This week on The MCA Prodcast Pat Murphy is joined by Simon Elms, Founder of Eclectic Music & Bark Soho. Simon is a multi-award-winning composer, arranger, and producer with over 30 years of experience spanning film, television, and advertising. In advertising specifically, Simon has crafted bespoke music for high-profile global campaigns for brands such as Coke, Ford and HSBC.Simon has developed a reputation for his musical insight, creative agility, and sonic precision. His original compositions and inventive sound design have earned industry recognition, including an International Emmy nomination.

Simon and Pat explore the pivotal role music plays in advertising, and why it so often gets overlooked. Simon shares his frustrations over how sound is typically left to the final stages of production and argues for integrating composers much earlier in the creative process, recounting how true collaboration between agency, client, and music partner can yield not only better work, but smoother workflows. 

Simon discusses the deep connection between music and neuroscience, explaining how sound can bypass rational thought to trigger powerful emotional responses. He highlights a quote from Sir Thomas Beecham — “the function of music is to release us from the tyranny of conscious thought” — to illustrate how music communicates directly with the subconscious, a concept long understood by composers and now backed by modern science. For this reason, Simon argues that imperfect, emotional tracks can often connect more deeply than overly polished ones.

Simon also shares his view on the rise of AI in music production. Whilst he acknowledges that technology may displace some traditional roles, he sees it as a tool that, in the right hands, can empower more creativity and accessibility. 

 See Simons’s favourite ad: Hamlet - Wig 

 Hosted by Pat Murphy

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This week on The MCA Prodcast Pat Murphy is joined by Edward East, the Founder and CEO of Billion Dollar Boy. Since its inception in 2014 the agency has become a global leader in creator marketing, delivering integrated, creator-led advertising at scale for the world's leading brands.

Ed talks us through the story behind BDB; back in 2014 Ed recognised something fundamental that many brands are only now beginning to grasp – creators aren't just media channels, they're storytellers, producers, and essential brand partners.What began as a simple database connecting PR agencies with bloggers has evolved into an award-winning creative social agency that's reshaping how global brands approach content creation. The results speak for themselves: Billion Dollar Boy was recently named Influencer Marketing Agency of the Year and works with prestigious clients like Versace, Loeuvre, and Burberry. 

Ed explains how the production process differs when working with creators; how ideas are pitched, developed and brought to life, whilst simultaneously balancing creator freedom with brand messaging and expectations. Ed also reveals how creator marketing has democratised content production, making it ‘far faster’ and ‘far cheaper’ than traditional agency models while potentially delivering superior engagement. This explains why companies like Unilever are now allocating 50% of their advertising budgets to social media platforms – a major shift that validates Ed's early vision.

Ed also tells us about his latest venture, the FiveTwoNine Creator Club which supports the broader creator economy through education, networking, and opportunity creation.

See Ed’s favourite ad: Guinness – Snail Race

Hosted by Pat Murphy

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This week on The MCA Prodcast Pat Murphy is joined by Nils Leonard, Founder of Uncommon Creative Studio. Nils has spent over 25 years in the advertising and design industry working across some of the most recognised agencies in London. Nils was voted into Adweek’s coveted Creativity 100 and was named The No.1 creative person in advertising globally by Business insider, and is listed as one of the Sunday Times 500 most influential people in the UK.

Nils loves and values production. He describes it as the ‘literal distance between an idea and reality’ and explains that this understanding has reshaped his entire approach to creativity. Rather than prioritising process or placating stakeholders, Uncommon focuses relentlessly on output - even creating a "faff tax" that charges clients more if they haven't made anything within six months. "We've never had to use it, but it's defined the type of client that comes to us", Nils says. Nils is not only insistent on creating, but confident that past work is the best case-study and shop window your agency can ask for. Nils explains that the best clients approach Uncommon knowing their work, understanding their ethic and wanting them above any other creative partner. 

Nils also explains how leadership and creativity are not mutually exclusive. As a lead creative for a company, you are effectively the leader of the business as the revenue comes from your creative output. As such, Nils argues, you should be party to the fee negotiations and you should have a full understanding of the business side. Also, Nils’ advice to all creators is to not be afraid to walk away from the wrong type of client or the wrong type of work. "When someone pays you for your time but not your work... they're actively stopping you doing something else that could change your life", he says. This selective approach has helped Uncommon achieve remarkable growth, including being named Agency of the Year in the US after just 12 months. 

