The MCA Prodcast (Murphy Cobb & Associates Ltd)

This week on The MCA Prodcast Pat Murphy talks to Sergio Lopez-Ferrero, Global Head of Production at The Publicis Groupe. 

Sergio explains how the media landscape is changing, and with more outlets and more ways to engage with content creative needs to be more widespread and long lasting. A simple 3-month TV campaign just isn’t enough anymore; campaigns need to be multiplatform and run over a much longer period to really gain traction. Pat and Sergio discuss the challenges that can arise when clients don’t understand the value in alternative media platforms or are resistant to change. 

Sergio talks about how the media landscape is becoming more personalised as consumption habits change. How can production change and be ‘smarter’ in order to deliver this personalised experience?

Sergio also considers where The Publicis Groupe and other producers can source their talent – the industries that are feeding into the production industry and how to go about finding great people. 

Watch Sergio’s favourite ad:  Levis - Swimmer

Hosted by Pat Murphy

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This week on The MCA Prodcast Pat Murphy talks to Darren Richardson. Darren is Global Senior Partner, Chief Creative & Technology at VIVALDI* and has worked at the cutting edge of creative campaigns around the world for more than two decades. Darren is also an expert in emerging technologies.  

Darren and Pat discuss the future of the metaverse – the online world where we will be socializing, interacting, shopping and playing. Is the metaverse a good idea? Where will it lead, and how will advertising have to adapt to win over consumers in an entirely digital universe? 

Darren reveals the brands that he thinks are already very effective at utilizing the metaverse from the fast-food chain that’s launched their own digital world, to technology being used to deter rubberneckers at the scene of a road traffic accident. 

Darren also reflects on the changing age of the advertising industry; how teams are getting younger and how that can present both strengths and challenges when trying to fulfil a clients’ brief. 

* At the time of recording, Darren was in his previous role as Chief Creative Technologist and Managing Director at VMLY&R. 

Watch Darren’s favourite ad:  Old Spice – The Man Your Man Could Smell Like

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This week on The MCA Prodcast Pat Murphy talks to Steve Keller, Sonic Strategy Director at Studio Resonate, an in-house audio-first creative consultancy, offering support to brands that advertise on SXM Media's platforms: Pandora, SiriusXM, Stitcher, and Soundcloud. 

Steve is recognised as one of the leading experts in the field of sonic strategy and identity. With a head for data and a heart for sonic expression, he actively engages in collaborative research projects, exploring the power of sound to shape our perceptions and influence our behaviour. 

Steve discusses the role that audio plays in everyday life, and how it can shape our relationship with brands – not just through advertising, but also physically in-store, on social media, through voice assistants or even on-hold! Steve considers why audio is so often left as the last consideration when creating an ad campaign, and reminds us that it should be a priority from the very start. 

Steve also talks about a fascinating psychoacoustic experiment he was involved in; hear how playing Hip Hop music to cheese as it aged actually affected the flavour!

Diversity and Inclusion is a focus for many organisations and Steve reveals that it should also be a consideration in audio, as race, gender and age are not only cues that audiences pick up on visually. Steve discusses some research he’s being working on that shows the impact of the voices we hear, and the importance of diversifying those. 

Watch Steve’s favourite ad: Coca-Cola - Hilltop

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This week on The MCA Prodcast Pat Murphy talks with Tanya Bogin, Managing Director of Craft Worldwide in London. Tanya oversees end-to-end creative production operations, as well as global campaign localisation for IPG Partners and direct clients. She has over 14 years of experience in advertising and has been responsible for developing integrated production solutions for clients like Microsoft, Cisco, Nestle, Unilever and more.

Tanya defines her role in transcreation and localization as so much more than just translation. She says it’s ‘not just adapting words, it's adapting nuance’ which she describes as a science and an art. Localization relies on a very strong creative writing team who can adapt a global campaign for a local market whilst keeping the essence of the meaning consistent.  

Tanya touches on the developments with technology and how they impact the production process, She even reveals that Craft have an internal AI council that monitor for technological innovation and explore how Craft could utilize them. Tanya’s focus is on maintaining brand authenticity, and explains how she does this whilst also adopting new tech. 

There’s been considerable talk in the news of AI replacing voiceovers. Whilst Tanya considers the negative implications of such tech when it comes to security and data protection, Tanya also sees huge potential for this technology when it comes to localization, allowing actors to speak in their own voice but in a language they don’t speak!

Tanya and Pat also discuss sustainability and the shift in production to try and become more sustainable. Tanya argues that there’s a process of education that’s required, for both creative and production teams, in what is achievable, and that moving sustainability considerations upstream in the creative process will ultimately lead to more sustainable productions. 

Watch Tanya’s favourite ad: Nike – Dream Crazier 

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This week on The MCA Prodcast Pat Murphy talks to Global Marketing Procurement Consultant Tina Fegent. Tina was one of the first to work in Marketing Procurement over 25 years ago, and has worked with many brands and organisations at a strategic level to help identify what is required to make marketing procurement a success. Tina is also Chair of the CIPS Marketing Group and Co-Chair of the Get Sh*t Done Board for the Conscious Advertising Network

Tina considers why there can be a lack of trust between clients and procurement teams, and how organisations can work to develop greater levels of trust between stakeholders. 

Tina also reveals the skills you need to master and qualities that you need to possess in order to be successful in procurement. Tina thinks it’s imperative to fully understanding the craft that you’re buying; which may seem simple but is often overlooked. Also, what sectors and routes of entry might lead to a successful career in procurement? 

Pat and Tina discuss the role of data in creativity. How can data measure success and inform decisions?  Tina also explains the idea behind CAN – the Concious Advertising Network which offers support to businesses in being ethical with their marketing.

