Vibrator: The Hoff (yet again!), crotch scratching whores and tardy CMOs
Come one, come all to the hive of marketing industry gossip that is The Drum’s Vibrator. Every two weeks, our girl about town Claire Snare shares the news from the media and marketing scene that doesn’t make the headlines.
This column's favourite celeb, The Hoff, features once again this fortnight. Seriously, the man is so enamoured with the industry that he should set up his own agency. Also, an agency boss reveals why honesty isn't always the best policy when trying to pitch for business in the first of what promises to be a series of enlightening vignettes – 'Things we wish we'd never told our clients'. In the next few weeks, we'll reveal more toe-curling situations agency heads have found themselves in after being a bit loose-tongued with a client.
Oh buoy
This last fortnight was jam-packed with great industry events and parties, most notably in honour of IAB’s Digital Upfronts, which lasted all week. Even Knight Rider and Baywatch star The Hoff was flown in for the occasion, appearing at IAB Engage where he ran down the auditorium stairs and onto the stage accompanied by the Baywatch soundtrack and waving his life buoy (later wrestled from him by a jubilant and blushing Jon Mew – IAB’s director of mobile and operations – pictured).
Deer me
Tradition dictates that whoever is left standing after the Engage drinks reception head to the nearest pub and this year was no different. Of course, after a long day involving exuberant celebrating of how far digital has come, and latterly numerous drinks rounds at the pub there was a general air of relaxation and good will – best depicted by this pic of Celtra’s general manager for EMEA Jonathan Milne, who was spotted giving an open display of affection for the pub’s resident deer.
Things we wish we’d never told our clients
Now who wouldn’t be proud to be approached by the Guardian to pen a column article on their career from professional ballerina to agency boss – especially if that career had involved playing a ‘crotch scratching whore’ in Romeo & Juliet? Well quite. Yet it backfired slightly for Dare’s chief executive Leigh Thomas, who confessed she had once (in an ill-judged moment) brandished said article in front of the boss of a financial services client before descending into uncontrollable giggles at the description of her as a ‘crotch scratching whore’. But instead of the bonding moment she expected, she was met with a stony silence. Moral of the story? Don’t pitch for a financial services client…
Undercover
Finding new ways to unwind should always be a priority for anyone working in the exciting but relentless, ‘always-on’ world of digital media and advertising. So this week we have looked to Post Office chief marketing officer Pete Markey for inspiration, who spent his morning pretending to be Bond, James Bond at an exhibition dedicated to the smooth spy. Well, if it floats your speedboat…
Unfashionably late
Ever heard the cheerful jingle on a Ryanair plane as it touches down on the runway? ‘Last year over 90 per cent of Ryanair flights landed on time, beating every other European airline.’ Shame that same philosophy isn’t applied to its staff on the ground, as beautifully exemplified by the airline’s very own chief marketing officer Kenny Jacobs – who arrived 45 minutes late to The Drum’s Joy of CX Event in London. Now I’m one for being fashionably late and making an entrance, but there was no upbeat jingle on this occasion, more a heavy silence as a flustered Kenny made his way to the stage after getting horribly caught in London traffic. We still love you, Kenny.
Heard any juicy stories you want me to know about? Email me at claire.snare@thedrum.com or vibrator@thedrum.com. All tip offs will be handled in confidence. I promise!