Laura's Word 19 July 2012
So I’ve been in the LBB editorial team for a week now and to say I’ve hit the ground running is as much of an understatement as it is cliché. The fast-pace in the office is testament to the sheer volume of creativity going on in the industry. On top of that, the biggest branding exercise in the world is happening right on our doorstep – I may have mixed feelings about the effect London 2012 is going to have on my morning commute but it also means that the industry is teeming with work competing for our attention. There are the big brands, like P&G and McDonald’s who have all released high profile Olympics-related work in the past week, as well as an epic, clear-eyed spot for the Channel 4 Paralympic coverage.
Gabby generously – I think – suggested that this week I hijack her weekly column while she’s away on holiday so I can say hello and introduce myself. So... ummm... hello? I’ll be working with Gabby, Addison and Sarah on the editorial team at LBB as a staff writer to expand and develop the features and news on the site. Some of you may know me from my work on shots, and for the last couple of years I’ve been freelancing part time and studying for a Masters in psychology in Wales. But my time flouncing around in academia hasn’t been all daytime TV and pound-a-pint nights (err, I mean stroking my beard and thinking important thoughts). I’ve come to realise that there’s a lot of crossover between psychology, creativity and advertising- and I’m not just talking about our daddy issues- so I’m hoping that will help expand our coverage of trends and insights.
It’s been a good couple of years since I was working full time in the business – and in that time so much has changed in terms of the range and accessibility of technology, and, consequently how consumers engage with brands. Whether that represents some kind of fundamental shift or if it’s a case of ‘plus ça change’ is something I look forward to finding out over the coming months. But for now all I know is that if my Mum won’t stop phone-spamming me with photos of the dogs when I’m at work, then the revolution is definitely having some kind of impact.
My first week at LBB has been pretty frantic but enjoyable and already I feel part of the growing LBB family. Everyone’s made me feel really welcome and it’s exciting to be part of an expanding business with its eye on the future. But not only have the guys here made me feel right at home, it’s been a blast re-connecting with familiar faces from around the ad industry (I missed you guys!) and getting to know new people. If we haven’t said hello already, drop me a line!
Laura