Watch Tina’s favourite ad: Unigate – Watch out, there’s a Humprey about!

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This week on The MCA Prodcast Pat Murphy talks to Josh Tsui who is DePaul University’s Director of Innovation for the Jarvis College of Computing and Digital Media. Joshua Tsui spent over two decades working in video game development at EA and Midway Games on iconic franchises such as Mortal Kombat, WWE, and Fight Night. He also co-founded two AAA game development studios, partnering with Microsoft and Activision to create original IP and to refresh the historic Tony Hawk franchise.

As well as gaming, Josh has also worked on leading immersive experiences and events such as hologram exhibits and stadium tours and is also a respected filmmaker. He directed the hit documentary Insert Coin which was selected for SXSW as well as numerous film festivals around the world.

In this episode Josh looks back on his ‘giant non-linear mess’ of a career spanning video games, movies, and live experiences. He and Pat consider if there is a traditional career path or entry route for anyone wanting to work in these fields.

Josh reflects on the advancement of graphics computing power and the effect that’s had on production. He looks forward to a future where production assets are freely available for users to adopt, alter and have fun with; lowering the cost of production and increasing producers ability to be creative.

Despite a consistent shift to virtual worlds, Josh explores the importance of real life experiences and how producers of virtual content are thinking ever-more about how they can expand their digital experiences in to the real world. Similarly digital assets and virtual content can enhance real-life experiences, adding an extra layer of sensory enjoyment to museums and live events, for example.
 

Watch Josh’s favourite ad: Apple - Lemmings

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This week on The MCA Prodcast Pat Murphy talks to Úrsula Mejía Melgar, Marketing Director Southern Europe at the world’s leading premium drinks company Diageo. Úrsula is responsible for the strategy, marketing and innovation for the company’s portfolio across categories and markets in the region. A food engineer by training but a marketer by trade and heart, Úrsula has built a career at Fortune 250 companies including Procter&Gamble, General Mills and Mondelēz International. She is a passionate, purpose driven executive with 25 years’ experience across geographies and industries, a diversity and inclusion advocate and a voice for ESG as a business accelerator. 

In 2022 Úrsula developed a highly acclaimed ad for J&B whisky which saw a grandad exploring his gender through make up, only to then later use his understanding to support his transgender granddaughter. Úrsula explains the challenges she faced in creating such a brave ad, how she got it approved at Diageo, how it was received by audiences and the impact it ultimately had on the brand. 

Pat and Úrsula explore some of the considerations for advertising and production more broadly when it comes to Diversity and Inclusion. Úrsula also explores sustainability from a brand perspective; how can you lead a business’ values with regard to sustainability and how do those values inform marketing and advertising production decisions. 

Úrsula reflects on her heritage as a Mexican immigrant into the United States, how this has shaped her career and who inspired her in life. She recalls the incredible story of how her grandmother opened a school so her aunt could attend school, later attending a prestigious university and founding a society at that university to support disabled students. 

Watch Úrsula’s favourite ad:  Spanish Christmas Lottery 2014

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This week on The MCA Prodcast Pat Murphy talks to Richard Glasson, Global CEO of Hogarth Worldwide, the world’s leading creative content production company. Hogarth combines craft and innovation to bring work to life for clients such as Ford, Rolex and Dyson. In his 12 years at Hogarth, the company has grown organically from 150 people largely based in the UK to nearly 6,000 employees in 35 cities around the world. 

Pat and Richard look to the future and consider four key areas of technology - VR, AR, blockchain and Web3, and how these might influence media production and consumption as they become more prolific. Richard also discusses the use of AI in creativity and how it should be seen as a ‘tool of efficiency’ to augment the production process rather than as a replacement for human endeavour.

Virtual production is another key innovation area. Richard considers the benefits such as sustainability and flexibility, and argues that there are many factors to consider for clients beyond simply lower cost.

The values of a business start at the very top, with the CEO. As CEO of Hogarth, Richard shares his values with Pat, what he obsesses over and how he brings those values to life at Hogarth.

Watch Richard’s favourite ad: Tango – Vote Tango

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This week on The MCA Prodcast Pat Murphy talks with Jeroen van de Waal, a Dutch entrepreneur and conservationist passionate about the Oceans, who dediactes his life to Ocean Literacy and Ocean Health. Jeroen is founder of The Reef Company which is on a mission to build a smart network of engineered reefs around the world, which will restore habitats, regenerate biodiversity, absorb carbon, and collect big ocean data.

Jeroen reveals the scale of his mission to install reefs on the ocean floor and the importance of the maintaining these reefs in combatting climate change and the role they play in our planet’s equilibrium. It is a huge undertaking but Jeroen is determined and optimistic that by enlisting the right global partners, and securing the right support, we can make it happen.

Jeroen also discusses the small changes that we can all make to help in the fight against climate change. If you ever feel that you alone are too small to make a difference, just imagine if any change that you make to your lifestyle to reduce your carbon footprint was multiplied by the 8 billion people on the planet. The difference then would be enormous.

Jeroen also advocates for a switch to ‘smarter consumption’. Do we all need a personal car that is only used a fraction of the time?  How could we share more, to reduce our consumption and lessen our burden on the earth’s resources?

Watch Jeroen’s favourite ad: Yellow Pages (Holland) – Shark Tank Crack

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This week on The MCA Prodcast Pat Murphy talks to Matt Cooper, Founder and CEO of Little Black Book which has grown from a humble guide about worldwide advertising hubs, to an editorially-led global news platform and creative industry fame factory. Hailed ‘THE communications business for the communications world’, LBB aims to celebrate creativity and grow fame for its members through bespoke tools and offerings. Now backed by some of the industry’s biggest names.

