What’s at the top of your Christmas wish list this year?
The 4 Fs: family, friends, food and football. Everyone is coming to me this Christmas; if they all have fun, no one burns the pigs-in-blankets and Boro win on Boxing Day I’ll be happy.
What trend (business or technology) do you think 2016 will be remembered for?
Ironically in the year of Brexit, UK businesses expanded internationally in a big way in 2016. It used to be only the biggest brands that tried to ‘break America’. Now everyone’s doing it. Technology and the growth of e-commerce has driven this trend. And agencies like ours are helping brands do it successfully.
What do you think will represent the single biggest opportunity for printers in 2017 and why?
E-commerce, e-commerce and e-commerce. The industry is growing rapidly and it’s almost impossible to scale a business on digital advertising alone. So printers have a real opportunity to align their offering with the growth of this industry. What was once the biggest threat to printers is now their biggest opportunity.
What do you think will represent the single biggest threat for printers in 2017 and why?
Attracting talent. The industry needs to innovate in the same way digital does. But when the news (PrintWeek aside) tells a one-sided story, it’s difficult for young, ambitious people to get passionate about print.
What’s the one thing that the industry should do more of, or do better, in 2017?
Print works for advertisers, we are a full service agency and we have enough case studies to get passionate about print. But the industry has a PR problem. We need to do more to change this.
What was your biggest disappointment in 2016?
Business aside, 2016 was a shocker. There’ll be enough look-back-on-2016 programmes over Christmas, you don’t need me depressing you.
What was your highlight of 2016?
2016 was a phenomenal year for our business… record year overall, record year for all our print channels (print buying, inserts, press, DM, door drops), raising £1.2m of free advertising for charities, launching in the US. But my highlight was seeing my boy walk. Closely followed by writing this, life moves so fast – it’s nice to look back on the good stuff.
What are your hopes for 2017?
Family health. Business growth. Everyone stops banging on about Brexit. I’d settle for the first two.
What was the best piece of advice you have ever been given?
There’s a neon sign in the Golden Heart in Spitalfields that says, “Stand Still & Rot”. It kind of sums up our approach to business. If your proposition doesn’t constantly evolve you’ll only see decline.
What was the most important thing that you learnt in 2016?
Don’t trust the polls.
What if anything will you do differently in 2017?
Everything. We’ll dust ourselves down, toast a great year and then try to improve everything we do.
What’s your favourite Christmas cracker joke?
Q: What did the fish say when it swam into a wall?
A: Dam!
Are you making any New Year's resolutions? If so, what?
This year’s resolution is small but I’d like everyone reading PrintWeek to join in. It’s to stop describing the print industry as ‘not dead’ or ‘still strong’ or anything that highlights a negative perception. Print is the new vinyl. Yes there are advantages to MP3s, but when you want the best sound quality you buy the record. Even the most digitally focused businesses turn to print when they have something really important to say.
