On the Couch: An interview with BBH founders Sir John Hegarty, John Bartle and Nigel Bogle
The founders of legendary London advertising agency BBH have been reunited by Facebook’s Nicola Mendelsohn who started her career at the agency to talk through their memories of building the business and they views on the industry now.
Together on a couch, Sir John Hegarty, John Bartle and Nigel Bogle were interviewed by Mendelsohn about a range of issues, discussing their memories of starting the business after exiting from TBWA, procurement, diversity, Cannes, creativity in general as well as remember the now Facebook executive when she began her career.
On his memories of the topic of pitching, Bogle said: “The preserve thing was that I think we demonstrated our total commitment to creativity by not doing creative pitches, because it was too glib, like a painting competition. The danger of getting fool’s gold was huge and we knew because we’d done it before. We’d won pitches with work that shouldn’t have won and we’d lost pitches with work that should have won.”
An overview of the interview between the four can be found in the July issue of The Drum, co-edited by Facebook colleagues Mendelsohn, Sheryl Sandberg and Mark D’Arcy, while above a video of some of the interview topics can be viewed offering some further insights from the BBH founders.
Also included in the July issue of The Drum are interviews with Airbnb’s chief marketing officer Jonathan Mildenhall, a look at the passion projects of many marketing professionals around the world, and a round up of some of the places that creatives go to find inspiration in their everyday lives and careers.
Other episodes in the series
Episode 1
Tina Brown, author of The Diana Chronicles, on what makes a great story
What’s the Story? is a storytelling video series dedicated to learning what truly makes a great story, told through the lens of the world’s talent and practitioners of the craft in entertainment, marketing and beyond.
Episode 2
Hip-hop icon Warren G and director Karam Gill on what makes a great story
What’s the Story? is a storytelling video series dedicated to learning what truly makes a great story, told through the lens of the world’s talent and practitioners of the craft in entertainment, marketing and beyond.
Episode 3
Glenn Gainor, Sony Pictures Screen Gems exec on what makes a great story
What’s the Story? is a storytelling video series dedicated to learning what truly makes a great story, told through the lens of the world’s talent and practitioners of the craft in entertainment, marketing and beyond.
Episode 4
Documentarian Cheryl Dunye on what makes a great story
What’s the Story? is a storytelling video series dedicated to learning what truly makes a great story, told through the lens of the world’s talent and practitioners of the craft in entertainment, marketing and beyond.
Episode 5
Sony Pictures Screen Gems exec, Glenn Gainor, on successful brand integration in film
After 25 years in the entertainment business, Glenn Gainor, head of physical production at Sony Pictures Screen Gems, knows plenty about great films and stories. He also knows what it takes to create successful integration for brands — and points to the seminal ET/Reese's Pieces hookup as the gold standard of integration.
Episode 6
Prop master Scott Bauer on how brands can drive a story
As a story unfolds in film and TV, there are plenty of those who help craft the work. Though writers, producers, directors and actors get the spotlight much of the time, the rest of crew plays invaluable roles in making it all come to life.
Episode 7
Sir John Hegarty on the best brand story he’s told
What’s the Story? is a storytelling video series dedicated to learning what truly makes a great story, told through the lens of the world’s talent and practitioners of the craft in entertainment, marketing and beyond.
Episode 8
Brand storyteller and film producer Tim Perell on great storytelling
What’s the Story? is a storytelling video series dedicated to learning what truly makes a great story, told through the lens of the world’s talent and practitioners of the craft in entertainment, marketing and beyond.
Episode 9
Amir Bar-Lev, Long Strange Trip director, on passion in storytelling
What’s the Story? is a storytelling video series dedicated to learning what truly makes a great story, told through the lens of the world’s talent and practitioners of the craft in entertainment, marketing and beyond.
Episode 10
PopSugar's co-founder, Lisa Sugar, shares what makes a great story
What’s the Story? is a storytelling video series dedicated to learning what truly makes a great story, told through the lens of the world’s talent and practitioners of the craft in entertainment, marketing and beyond.