Matt discusses his entry into the industry, from the post room at Saatchi & Saatchi to founding BEAM TV where he was amongst the first to use the internet as a means for delivery of video, sending Ridley Scott MPEGs of the special effects applied to Gladiator!

Now, LBB offers a directory of companies in the production world but where the market was initially agencies, End users now want to know who they’re working with at every stage of their productions, so LBB allows them to handpick suppliers and creatives.

Matt also explains the thinking behind LBB’s Immortal awards – an award show done differently, where it’s hard to win but showcases the very best work in the world. Also, ahead of the LBB & Friends Beach in Cannes later this month Matt talks about what is different this year. ‘We’ve pulled production companies, agencies, post houses and, and big, big client names together to discuss how we work together.’  The panel week has been sponsored and supported by MCA and gets underway from 19th June – hopefully we’ll see you there?!
 

Watch Matt Cooper’s favourite ad: VW – Snow Plow

Hosted by Pat Murphy 

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This week on The MCA Prodcast Pat Murphy talks to Efrain Ayala, Global Creativity and D&I Director at Reckitt. With more than 15 years of experience under their belt, Ayala is known for their strategic approach to DE&I, which not only elevates the conversation but also produces measurable progress. Their unwavering commitment to creating a more inclusive world has earned them numerous accolades, including the esteemed role of WFA Global D&I Ambassador and juror for the prestigious Glass Lion: The Lion for Change award at this year’s Cannes Lions festival.

Efrain examines the complexities surrounding social media and its governance; as social shifted from organic to paid reach how should governments and policymakers respond to regulate the online social space.  From social to AI, Efrain expresses his concerns around using artificial intelligence to generate representation for minority communities. Can AI really represent and benefit marginalised communities, or is creating an avatar with a minority appearance, for example, merely a tokenistic representation of supposed diversity.  

Efrain also explains his role in supporting brands with DE&I in their marketing. He describes how many brands tend to include diverse groups in their campaigns as ‘window dressing’, which can perpetuate stereotypes. Brands should instead embed diversity and equity throughout their processes in order to meaningfully represent marginalised communities.  

Efrain also talks about his role as an ambassador for the World Federation of Advertisers, bringing brands and agencies together to collaborate and share experiences to enhance DE&I within the marketing space.  

Watch Efrain’s favourite ad: AXE – Find your Magic

Hosted by Pat Murphy

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This week on The MCA Prodcast Pat Murphy talks to Nick Johnson, Global Head of Tech, Media & Comms at international law firm Osborne Clarke. Nick is a leading advertising law and digital regulation specialist and advises the most successful brands, platforms, media owners and agencies as well as fast-growth businesses. 

Nick talks through the transformative change that AI is bringing to our everyday workflows, including at his law firm. He also outlines the current regulatory landscape, and the EU's pioneering efforts towards responsible AI usage. Nick suggests the strict regulation from the EU could hamper growth in the field and potentially prevent new technologies coming to market. We will watch with keen interest the developments in AI regulation over coming months. 

Can creative works created by machine be protected by copyright? What about if copyrighted works are used to train an AI model that then goes on to produce new artistic works - could the original copyright holder have a claim?   With deep-fakes able to replicate someone’s face or voice, could artists or performers copyright their likeness and how would they go about doing that? AI is certainly a tangled web when it comes to copyright, but Nick explains where we are now and the laws that will likely have to change to catch up with the technology. 

At MCA we’re working with Nick to develop a brand initiation program for clients around AI regulation. Please contact us for more information. 

Watch Nick’s favourite ad: R Whites – Secret Lemonade Drinker

Hosted by Pat Murphy

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This week on The MCA Prodcast Pat Murphy talks to Jos van Oostrum, Senior Director for Mars Sustainable Solutions at Mars Incorporated. Jos is a zoologist with a passion for our relationship with life on land and below water. At Mars, Jos leads a team whose mission is to find scalable solutions to help restore the ecosystems that Mars depends on and improve the resilience and livelihoods of the communities they work with.

Jos takes us back to the start of his career in sustainability, initially working with Unilever in 1998 to develop a sustainability plan for Bird’s Eye’s frozen peas. He emphasizes the importance of purpose-led companies and how young entrepreneurs and start-ups are now being inspired to hold these values from the very start of their business. ‘I find it so brave that you're not just starting up a business, but you're doing it with such a strong purpose and such a belief that you want to do things the right way’ Jos says.

Jos takes us on a deep dive into ocean health and ecosystem restoration, discussing his work with Mars' mantra of "bees, seas, and trees." He shares the incredible story of the Sheba Hope Grows Campaign, which aims to restore coral reefs in Indonesia and spread awareness of the importance of our ocean's health. You can even see the word HOPE spelt out underwater on Google Earth! Plus, hear Jos' personal experiences and efforts to make the ocean less fearful and more accessible to people, creating ambassadors of hope around the globe. 

Watch Jos’ favourite ad: Guinness – Wheelchair Basketball

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This week on The MCA Prodcast Pat Murphy talks to Nick Dodet, Founder and Managing Partner at PIG China. Over the years, Nick has produced over 800 TV commercials, including some of the biggest films in Chinese advertising history. He’s worked with iconic global talent such as Leonardo Di Caprio, Nicholas Cage, David Beckham and Jodie Foster to name just a few! 

What’s in a name? Nick reveals the story behind the rather unusual name for his business and how, over the years, the name has taken on a life of its own. Nick also explains how the Chinese advertising industry differs to Western markets that he was previously familiar with and how he needed to adapt his business accordingly. Nick was able to exploit his status as a ‘foreigner’ to bypass traditional hierarchical structures in China and achieve things he most-likely couldn’t if he were a Chinese national.

