags, photographers who took 2 weeks to shoot an image and heard about the Fink family and what an amazingly talented bunch they are. Special mention for Dad @masterforger who like his son, is an accomplished artist…and a butler no less.

We also did ‘the yukka plant incident’ wonderfully acted out by Graham. And heard about a surreal interview with the legendary Paul Arden, which led to Graham’s tenure at Saatchi & Saatchi, where he produced the Shower Curtain Silk Cut billboard - all that to come in part 2.

Graham, it was amazing to hear the stories and feel your undying passion for great work. Thanks again for being so generous with your time.

Ep38 features Jo Arscott - a true creative pioneer, who mastered the art of the ’Integrated’ campaign long before everyone else jumped on the bandwagon and called it ‘360’.

Her billboard for the National Asthma Campaign in 1996 was a great example of this, being more like an event than a piece of OOH. Painted in clear glue, the poster was pure white when it went up at Vauxhall Roundabout for the press launch. When the journalists came back 14 days later; they were amazed. The pollution had stuck to the glue revealing the headline.

Hear the full story behind this ‘The world’s first ever glue poster’ and more of Jo’s creative work from her time at agencies all over the world.

We also talked about her work as a speaker on issues of diversity and education at D&AD, Cannes and The Design Council to name but a few.

And of course we heard about her Mum’s cat (cat’s are becoming a thing on this podcast).

Thanks Jo for coming on, it was a blast. 

Visuals: https://getbehindthebillboard.com/2022/02/04/episode-37-vikki-ross/

Writing copy about Vikki Ross - the Queen of Copy - is a daunting task.

Was that really a proper sentence? Could it have been a bit pithier? How about the grammar? Were those dashes really necessary? And how about the tone? Is this copy on brand? Is it Behind the Billboardy enough?

So many questions about so much copy.

Vikki has the answers.

Copy is her thang, having written many brilliant words for many global brands for the past 24 years.

Sky, Sony Music, Expedia, Adidas and The Body Shop have all benefitted from the words of Ross.

But she doesn’t just write it. She teaches too - at the SCA, judges at international industry award competitions and mentors young female creatives.

And she has a huge online following for #copywritersunite and #copysafari.

That’s quite a lot.

And yet she still found time to come and chat to us.

Thanks so much Vikki. It was a real pleasure. And please let us know if this copy needs a massive rewrite 🤓

Visuals: https://getbehindthebillboard.com/2022/01/21/episode-36-justin-tindall/

Dead cats, sharing a flat with Damien Hirst, painting your toenails purple in Cannes…just when you thought’d you’d heard it all, along comes podcast number 36 with Justin Tindall.

Amazing stories…some of which were actually about billboards ;-)

Of course Justin is much more than dead moggys, friend of YBA’s and dodgy pedicures.

He is one of the world’s most awarded creatives and ECD’s - winning big at every show in the world during tenures at FCA!, DDB, Red Brick Road, Leo Burnett and M&C Saatchi.

This success can be put down to many things (working in a creative team with Adam Tucker for one), but his level of craft is astounding. Justin is up there with another obsessive we spoke to on episode 13, Alexander Taylor - rivalling her casting of 33 scissors for Silk Cut with his own exhaustive search for the perfect beans on toast for Harvey Nichols, shooting (with @James Day) 30 different plates for the calendar campaign. 

God and Justin are in the details.

Thanks again for coming mate. It was brilliant to see you again looking so fresh and ready for all that 2022 has in store for your exciting new agency @Platform.

Visuals: https://getbehindthebillboard.com/2022/01/07/episode-35-malcolm-venville

Podcast episode #35 features one of adland’s most brilliant and loved photographers, Malcolm Venville, who’s portfolio is bulging with great billboards.

• Nike
• Wrangler
• Silk Cut
• Levi’s
• Lynx
• VW
• Guinness

Every one of them shot through with wit and style and every one shot by the same wonderful man.

We spent an absorbing hour with Malc discussing the work that teamed him up with the the cream of British agencies.

So many great stories behind so many billboards.

We barely got to mention his other creative outlets - directing Hollywood films and TV mini series. Maybe more of that next time 🤓

Thanks again Malcolm. It was a real pleasure. 

So the question on everybody’s lips this Friday…what will be the number 1 billboard of 2021?

Last week the pod counted down from 21 to 11. Now we’re in with the big guns. Who’s your money on?

Marmite? Everyone seems to love (not hate!) their exploding special builds from earlier this year. Or McDonalds Delivery - classic adshels - a campaign of beauty and simplicity.

