Gabby’s Word 13 December 2012

My Grandmother told me once that I would know I was a grown up when I knew when to say ‘goodbye’. Sometimes, you’ve just got to know when to walk away and whether it’s from a person, a place, your favourite boots (it still hurts to recollect that my winkle pickers were binned), a belief, job, goal… even a period of time. Knowing when to bail out with dignity and with pride is the sign of a mature adult. Yesterday was a day of goodbyes for me and it seems many of you Facebook fans will also be saying ‘goodbye’, in this instance, to 2012 through the site’s brand new app.

 

I personally have a love/hate relationship with ‘face-ache’. It appeals and provokes the narcissist within me and I resent it for broadcasting my self-indulgence to my friends and family. Aside from the photos, which I vainly have to approve before they hit my page, there is nothing on the site that I’m a fan of. Believe me, I’ve tried to leave, but each attempt has been catastrophic and I usually return with the excuse “it’s a great way to keep in touch with friends abroad”.

 

The site’s Year in Review bothers me, because I like it. I can’t get enough of the data that the site has managed to pull, including the top trends of 2012 for the USA. Did you know that British boy band One Direction were the third most popular public figures after Barack and Romney? My favourite dancing-in-the-kitchen track ‘Call Me Maybe’ by Carly Rae Jepson was the third most popular song after Gotye and Fun. I love that Times Square was the most popular ‘check-in’ and that TBH (To be honest) was the most used meme. You can check out the full list at www.facebookstories.com/2012

 

So what am I saying ‘goodbye’ to? Well, as I said last week, I’m moving to Asia in February, so I’m spending any spare moment in my apartment sorting out storage from thrift. I’ve said ‘goodbye’ to my beloved Skoda Fabia ‘Heathcliff’, to cigarettes and this week, as it is my last week in the office before 2013, I’m saying cheerio to another fantastic 12 months as Editor of LBB. Which got me thinking… ‘What have been LBB’s highlights?’ 

 

I’ve asked around the gang: Peaches’ highlights were busting her MJ/Prince moves with Jamie Madge at the Sizzer party; for Laura it was finding out that Neil French is also a Terry Prachett Fan. Paul is still reeling from meeting Smokey Robinson at the CP+B party in Cannes. Jody loved our relaunch party at Rushes and Matt… well Matt has many highlights, quite a few of which happened in Adfest. He says he’s most inspired day was with McCann WG and Great Guns director Ram…. For me, I’d have to say that it was hitting the dance floor with Pippa Bhatt at the Massive Music party in Cannes… and, of course, standing on my third attempt at wakeboarding with McCann Singapore. 

 

LBB itself has had an amazing year and I’m rather in awe of all that has been achieved and accomplished. There was the re-design in March with Berg Studios,  and then Laura Swinton, Katherine Peach and Addison Capper joined the crew. Traffic has grown by 500 per cent and we’ve exploded globally with readers from over 138 countries. Cannes beach was, yet again, a great success and 2013 already looks set to be epic. Battle of the Bands and the LBB Academies were a crowning success. 

 

We’re now about to invade Asia Pacific and, coincidentally, we’ve estimated that in the course of the year we’ve visited Soho’s Thai Cottage at least three times a month, which means, we’ve technically paid off their mortgage. 

 

Another year passes and yet again, it’s another happy and successful 12 months for us here at LBB – we have to thank all of you that continue to support us by being fully-fledged members of the LBB community. Without you, we couldn’t be here and for those of you that say ‘why do I need to join, I get coverage anyway’… I’ve asked for a naughty list in the New Year and believe me, I’m not the lady to cross. I will be naming and shaming!

 

Take care lovely adland creative folk, 

 

Best

Gabby x