Nick and Pat discuss the shift towards AI and how brands are adopting it in China. Nick suggests take-up of these technologies is slightly slower in China but brands are moving that way. He says the demand amongst brands to adopt AI feels akin to 10 – 12 years ago when brands wanted to create apps, even if they didn’t really have a need for an app! Nick also considers the potential role blockchain technology could play in the future of IP management and control.

Watch Nick’s favourite ad: VW Polo – Protection 

Hosted by Pat Murphy

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This week on The MCA Prodcast Pat Murphy talks to John Osborn, Director for Ad Net Zero in the USA. Originally launched in the UK, Ad Net Zero has grown to over 100 supporting companies, and now counts over 50 supporters in the US. John is leading Ad Net Zero to leverage the power of its supporters to educate, set benchmarks & standards, measure and take action to lower the carbon emissions associated across all advertising-related operations.

 The advertising industry is renowned for its innovation, and John explains how this innovation can enable advertising projects to become more sustainable. From travel and production choices, to even the food options available when catering – all these elements can be tweaked to provide a greener, more sustainable end product. They may seem like small, incremental changes but “it all adds up to something more significant”.

John explains AdGreen – a calculator tool from Ad Net Zero that clients can leverage to understand how decisions ultimately affect their carbon footprint. When in the decision-making stage of production, advertisers can use this tool to calculate the effect that different production options may have, and use this data to inform their choices.

John and Pat consider the friction that often exists between profit and purpose, and how the two do not have to be mutually exclusive – you can have both. Purposeful work delivered in a way that is engaging and captures people's attention can have a strong and powerful multiplier effect; for both the business and the planet. 

Watch John’s favourite ad: FedEx – Great Idea

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This week on The MCA Prodcast Pat Murphy talks to author, speaker, and podcaster Rishad Tobaccowala whose extensive career has covered almost every area of marketing and strategy. Rishad spent nearly four decades at Publicis Groupe, and spent time as Chairman of Digitas and Razorfish, two of the largest marketing transformation agencies in the world with over 11000 employees. He was named by BusinessWeek as one of the top business leaders for his pioneering innovation and TIME magazine dubbed him one of five ‘Marketing Innovators’.

Rishad reflects on the changes he’s witnessed in marketing and strategy throughout his career, from the shift in power from marketer to consumer, to the increased complexity of the market and arrival of hyper-personalisation. He describes the marketing industry as a fusion of poetry and plumbing; poetry being the creative storytelling and plumbing being the functional, business side. In Rishad’s view, the industry did lose an element of the poetry for a while, becoming too business-focussed, but it’s starting to redress the balance. “If you're in marketing and you aren't in the storytelling business, you're in the wrong business” Rishad says.

Rishad and Pat consider shifting mindsets between baby boomers and Gen Z; how approaches to work are changing, and how industry needs to evolve and adapt accordingly. With regards to work-life balance people used to ask ‘how do I fit life into my work-world’? Now people are saying ‘how do I fit work into my life’? 

How is AI changing production and what role will it play in the future? Rishad conducted an interesting experiment when writing his new book. He wrote a chapter, used an AI model to write the same chapter, and sent both to his publisher for feedback. The results were fascinating! Rishad also considers the human factors that machines will not be able to replicate, such as our curiosity and ability to communicate and collaborate. Rishad also explains how he learns everyday in order to ‘update his mental operating system’ and why you should do the same.

Listen to Rishad’s podcast ‘What next’

Watch Rishad’s favourite ad: Apple - 1984

Hosted by Pat Murphy

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This week on The MCA Prodcast Pat Murphy talks to Melania Kulczycka, Client Director at VuFinder Studios. Melania has supported the execution of projects using virtual production technology for brands such as Beko, Bosch, Veet, Calgon, and many others. Vufinder is a virtual production studio that utilises LED screens, Unreal Engine, tracking systems, 3D environments and more.

Melania explains how her fascination with technology took her to a career in virtual production via aerospace, even working for the UK’s Ministry of Defence. She explains how virtual reality was used for the first time to train soldiers for scenarios on the battlefield. From there Melania went into business with her father to launch VuFinder Studios.

How does virtual production differ from older technologies such as green screen or back projection, and what benefits can it offer? Melania describes the enormous LED screen that her studio uses and how this provides a better end result, with a more natural performance from talent and less editing complexities such as the need to key out green-spill.

Melania explains that VP offers clients ‘absolute freedom of creativity’ because you are not limited by, for example, the laws of physics. You don’t need to obtain permissions to film as you would on location and there are no variables that can’t be planned for. ‘You are limited only by your imagination’.

Melania also talks us through the areas in which AI can help in her role; from demonstrating an idea to a client before a record, to scanning real humans into Unreal Engine so their likeness can be used – even multiplying them so one person could appear many times in the same ad!

Watch Melania’s favourite ad: Sony Bravia – Bouncing Balls

Hosted by Pat Murphy 

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This week on The MCA Prodcast Pat Murphy talks to Anastasia Leng, Founder & CEO of CreativeX, a technology company that powers creative-decision making for the world’s best brands by helping them to measure creative efficiency, consistency, representation, and impact across all creatives worldwide.

In this episode Anastasia talks us through the birth of CreativeX and how it works to measure creativity against a number of benchmarks – providing data in both pre and post-production. “I don't think you can do one without the other”, Anastasia says. Post production data can evaluate the success of a campaign and inform content decisions going forward, whilst pre-production data ensures your content teams are all ‘marching to the beat of the same drum’.

