The Essential List: Graeme Blake
Graeme Blake is founder and CEO of Blutui, the web platform for the creative sector and digital agency PAN.
His dual role affords him amazing insights into the advertising and creative industry, studio production and the world of SaaS MarTech. As a Kiwi digital agency owner who is fortunate enough to be building a global SaaS business he's passionate about bringing innovation from Aotearoa, New Zealand to the world of creative studios, digital production houses and advertising agencies who together form adland, a special place brimming with talent and a drive to do better for clients and judging panels every day.
Lifestyle
o Place of birth: Windy Wellington, Aotearoa NZ
o Hometown: Hamilton
o Staycation: Fly Fishing at Kereru Lodge, Turangi where it’s customary for the angler who catches (and releases) the least fish to be awarded the honour of the iridescent fish pants.
o Vacation: Tokoriki Island, Fiji
o Pet: French Bulldog currently under negotiation
o Place of work: Blutui & PAN The Love Agency
o Place of workout: Next question quickly
o Side project: YelloHalo.co.nz - My wife Julie and I set up a charitable broadband company which donates 100% of profit and donations to support front line Paramedics with professional development scholarships in honour of the amazing Ambos who saved our baby girl Pixie six years ago.
o Mode of transport: 2018 Ford Focus
o Bonus travel essential: Soho Houses
Culture
o Artist: Chris Meek, Raglan NZ. Image is a piece created from top dresser parts (light commercial airplane).
and Brazilian Street Artist Dinho Bento (@dinho_bento)
o Musician: Mick Fleetwood
o Commercials / music video director: Sweetshop's Damien Shatford
o Film director: Tarantino
o Photographer: Mark Hamilton
o Film: Layer Cake
o Series: Ozark
o Commercial: Saatchi & Saatchi Toyota HiLux 'Bond'
o Music video: Tusk, could only be made better with the inclusion of bagpipes lol
o Video game: Galaga/Galaxian
o Board game: Chess
o Book: How to think and grow rich (Napoleon Hill)
o Graphic novel: Next, not into them.
o Podcast: Paul Catmurs Truth And Soul
o Newspaper (off or online): The Spinoff
o Magazine: House Notes
o Bonus culture essential: Bagpipes, who doesn’t love bagpipes
Food and Drink
o Breakfast: Tea and a lightly toasted sandwich bread heavily buttered and an egg Microwaved in a ramekin for exactly 35 seconds then heavily peppered, no salt.
o Restaurant: Nami, Japanese Restaurant
o Cheap bite: Sichuan Style Kung Pow chicken & Tsing Tao
o Working lunch: Nami, Japanese Restaurant
o Favourite dish: Takoyaki
o Signature dish: BBQ Portobello mushrooms stuffed with Pesto and topped with Camembert
o Snack: Cashews
o Guilty pleasure: Old Fashioned
o Bar: WonderHorse
o Booze: Lager
o Not booze: Next
o Bonus food: Wakame Salad
o Bonus beverage: Blutui cocktail ‘the tall one on the corner’
Kit
o Phone: iPhone (8 - oldest one in the business)
o Computer: Mac
o TV: Samsung
o Headphones: Sennheiser
o Camera: Vintage Polaroid
o Soundsystem: Bose
o Pen / pencil: Ipencil
o Where you document an idea: IPad or regular unlined workbook
o Casual clothing: Anything that fits from Recycle Boutique - I’m not a fan of fast fashion
o Smart clothing: Three piece suit with Strangely Normal print shirts
o Footwear: Converse
o Watch: Don’t own one
o Collection: Strangely Normal shirts LOL
o App: Blutui
o Website: Blutui.com
o Favourite social media feed: LinkedIn
o Work program: Next
o Digital work tool: Slack
o Analogue work tool: Pencil
o Morning grooming / makeup essential: Mont Blanc aftershave
o Bonus kit essential: Tom Ford eyewear