Nils shares his unique approach to sourcing talent too, and explains that many of his global offices have been opened and built around a talented individual that he wanted to welcome into the business. “You meet great people and think ‘I need to find a way to get them in the fold and I know good shit will happen'”.

See Nils’ favourite ad: Macmillan Cancer Support – Whatever it Takes

 Hosted by Pat Murphy

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This week on The MCA Prodcast Pat Murphy talks with Steve Davies, Chief Executive at the Advertising Producers Association, the trade body for UK commercial production, editing, post production and music and sound design companies. The aim of the APA is to create the best possible business environment for its members, addressing challenges and connecting them with opportunities.  

Steve’s career began in law where he was partner at a London law firm, before moving into Sports Television. His media/law crossover career saw him work on the first pay-per-view sports deal with Sky and even act as Mike Tyson’s lawyer, negotiating his entry to the UK with the then Home Secretary Jack Straw!
 
Steve talks us through the changes he’s made at the APA to benefit their members; adding training, contractual advice, overseas marketing and business advice. Steve and Pat discuss the recent demise of Technicolour and Steve explains how the APA is trying to support its members by connecting those who lost jobs with new opportunities elsewhere. Steve also shared details of ‘Production Unplugged’, a new event hosted by the APA where brands can meet with potential production partners. The event is designed to build relationships, share knowledge, and drive real change in the industry. MCA is really proud to be sponsoring this event and you can find out more here. 

Steve considers the changing production landscape and the evolving role of the producer. He argues that the producer role is often be misunderstood with a common perception being that they exist to service the needs to the director. Steve argues they are in fact a critical and valuable part of the creative process as properly understanding production is what allows magic to happen.  

Most revealing is Steve's insight into what clients truly want from production partners. Forget awards and director reels – brands want case study proof demonstrating how you’ve helped similar clients achieve concrete business goals. Steve believes it’s this shift in focus from creative execution to strategic partnership that will determine which production companies thrive in the coming years.  

See Steve’s favourite ad: Stella Artois – Ice Skating Priests   

Hosted by Pat Murphy  

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To mark the end of a really successful season 3, we bring you a very special episode of The MCA Prodcast as we look back on some of our favourite bits of advice that guests have given us over the last few months. 

Pat Murphy has been lucky enough to sit down with some of the real shining lights in our industry and we’ve covered so many different topics; from creativity and storytelling, to leadership, nurturing new talent, technological developments and even exploring entirely new ways that we can connect with audiences.

Exploring these topics and many more are:

• Doerte Spengler-Ahrens – Chairwoman of Jung von Matt and President of the Art Director’s Club (ADC)
• Upasana Roy – Global Creative Strategy Director at Reckitt
• Philipp Schuster – Agency Management and Marketing Partnerships Director from Bayer Consumer Health
• Sir John Hegarty – Co-founder and Creative Director at The Garage Soho & The Business of Creativity
• Mark Benson – President of The Mill 
• Kristen Cavallo – Former Global CEO of MullenLowe
• Matt Miller - President and CEO of the Association of Independent Commercial Producers (AICP)
• Paul Burke – Radio Copywriter and Producer

Season 4 of The MCA Prodcast will be landing in early 2025! 

Hosted by Pat Murphy

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This week on The MCA Prodcast Pat Murphy talks to President of The Mill, Mark Benson. Before the brands merged Mark was CEO of MPC Advertising – the Moving Picture Company - under whose leadership the organisation was transformed into a multi-award-winning global creative studio.

Mark and Pat reminisce on their early days as runners, and how that shaped them for their future careers. Mark reflects on how client service was something that always fascinated him, and MPC’s commitment to clients and relationships was something that kept him at the business for 25 years! Mark also explains how MPC transitioned from working exclusively on ads, to later providing post-production services for big screen movie projects such as The Harry Potter franchise.  