Anastasia talks us through how CreativeX’s tech works; tagging content with micro-data, then grouping tagged content together under themes such as format, content, accessibility, suitability for certain platforms etc. This can then be correlated with performance data to see which tags led to greatest success. You could discover how many of your ads contained dogs, for example, or how diverse your cast has been, or how consistent your brand identity is across campaigns and so much more. This data can then be assessed to see how the campaigns performed in terms of building brand awareness and ultimately, increasing sales.

One element that is hard to measure is creative excellence, as the barometer or measure of success will be different for each brand. However, Anastasia says there are macro themes that tend recur across the board: “ads that have a combination of representing the brand well, cutting through with consumers and ultimately achieving business impact.”

Anastasia also shares her perspective on how the jobs market might change with the advent of AI, and what life lessons she plans on passing on to her children. An aspiring fiction writer too, she reveals how she regularly exercises her writing muscle. 

Watch Anastasia’s favourite ad: Snowbird – 1 Star 

Hosted by Pat Murphy

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This week on The MCA Prodcast Pat Murphy talks to Andrew Robertson, President & CEO of BBDO Worldwide where he’s worked with some of the world’s biggest brands including Meta, AT&T, FedEx, GE, Mars Inc., PepsiCo, SAP and Wells Fargo. He has been inducted into the American Advertising Federation Hall of Fame and currently serves on the Board of Hope Funds for Cancer Research.

Andrew reflects on his first experience in sales – selling vacuum cleaners door-to-door in his local town. What lessons about sales and marketing did he take from that experience and can they be applied to selling on a global stage (rather than in the customer’s front room)?!

Andrew reveals what makes a successful advertising company; the mantra at BBDO is ‘it’s all about the work’ – that if you have the best talent then the work will speak for itself. Andrew is unquestionably a people person and he also explains the importance of maintaining great relationships with those you work with; “You have to love your clients. If you choose to love your clients, generally, what you'll find is they'll love you back.”

Andrew talks about the seismic shifts he’s witnessed in our industry – the invention of the internet, the advent of smartphones and now the arrival of generative AI. Andrew foresees a future where the ‘craft’ will be in knowing what to ask for in order to execute an idea in the best possible way. However, he doesn’t believe machines will ever be able to fully replace creativity as AI can only model on what already exists. “At some point, you have to have a leap, you have to have an idea”, he says. Andrew also considers the ‘landmines’ we’ll need to watch out for along the way, such as IP issues and bias. 

Pat and Andrew also discuss the role that humour can play in advertising and how certain subjects have, rightly, become no-go zones. That said, humour can still be incredibly effective in advertising – even at communicating a serious message. Andrew highlights how stand-up comedians were employed to great effect in BBDO’s powerful Sandy Hook campaign, where they delivered shocking lines from past mass shooting perpetrators.

See Andrew’s favourite ad: The Economist – On the Edge of a Conversation

 Hosted by Pat Murphy

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To mark the end of a really successful season 2, we bring you a very special episode of The MCA Prodcast as we look back on some of our favourite bits of advice that guests have given us over the last few months. 

Pat Murphy has been lucky enough to sit down with some of the real shining lights in our industry and we’ve covered so many different topics; from diversity and inclusion, to AI, virtual production, and the seismic shifts that have happened in advertising production in recent years. 

How important is storytelling in advertising and how heavily should brands rely on data to inform their content decisions? Where in the process of devising your next campaign should you begin to think about DE&I? Can AI generated content be copyrighted?

Answering these questions and many more are:

·      Rishad Tobaccowala - Author, Speaker, and Podcaster 

·      Efrain Ayala - Global Creativity and D&I Director at Reckitt.

·      Andrew Robertson - President & CEO of BBDO Worldwide

·      Nick Johnson - Global Head of Tech, Media & Comms at Osborne Clarke

·      Melania Kulczycka - Client Director at VuFinder Studios

Season 3 of The MCA Prodcast will be landing in early 2024!

Hosted by Pat Murphy 

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This week on The MCA Prodcast Pat Murphy talks with Global CEO of MullenLowe Global Kristen Cavallo. Previously, Kristen stewarded The Martin Agency to great heights, including being named as U.S. Agency of the Year, Ad Age’s Agency of the Year and making the Fast Company Most Innovative Companies list. Kristen is a leading voice in the advertising industry, taking on important social and business issues, serving as a champion for equity and inclusion, defending the integrity of original creative ideas and operating as a firm believer that innovation is where growth thrives. 

Kristen's life is a tapestry of diverse experiences, from her childhood as an Army Intelligence Officer's daughter to her extensive world travels, all of which have contributed to her dynamic approach to leadership in the ad world. In telling the story of her career Kristen reveals how she finds strength in change, and drawing on a myriad of perspectives to invigorate brand narratives.

Kristen explains how she strives to foster creativity and inclusivity at MullenLowe. She also explains how she’s worked to diversify her teams over the years and how that has in-turn helped her to be a better leader. “Being able to have a team with more diversity allows me the ability to hear more perspectives before I come up with a decision and understand the implications of how that decision will land”, she says. 

It turns out that Kristen, despite being an advertising CEO, has never been to a film shoot! Hear how that has happened and why she doesn’t intend to change it. Whilst not a creative herself, Kristen believes that creative people can work well for organisations in the CEO role. “I think the people that make and dream up the products understand the business in a new and different way than maybe the people who understand the consumer like me” she says. 

** Since recording, Kristen has announced she is leaving her position at MullenLowe to pursue a career in politics – something she alluded to in this episode. We wish her all the best for the future.  

