Thank You for Helping Us Soar in 2014

It’s the last ‘Laura’s Word’ before Christmas and, come to think of it, the last one of 2014 too. Inevitably, perhaps, it’s an opportunity to look back over the past 12 months – and when I look back to where we were in December 2013 I can honestly say it’s been a ridiculous year. January kicked off with a big, risky move and since then it’s been a non-stop adventure that’s seen us welcome new faces, travel the globe and give the industry something different. Little Black Book ain’t so little any more.

This time last year the LBB team was feeling excited, anxious; looking forward to Christmas, certainly, but viewing the looming New Year with trepidation. We had decided to take Little Black Book from the safe and comfortable bosom of a larger holding company and go independent. The timing felt right, we knew we had a great vision and a product that could plug a seriously gaping hole in the ad industry. Still though, no matter how much energy you have, how much belief you have in an idea and how much you love your colleagues there’s always that niggling, sliver of doubt when you decide to make a big leap. (Unless, of course you’re LBB founder Matt Cooper – the man doesn’t know the meaning of the word ‘uncertainty’ – but the rest of us mortals were facing January 2014 with jangled nerves.)

Nearly 12 months later and we couldn’t be feeling more confident. Since gaining our independence, we haven’t just flown – it feels like we’ve soared. The team has doubled in size and our traffic has doubled in volume. New ventures, like our PR Academy and LBB Lab, have been a huge success and old faithfuls, like our annual Cannes Beach, have continued to grow. 

A combination of adrenaline, nerves, strategy and Matt’s unwavering vision has driven us forward. But the most crucial element of Little Black Book’s best year ever isn’t really us: it’s you. Without the individuals and companies who have supported us, supplied us with news and collaborated with us we wouldn’t be able to do what we do. To all the production company reps and agency PRs who keep us top of their mind when they want to break a new piece of work, we want to say thanks. To all the creatives and directors and crafts people who share their ideas and talk us through their processes and help give everyone a glimpse behind the scenes of the world’s most creative advertising, we want to say thank you. To the strategists and technologists who share their well-considered opinions and observations, we want to say thank you. To all the production companies, sound studios, advertising agencies, edit houses, VFX companies, composers, media agencies and brands who make up the LBB family: thank you, thank you, thank you.

At the risk of proselytising, everyone busying away at LBB HQ really does believe that we’re working towards something important. We’re an archive of global and local news that brings together the world’s best advertising in one place, in a way that’s never been done before. We’re free-to-view, filterable and we do our damndest to respect and celebrate every stage of the creative process, from ideation to post production. 

As the site evolves, our vision becomes sharper. And that’s what 2015 is really going to be about – bringing everything into focus. We’ve got some exciting announcements to make early in the new year that we think are really going to help us reach you and work with you more effectively and creatively. 

Ultimately we’re just a bunch of people who really, really dig creativity. Whether it’s a piece of film, art, music, tech or a really killer idea, everyone in the team, from sales to editorial, genuinely gets a buzz from brilliant work. It drives us. It makes us want to join the dots, bring fantastic people together and celebrate the great work that the industry brings to life. Whether you’re based in Latin America or Europe, North America or Asia Pacific or MENA, if you’ve got a brilliant idea we want to hear from you.

So what will Little Black Book look like in another 12 months? Bigger and better, hopefully. We’ve always got room for improvement and we’re forever tweaking things, evolving. But one thing’s for sure – we won’t be able to do it alone!