When discussing MPC’s merger with The Mill Mark says ‘the fundamentals haven't changed. We are all excited about how we go forwards into new markets and new areas of opportunity, predicated on talent, and a real understanding of what a narrative, what a story can be and how it's told’. Parent company Technicolour has the ambition to become the ‘world's largest creative visual arts company’ and Mark explains how that aspiration is being achieved, branching recently into new areas like The Sphere, 3D Billboards, live theatre and more. Mark reveals how projects like the upcoming Elvis immersive experience are setting new standards in storytelling by engaging audiences in unique and interactive ways.
 

Watch Mark’s favourite ad:  Ryan Giggs - Reebok 

Hosted by Pat Murphy

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This week on The MCA Prodcast Pat Murphy talks to Lisa Lavender, MD of British Arrows which is the UK’s longest running and most prestigious moving image advertising awards. Prior to this Lisa was founder of The Traffic Bureau and CEO of Adstream UK.

Lisa originally dreamt of being a choreographer but found her way into advertising, starting out as a production assistant. She talks us through how her career began, her temporary move to Canada, and how she launched The Traffic Bureau which was the first outsourced TV admin company in the UK. Hear how what began with a casual conversation later evolved into the sale of The Traffic Bureau to Adstream, with Lisa becoming CEO of Adstream's UK operations. From there, Lisa’s skill in nurturing exceptional talent and creating a happy, dynamic company culture left a lasting impact on her career.  

Lisa talks us through the complexities of broadcast and business affairs. With so many channels and outlets, how can organisations stay on top of the various requirements in terms of clearance and rights management? Lisa explains that tech is helping hugely in this field and she suspects AI will also have a role to play.  

Throughout her journey, Lisa emphasises the importance of mentorship and fostering diverse environments in advertising. She’s a powerful advocate for supporting new talent and has always strived to create opportunities and welcome new people into the industry, something that she is now especially proud to do in her role organising the Young Arrows awards. She considers how attitudes to work have changed through the generations and how ‘Gen-Z’ now demand a more healthy work-life balance – something we can all probably learn from! 

Lisa and Pat discuss why creative awards like the British Arrows remain so vital in today’s advertising landscape and how the Young Arrows can celebrate the next generation of great storytellers and creatives. The awards are celebrating their 50th Anniversary next year and would love to hear from any organisation interested in sponsoring the events. 

Watch Lisa’s favourite ad: Hamlet Cigars – Photo Booth  

Hosted by Pat Murphy

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This week on The MCA Prodcast Pat Murphy talks to Global Managing Director at RSA (Ridley Scott Associates) Films Kai-Lu Hsiung. From reception to Production Assistant, Producer, and then Managing Director, Kai is a shining example of production meritocracy so is the perfect person to talk to about nurturing talent and developing creative careers. Now as Global Managing Director, Kai ensures that RSA maintains its place as one of the world’s leading production houses, and continues to create some of the most culturally transformative and influential creative across every medium. 

In a world now dominated by AI and modern technology, what role do storytelling and human creativity still play? Kai shares her thoughts on this evolving landscape, using iconic advertisements like the Hovis Boy on the Bike campaign and the Samsung S23 film ‘Behold’ to illustrate how traditional storytelling meets cutting-edge technology. She recalls how the Samsung ad was shot entirely on a phone, but the production still required skilled craftspeople to ensure the lighting, sets, costumes etc were exactly optimal in order to get the perfect shot. She also recalls a wonderful story of how the Boy on a Bike ad came to be; a story that starts with Ridley Scott simply wanting to borrow a camera! 

Kai explains how the Ridley Scott Creative Group distinguishes between it’s brands, with Black Dog Films being the younger, culturally relevant offering, RSA has a more over-reaching remit and Scott Free focuses on feature film work and commercials. Whilst distinct brands Kai emphasises the importance of being ‘stronger together’ and how sharing resources leads to better results of all the brands’ clients. “You'll get a better production if you can all work together to solve problems”, Kai says. 

Kai and Pat discuss branded entertainment and content; how these ideas are forged and how they are developed. Kai describes branded content as being a ‘really interesting, fluid journey’ that you go on with your client, but it always starts with a need to fully understand the client’s needs and desired platforms. 