See Kristen’s favourite ad: Ernest Shackleton – Recruiting for The Endurance   

Hosted by Pat Murphy  Connect with Murphy Cobb and The Prodcast: Murphy Cobb & Associates |  The MCA Prodcast  |  LinkedIn  |  Instagram | Email  

This week on The MCA Prodcast Pat Murphy talks with Wesley ter Haar. Wesley is the co-founder of Media.Monks, a digital-first marketing and advertising services company that connects content, data, digital media and technology services across one global team built from the bottom up. He sits on the boards of SoDA (The Digital Society) The One Club and S4Capital.

Wesley shares with us how he went from being an intern at Vodafone, to founding Media.Monks, and then merging with S4Capital. Wesley explains how they set about establishing a company culture, whilst bringing two organisations together. How do you ensure company values remain consistent across separate geographical locations

Wesley considers the revolutionary technologies in advertising production, such as Virtual Production and AI, and considers where we might go next. He considers the possibility that we may look back on VP as simply an bridge-gap between traditional production methods and AI. He also considers how the craft will improve as the ‘baseline’ for quality increases. As AI can produce a better product for less cost, agencies and advertisers will have to up their game to stand out!

For creators, Wesley argues that understanding and utilising AI is similar to the advent of computers. ‘We used to say if you're a creative, try at least to get an understanding for coding. We're not expecting you to be a great developer, but it's really meaningful to understand the machines that have to translate your craft and creativity. I think it's the next version of that.’

Despite the threats posed by AI, Wesley describes himself as an optimist. He shares his view on the societal impact that technology could have on jobs and the economy and describes Elon Musk as a ‘doomer’ for suggesting that nobody will ever need a job! 

 See Wesley’s favourite ad: Guinness – Surfer 

 Hosted by Pat Murphy

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This week on The MCA Prodcast Pat Murphy talks to John Hegarty, Co-founder and Creative Director at The Garage Soho & The Business of Creativity. He was a founding partner of Saatchi and Saatchi in 1970 and founded Bartle Bogle Hegarty in 1982.

John looks back on his career, including launching Saatchi and Saatchi and reveals why his name isn’t above the door! He also tells the story of receiving his knighthood from The Queen and describes the event as ‘all the pomp without the pomposity’!

When it comes to modern marketing, John argues that brands have a tendency to forget two crucial ingredients - persuasion and promotion. John suggests that many brands’ approaches to advertising can verge on stalking their audience rather than trying to engage them, and suggests ways this can be avoided. Have brands and advertisers become too obsessed and reliant upon measurement?  Successful ads create empathy with the brand but ‘trying to measure that becomes an impossibility’ says John.

John also suggests that brands can be persuaded too by market research and tend to avoid using gut instinct. He uses the example of Abba having recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of winning the Eurovision Song Contest with Waterloo. At the time, the British public gave the song nul points. That is arguably consumer research that didn’t suggest the song would do very well, however it went on to become a huge hit!

John shares the creative process behind some of his most iconic ads, including the 15-year campaign for Levis. John explains the process that would involve creating as many as 50 ideas on paper, whittling them down, scripting and turning the best ideas into ads. What skills and specialisms are required to successfully turn an idea into reality? John also highlights the importance of music in advertising and explains why it should feature highly on any production budget.

John and Pat also discuss what creativity is, fundamentally. How are we creative? How does our creative ability separate us from the rest of the animal kingdom, and to what extent can AI begin to replicate human creativity? John explains how you can take part in his course ‘The Business of Creativity’ and how it is for everyone in all organisations to help them understand the role of creativity and how it leads to success. It’s not just for creatives!

For more from John, read his books:

Hegarty on Creativity: There are No Rules

Hegarty on Advertising: Turning Intelligence into Magic

Watch John’s favourite ad: Volkswagen - Funeral 

Hosted by Pat Murphy

Connect with Murphy Cobb and The Prodcast:

Murphy Cobb & Associates |  The MCA Prodcast  |  

This week on The MCA Prodcast Pat Murphy talks to Matt Miller, President and CEO of the Association of Independent Commercial Producers (AICP). AICP represents the interests of independent companies that specialise in the production and post production of commercials in various media—film, video, digital—for advertisers and agencies.

Matt looks back on his 30 years with AICP and considers how the industry has changed (or not) in that time. “I think probably more has stayed the same than changed”, he says. He also reveals how he ended up on The Today Show many times as a correspondent for all things advertising, often explaining the cultural phenomena of Super Bowl advertising to the US audience. 

Pat and Matt discuss the changing nature of production and procurement – how production costs vary around the world and why the US is amongst the most expensive. Matt explains the balancing act for any brand is between the value of US talent and expertise versus potential cost-savings elsewhere. They also discuss the shift we’re seeing where more and more creative agencies are bringing their production in-house. What does this mean for creative output and what are the broader implications for our industry? Is there a potential conflict where agencies may not provide the best outcome for their client? Also, what do these shifts mean for talent, talent development and people thinking about their career trajectory?

Matt explores the dangers of AI and why he thinks strong regulation is required to safeguard our industry and protect the work of creatives. “We got so much wrong with the creation of social media and this is so much more powerful than social media. We need to get this right for the good of the world” Matt says. 

Outside of work, Matt is a keen golfer and his family foster cats. Matt says about the cats in his home ‘I never know when one is going to show up!’. He estimates they’ve rescued over a hundred cats since COVID... Incredible! 

Watch Matt’s favourite ad: Nike – Tiger Woods’ Perfect Golf Swing

 Hosted by Pat Murphy

 Connect with Murphy Cobb and The Prodcast:

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This week on The MCA Prodcast Pat Murphy talks to author and copywriter Paul Burke, the most successful radio writer and producer in the world. Paul’s written many of the nation’s most-loved commercials and won many awards for his work through the years.  As well as being a published author, Paul has recently adapted two of his books for the big screen; films which are currently in development. 

