Bob . Copywriter

Armed with a Cycling Proficiency Badge and the ever-handy ability to quote Molière at people, advertising seemed a natural choice for me.

So, despite wearing a tie to my interview, I somehow managed to wangle a two-week placement at McCann-Erickson London. Must have done something right subsequently as I left four years later with a heap of blue chip clients under my belt and some very valuable lessons in how not to run a creative department.

Since then I’ve gone on to produce award-winning work for a number of vastly different agencies over there and over here, including EHS Brann - where I became the first ever writer to get an Economist ad printed in the magazine - and Redrocks/Frank/Ogilvy Wellington.

I’ve also been lucky enough to learn from some fantastic people in the industry. Terry Hunt (EHS) taught me a love of strategic creativity. Patrick Collister (O&M London) drummed into me the importance of simplicity, campaignability and THE BIG IDEA.

In between times I have also contributed hundreds of satirical cartoons for Private Eye and When Saturday Comes magazines (who said football and politics don’t mix?), and regular articles for M2 magazine.

Oh, and had a travel narrative book on New Zealand published. It’s called “The 1 Thing”, a journey down State Highway One stopping in every town along the way (300+) to discover the “1 thing” to do in each. Buy it and I get $2.50. Buy me and you’ll get considerably more.

DM – from concepts to finished copy, flat pack to 3D
Web – concepts, copy, banners, virals, puppetmastering, you name it
Brand – TV, radio, outdoor, press, guerrilla & ambient
Comedy – scripts, cartoons, articles
Journalism – articles, interviews

I was raised on a diet of Fawlty Towers, Blackadder, The Smiths and Vic Reeves. My training for advertising was a B.A. Hons in French Literature.I don’t do normal (unless of course you want normal), and it takes a lot to make me laugh.I have 3 children.I think all of the above are good, character-building things.

MET Service Snow Info Line

Used to advertise a new phone service for people wanting to go up the mountain. Enough said.

The 1 Thing

I travelled the full length of State Highway One by car, stopping in each town en route (300+) to find out the one thing to do, see or experience in each. Then I wrote a book about it.

Peugeot - No Excuses E-Letter

I wrote range of humorous letters encouraging customers to find an excuse and test drive the new Peugeot. The campaign increased numbers by 50%.