 As Chairwoman of the Young Director Award, Kai shares her views on how we can nurture young talent in the industry, spotlighting initiatives like the Aesthetica Film Festival and Nowness. Whether you're an aspiring filmmaker or an industry veteran, Kai's experiences and advice provide valuable lessons on balancing financial constraints with creative passions.

Watch Kai’s favourite ad: BMW – Beat the Devil

Hosted by Pat Murphy

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This week on The MCA Prodcast you’ll hear one of the brilliant panel sessions from this year’s LBB and Friends Beach at Cannes. We are all story tellers, and this panel is about the power of storytelling and how creativity can be crucial to the success of any business.

Pat Murphy chairs the session and is joined by:
·      Doerte Spengler-Ahrens - Chairwoman of Jung von Matt and President of the Art Director’s Club (ADC)
·      Upasana Roy - Global Creative Strategy Director at Reckitt
·      Philipp Schuster - Agency Management and Marketing Partnerships Director from Bayer Consumer Health
·      Sir John Hegarty – Co-founder and Creative Director at The Garage Soho & The Business of Creativity 

Storytelling is fundamental to brand success, but sometimes creativity and bravery in marketing can be usurped by fear, budget constraints or other factors. The panel discuss how brands can remain creative and how this is essential to not only sell a product, but to create memorable experiences that resonate with consumers on a deeper level.
 
Agencies often direct brands to be brands, without being brands themselves – something John argues is a mistake! By positioning themselves as brands with distinct beliefs and values, agencies can differentiate themselves from mere service providers and attract the right clients. This approach is exemplified by revolutionary ideas like Renault's e-mobility solution, which transformed the market by offering a unique value proposition. 

Our panel debate who is best suited to sell an idea to a client – is it the creator of that idea or an account manager. Presenting ideas to clients requires an understanding of their language and problems, and constructive criticism is essential for a healthy client-agency relationship. Philipp explains that he enjoys tension with agencies he’s buying from. “We try to build an environment where we, with our partners, have a relationship where we can have healthy tension”, he says. “This is the relationship, the culture of a partnership we want to build together with our agencies, because we feel that this produces the best work”.

As well as tension, the panel discuss the role of ‘fear’ in good creative work. The panellists each recall stories of projects they worked on which, at the time, they were nervous about. John recalls one in-particular where a single different decision could have ruined the outcome. Upasana says “we fear that it's going to fail, and one of the best things that we can do is give ourselves the permission to fail once in a while”. Fear is almost imperative in the constant pursuit of good work! 

Click here to find out more about John’s course ‘The Business of Creativity’ and discover how creativity can take your business to the next level.

Hosted by Pat Murphy

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This week on The MCA Prodcast Pat Murphy talks to Carl Addy, Executive Creative Director at The Mayda Creative Co. Carl delivers ground-breaking visual work in design, digital media and immersive VR technology. He works in both live action and animation, combining his obsession with music with his knowledge of digital trends and film making.

Carl explains the name ‘Mayda’, where it came from and how it embodies their company philosophy. ‘It's a bumpy ride, it has unknown outcomes and actually it's the treasures that you find along the way and the adventures that bond people together’, Carl says. He describes the workforce as creative collaborators who understand how to take something from zero script to final pixel.

Carl reveals why he thinks it’s important for directors to write their own treatments. He admits it can be harder for directors who are not A-list to get the attention of the right people, but a great idea should always cut through and a director should be able to communicate a feeling better when writing the treatment themselves. ‘If you like how I dance, we’ll dance well together’. Carl also admits that it’s very hard to come up with a unique idea because everyone is competing for the same work, and utilising the same reference points.

Carl talks about the jobs that he will gladly take on, and considers the rare occasion he might politely decline. Carl always prioritises ‘film school’, as he calls it; any project which gives him an opportunity to learn or try something new will very likely get the green light from him!

Carl tells the story of a fascinating project where an advertising brief led to the creation of a real, hardware product; a next generation helmet that could help NFL coaches communicate in real-time with hard-of-hearing players. Find out more about it here.

Carl also tells us about his band, Heavy Menthol which he describes as his opportunity to be daft and irresponsible; ‘exactly what you would imagine when middle-aged men get together and write metal songs and make a lot of noise’, he says. 

Watch Carl’s favourite ad: Flour Sacks during Depression-Era America

 Hosted by Pat Murphy

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