Paul shares the reason for his passionate love of radio, and reveals how he was drawn to copywriting. Despite not loving literature at school, it was Paul’s sense of humour that got him noticed and he soon found his love for writing, specifically for audio. Paul looks back on his career, from the early copywriters he worked with that shaped his love of the medium, and considers how writing for radio has changed over the years. 

Paul explains what makes for good, effective copy and how copy can vary by platform. He also outlines the skill involved in copywriting and why powerful copy can be the difference between a successful campaign and an unsuccessful one. Paul also argues that talent is an issue in advertising; where our industry used to exclusively attract top creative talent, now talent can explore other avenues like social media, film, podcasting etc. This leads to a greater competition for talent. 

Paul and Pat revel in some showbiz name-drops, as they reflect on the best (and worst) celebrities they’ve worked with over the years. Paul shares a story of working with one person in particular who he considers to be the biggest perfectionist in the business and tells the story of why he one time had to stand up to a very demanding agent!

Paul shares some of his favourite audio ads of all time, explains why he loves them and tries to dispel the myth that you can’t have an ad that is good, quick and cheap! 

 Watch Paul’s favourite ad: Chevy’s – Mother’s Day

 Hosted by Pat Murphy

 Connect with Murphy Cobb and The Prodcast:

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This week on The MCA Prodcast Pat Murphy talks to Carl Addy, Executive Creative Director at The Mayda Creative Co. Carl delivers ground-breaking visual work in design, digital media and immersive VR technology. He works in both live action and animation, combining his obsession with music with his knowledge of digital trends and film making.

Carl explains the name ‘Mayda’, where it came from and how it embodies their company philosophy. ‘It's a bumpy ride, it has unknown outcomes and actually it's the treasures that you find along the way and the adventures that bond people together’, Carl says. He describes the workforce as creative collaborators who understand how to take something from zero script to final pixel.

Carl reveals why he thinks it’s important for directors to write their own treatments. He admits it can be harder for directors who are not A-list to get the attention of the right people, but a great idea should always cut through and a director should be able to communicate a feeling better when writing the treatment themselves. ‘If you like how I dance, we’ll dance well together’. Carl also admits that it’s very hard to come up with a unique idea because everyone is competing for the same work, and utilising the same reference points.

Carl talks about the jobs that he will gladly take on, and considers the rare occasion he might politely decline. Carl always prioritises ‘film school’, as he calls it; any project which gives him an opportunity to learn or try something new will very likely get the green light from him!

Carl tells the story of a fascinating project where an advertising brief led to the creation of a real, hardware product; a next generation helmet that could help NFL coaches communicate in real-time with hard-of-hearing players. Find out more about it here.

Carl also tells us about his band, Heavy Menthol which he describes as his opportunity to be daft and irresponsible; ‘exactly what you would imagine when middle-aged men get together and write metal songs and make a lot of noise’, he says. 

Watch Carl’s favourite ad: Flour Sacks during Depression-Era America

 Hosted by Pat Murphy

 Connect with Murphy Cobb and The Prodcast:

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This week on The MCA Prodcast you’ll hear one of the brilliant panel sessions from this year’s LBB and Friends Beach at Cannes. We are all story tellers, and this panel is about the power of storytelling and how creativity can be crucial to the success of any business.

Pat Murphy chairs the session and is joined by:
·      Doerte Spengler-Ahrens - Chairwoman of Jung von Matt and President of the Art Director’s Club (ADC)
·      Upasana Roy - Global Creative Strategy Director at Reckitt
·      Philipp Schuster - Agency Management and Marketing Partnerships Director from Bayer Consumer Health
·      Sir John Hegarty – Co-founder and Creative Director at The Garage Soho & The Business of Creativity 

Storytelling is fundamental to brand success, but sometimes creativity and bravery in marketing can be usurped by fear, budget constraints or other factors. The panel discuss how brands can remain creative and how this is essential to not only sell a product, but to create memorable experiences that resonate with consumers on a deeper level.
 
Agencies often direct brands to be brands, without being brands themselves – something John argues is a mistake! By positioning themselves as brands with distinct beliefs and values, agencies can differentiate themselves from mere service providers and attract the right clients. This approach is exemplified by revolutionary ideas like Renault's e-mobility solution, which transformed the market by offering a unique value proposition. 

Our panel debate who is best suited to sell an idea to a client – is it the creator of that idea or an account manager. Presenting ideas to clients requires an understanding of their language and problems, and constructive criticism is essential for a healthy client-agency relationship. Philipp explains that he enjoys tension with agencies he’s buying from. “We try to build an environment where we, with our partners, have a relationship where we can have healthy tension”, he says. “This is the relationship, the culture of a partnership we want to build together with our agencies, because we feel that this produces the best work”.

As well as tension, the panel discuss the role of ‘fear’ in good creative work. The panellists each recall stories of projects they worked on which, at the time, they were nervous about. John recalls one in-particular where a single different decision could have ruined the outcome. Upasana says “we fear that it's going to fail, and one of the best things that we can do is give ourselves the permission to fail once in a while”. Fear is almost imperative in the constant pursuit of good work! 

Click here to find out more about John’s course ‘The Business of Creativity’ and discover how creativity can take your business to the next level.

Hosted by Pat Murphy

Connect with Murphy Cobb and The Prodcast:

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This week on The MCA Prodcast Pat Murphy talks to Global Managing Director at RSA (Ridley Scott Associates) Films Kai-Lu Hsiung. From reception to Production Assistant, Producer, and then Managing Director, Kai is a shining example of production meritocracy so is the perfect person to talk to about nurturing talent and developing creative careers. Now as Global Managing Director, Kai ensures that RSA maintains its place as one of the world’s leading production houses, and continues to create some of the most culturally transformative and influential creative across every medium. 