How about BBC Creative and the billboard they set on fire for The Perfect Planet season? Or maybe switch channels to C4 and see that enormous special build cake sweep the board.

Tune in, find out and hear us get a little giddy on Guinness. Thanks again for following, liking and commenting - we love doing this and esp when we hear from you our listeners.

2022 is going to be epic!

https://getbehindthebillboard.com/2021/12/17/episode-34-best-of-2021-part-2/

2021 - VISUALS: https://getbehindthebillboard.com/2021/12/10/episode-33-bestof21pt1/

How was it for you?

At Behind the Billboard we were genuinely surprised at the quality of this year’s output. And ended up conveniently🤔

with 21 pieces from 2021 worthy of discussion in our end of year pod.

The chat went fairly deep and crisp and even, aided by some chilled beers and delicious pigs in blanket flavoured crisps (cheers Jon).

We went on a bit like you do…and ended up with a two-parter. So if you’re needing a break over the festive period, you know where to come.

For those wanting to know our process of how we get to the list…there isn’t one. Well nothing you could actively call a process. We just ask our esteemed guests and listeners what caught their eye this year when they’ve been out n about. Or merely scrolling through Instagram. And then we chuck in some of our BtB favourites too.

We have a bit of everything - special builds, murals, projections, digital and of course classic 6, 48 and 96 sheets.

Hope you enjoy it as much as we did. It’s great to be back in the studio and chatting with the great and the good of the OOH community. Thanks again to Talon our sponsors, Jon for basically doing everything behind the scenes, Jordan for his continued good-looks and to all our brilliant guests. And most importantly thanks to you our listeners.

Have a great Christmas and stick with us in 2022 we have an amazing line-up.

FOLLOW WITH VISUALS: https://getbehindthebillboard.com/2021/11/26/episode-32-mike-nicholson

We’d heard so many good things about Mike over the years and seen his work at all the award shows, but our paths had never crossed.

Until now.

The pod was the perfect opportunity for Hugh and Dan to find out more about one of adlands most talented and nicest blokes.

And he didn’t disappoint (esp in the wardrobe department, the signature Hawaiian shirt setting a bright positive mood from the get-go)

Mike’s billboards are a masterclass in how to do great ooh.

Brilliantly simple ideas distilled down to the absolute minimum (Heg would approve) art directed with craft and wit. There’s not an inch of fat on his work. This is why it’s so awarded and still looks so fresh today.

Quick example - The Tunes 6 sheet:

No headline, no endline, no website, no logo, no hashtag bollocks.

No need.

Just a plunger - made from 3 pack shots (3 packs!!! A client’s dream!)

That’s it.

The bare minimum.

Written on placement, it’s no surprise this was the work that got Mike hired at AMV.

And set a theme of simplicity and graphic brilliance that coursed through his work ever since - either with initial partner Daryl Corps or later with Paul Pateman.

As well as billboards we discussed Mike’s various ECD jobs in the UK and abroad, his teaching work at the SCA and his bedroom wallpaper, which was up there with his Hawaiian Shirts.

Thanks again Mike. Dan and Hugh loved it.

#behindthebillboard #btb #posters #billboards #ooh #outdoor #amv #tbwa #museumofchildhood #tunes #dunloptyres #theeconomist #sca #johnsmiths 

We’re back. Behind the Billboard is back.

Amazing guests are back

Hugh’s heavy breathing

Dan’s crap jokes

Jon’s off-mic eye rolls.

Overly long social posts.…they’re all back.

And we’re starting Series 3 where we left off…with Tiger Savage, talking us through her time at Leagas Delaney and M&C Saatchi. Full disclosure we recorded this earlier in the year but we've held it back to launch series 3!

Hear the stories behind billboard brilliance for Adidas, Vogue.com, Becks, British Airways and more. Tiger is right up there when it comes to iconic famous billboard work and it was a total pleasure having her on the show - twice ;-)

Hope you enjoy it and stay with us - we’ve got some amazing guests coming up.

IMAGES: https://getbehindthebillboard.com/2021/11/12/episode-31-tiger-savage-part-2/

Cheers!

Dan and Hugh finally sit down with Tiger Savage, having talked about much of her work on previous shows with her peers. It was so good to talk through her incredible body of work for some of the best agencies in the country.  

Visuals :  https://getbehindthebillboard.com/episode-30-tiger-savage-part-1/

Also - buy some SHUGS: www.shugs.co.uk

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