Step into my office: Way To Blue on risk-taking and world domination
'Step into my office', a series of interviews powered by The Future Factory and The Drum Network, focuses on the challenges and the opportunities facing agencies this year. We will be taking a sneak peek into the lives of agencies, how they work, what their motivations are and what their thoughts are on the current state of the industry. Adam Rubins, CEO of Way To Blue, discusses risk taking and innovation.
Way To Blue
So, what does Way To Blue do?
We refer to ourselves as a global communications agency. I like to think of us as a full service communications agency from the future. My belief is that the agency who can deliver integrated solutions across paid, owned and earned, putting clients first and delivering truly objective thinking wins.
How long have you been around?
Well I’ve been around 41 years but the agency is 20 years old next year. What delights me is that it still feels incredibly fresh and that we are paving the way forward versus resting on our laurels and selling a 20 year old story. In today’s marketing and comms world, you need to be able to move with the times.
What makes you different from your peers?
There aren’t many agencies our size who can offer truly integrated thinking and delivery in 30 plus markets without being shackled by scale (which leads to higher costs), legacy (which leads to subjective thinking) and a siloed approach (which is the antithesis of our integrated message).
What have been the biggest challenges over the last year?
Developing our consumer business. With the agency DNA grounded in the entertainment sector, our remit has been to put our services into the consumer brand space which we have done successfully partly by making four acquisitions in the last 18 months. More and more brands are attracted to working with agencies who understand entertaining content and how to engage and influence audiences.
What do you see as the biggest opportunities over the next year?
Now, more so than ever, marketers are reviewing their approach. The past is awareness led through bought media. The past is traditional media led with TV buys accounting for the lion’s share. The future is integrated messaging. It’s the globalisation of approach. And its digital led thinking. We have recently launched our new Influencer Management business (iN) which is a good example of where the lines are blurring - is it PR? Is it social? Is it paid media? The answer is, it’s all three.
What do you think the biggest challenges are facing communications over the next few years?
We are on the cusp of the biggest marketing revolution in history. This means the space is crying out for leaders and risk takers who don’t necessarily come from the big media agency networks who seem to currently dominate this world. The definitions and delivery of PR and paid media are changing and data is now the secret sauce that will drive agencies forward if they can find the right data message
Where are you based and why this location?
Our London offices are based in Clerkenwell. Our business has always been on the East side of London and it feels culturally right being on the doorstep of both the Silicon roundabout and the bustle of Soho. We have taken the same stance in our other territory offices as well.
How important is location for you?
It’s important to be within touching distance of our clients and its important in terms of driving the right culture within our business.
Do you feel the office needs to be quirky and irreverent or simply functional?
Neither. The office needs to represent and house the culture we have created. Our culture is about collaboration, flexibility, sharing and innovating.
Current clients?
Amazon Prime, lastminute.com, Sony Pictures, Mattel, NBC Universal, Hamleys, The Walt Disney Company, 20th Century Fox, Yo Sushi!
Name 3 projects you were most proud of in the last year?
Mattel – Calling Team Thomas (web and mobile digital marketing initiative across nine markets supported by social)
Hospital Contribution Fund (app builds including the worldwide number #1 quit smoking app)
Amazon Prime (UK influencer strategy and execution across all original programming including Mr Robot, Fear The Walking Dead and Preacher)
Recent achievements/wins?
Water Wipes consumer PR in the UK
Super Bock consumer PR in the UK
lastminute.com Pan European insight and research