In a world now dominated by AI and modern technology, what role do storytelling and human creativity still play? Kai shares her thoughts on this evolving landscape, using iconic advertisements like the Hovis Boy on the Bike campaign and the Samsung S23 film ‘Behold’ to illustrate how traditional storytelling meets cutting-edge technology. She recalls how the Samsung ad was shot entirely on a phone, but the production still required skilled craftspeople to ensure the lighting, sets, costumes etc were exactly optimal in order to get the perfect shot. She also recalls a wonderful story of how the Boy on a Bike ad came to be; a story that starts with Ridley Scott simply wanting to borrow a camera! 

Kai explains how the Ridley Scott Creative Group distinguishes between it’s brands, with Black Dog Films being the younger, culturally relevant offering, RSA has a more over-reaching remit and Scott Free focuses on feature film work and commercials. Whilst distinct brands Kai emphasises the importance of being ‘stronger together’ and how sharing resources leads to better results of all the brands’ clients. “You'll get a better production if you can all work together to solve problems”, Kai says. 

Kai and Pat discuss branded entertainment and content; how these ideas are forged and how they are developed. Kai describes branded content as being a ‘really interesting, fluid journey’ that you go on with your client, but it always starts with a need to fully understand the client’s needs and desired platforms. 

 As Chairwoman of the Young Director Award, Kai shares her views on how we can nurture young talent in the industry, spotlighting initiatives like the Aesthetica Film Festival and Nowness. Whether you're an aspiring filmmaker or an industry veteran, Kai's experiences and advice provide valuable lessons on balancing financial constraints with creative passions.

Watch Kai’s favourite ad: BMW – Beat the Devil

Hosted by Pat Murphy

Connect with Murphy Cobb and The Prodcast:

Murphy Cobb & Associates |  The MCA Prodcast  |  LinkedIn  |  Instagram | Email

This week on The MCA Prodcast Pat Murphy talks to Lisa Lavender, MD of British Arrows which is the UK’s longest running and most prestigious moving image advertising awards. Prior to this Lisa was founder of The Traffic Bureau and CEO of Adstream UK.

Lisa originally dreamt of being a choreographer but found her way into advertising, starting out as a production assistant. She talks us through how her career began, her temporary move to Canada, and how she launched The Traffic Bureau which was the first outsourced TV admin company in the UK. Hear how what began with a casual conversation later evolved into the sale of The Traffic Bureau to Adstream, with Lisa becoming CEO of Adstream's UK operations. From there, Lisa’s skill in nurturing exceptional talent and creating a happy, dynamic company culture left a lasting impact on her career.  

Lisa talks us through the complexities of broadcast and business affairs. With so many channels and outlets, how can organisations stay on top of the various requirements in terms of clearance and rights management? Lisa explains that tech is helping hugely in this field and she suspects AI will also have a role to play.  

Throughout her journey, Lisa emphasises the importance of mentorship and fostering diverse environments in advertising. She’s a powerful advocate for supporting new talent and has always strived to create opportunities and welcome new people into the industry, something that she is now especially proud to do in her role organising the Young Arrows awards. She considers how attitudes to work have changed through the generations and how ‘Gen-Z’ now demand a more healthy work-life balance – something we can all probably learn from! 

Lisa and Pat discuss why creative awards like the British Arrows remain so vital in today’s advertising landscape and how the Young Arrows can celebrate the next generation of great storytellers and creatives. The awards are celebrating their 50th Anniversary next year and would love to hear from any organisation interested in sponsoring the events. 

Watch Lisa’s favourite ad: Hamlet Cigars – Photo Booth  

Hosted by Pat Murphy

Connect with Murphy Cobb and The Prodcast:

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This week on The MCA Prodcast Pat Murphy talks to President of The Mill, Mark Benson. Before the brands merged Mark was CEO of MPC Advertising – the Moving Picture Company - under whose leadership the organisation was transformed into a multi-award-winning global creative studio.

Mark and Pat reminisce on their early days as runners, and how that shaped them for their future careers. Mark reflects on how client service was something that always fascinated him, and MPC’s commitment to clients and relationships was something that kept him at the business for 25 years! Mark also explains how MPC transitioned from working exclusively on ads, to later providing post-production services for big screen movie projects such as The Harry Potter franchise.  

When discussing MPC’s merger with The Mill Mark says ‘the fundamentals haven't changed. We are all excited about how we go forwards into new markets and new areas of opportunity, predicated on talent, and a real understanding of what a narrative, what a story can be and how it's told’. Parent company Technicolour has the ambition to become the ‘world's largest creative visual arts company’ and Mark explains how that aspiration is being achieved, branching recently into new areas like The Sphere, 3D Billboards, live theatre and more. Mark reveals how projects like the upcoming Elvis immersive experience are setting new standards in storytelling by engaging audiences in unique and interactive ways.
 

Watch Mark’s favourite ad:  Ryan Giggs - Reebok 

Hosted by Pat Murphy

Connect with Murphy Cobb and The Prodcast:

Murphy Cobb & Associates |  The MCA Prodcast  |  LinkedIn  |  Instagram | Email

Welcome to The MCA Prodcast

This is your fix for everything innovative in advertising production.

On each episode Pat Murphy, MCA’s founder and CEO, will be talking to the movers and shakers who are driving the agenda and shaping the world of production for the future.  

He'll be asking searching questions about their views of what will be coming round the corner, so brands can act smarter and with greater efficiency, to deliver outstanding creative campaigns.  

You'll hear who the best partners might be to deliver that, across a multitude of channels and media types, and we might even hark back to some great old ads that have stood the test of time. 

The MCA Prodcast, launching soon.

For more information, head to theprodcast.com