Ideas Made Well

What sight, experience or cultural phenomenon best sums up 2009 for you? Was it the inauguration of Barack Obama? Was it Twitter reaching critical mass? Was it the hype juggernaut that was SuBo? Or was it the cannot-bear-to-look-yet-cannot-turn-away spectacle of Jedward, who stole the show in this year’s X Factor?

One thing is for sure, we all entered 2009 full of trepidation about what the financial crisis would mean to us. There would be very few people in the UK – or indeed the world – who were untouched by the recession.

However, there are ways to tackle the recession head on, and in some cases the downturn offered up new possibilities. Start took the opportunity to grow internationally, and this year expanded its operations in Dubai, Hong Kong and China, and we are now reaping the rewards of our bold actions.

There is no doubt that it has been a year in which it has been necessary to move with the times, and adapt to market pressures, or else risk being squeezed out of the market. Start has always been a fluid organisation, keen to steer its own course while remaining at the cutting edge. This year we made some heavyweight investment in our digital capabilities, adding significant talents to the digital team and throughout the agency, meaning that we are confident in our capabilities and offerings for 2010.

We have also brought our retail expertise closer to the heart of Start, and worked with some great retail clients internationally, in countries including Russia, China and Hong Kong (not to mention Manchester, the home of our retail experiences partner agency JudgeGill).

This year we have also embraced local philanthropy, in supporting the work of The House of St Barnabas, following an introduction to the local homeless charity by Quintessentially. In order to support their great work, we decided to photograph, design and publish Soho Lives, a beautiful photography book which was the subject of a three-page feature in the Evening Standard and is currently doing great business on Amazon and from startcreative.com.

However, the single most important asset we have is our motto of ‘ideas made well’, as it asserts what’s most important to us – brilliant ideas, delivered in a creative and compelling way that fit our clients’ briefs, and which keep our clients coming back for more for years on end. We have delivered some amazing work for our clients this year; for both long-term clients such as Virgin Media, and new clients such as Barclays and Greyhound. All appreciate that the key to great work – whichever platform it is delivered across – is a great idea.

So, what lies in store for 2010?

Well, in Start’s case we will continue to evolve, as we always have done over the last 14 years. We will bring our specialisms of branding, digital, retail and brand engagement together for a truly integrated approach. We will continue to invest in our international footprint, and we will continue to work with inspiring clients.

Most crucially, we will continue to keep delivering ideas made well.

And in order to keep coming up with fresh ideas, we will have a jolly good rest over Christmas to recharge our batteries, ready to face the challenges of the year ahead. I hope you will all do the same.

Merry Christmas and happy new year from all of us at Start.

Jen McAleer
Managing Director

2009 is the year when suddenly real Christmas cards fell out of fashion. It’s not really anything to do with the ability to send an ecard – that has been the case for many years. It is as though several things have come together at one time.

We have never been better connected – whether it is the rise of smart phones, the continued rise of email, the increase in awareness of green issues, the unreliability of the postal service, the need to save money, and the realisation that a hastily scrawled signature to someone you don’t know particularly well is probably not that meaningful. The ones that do get sent are consequently much more meaningful – and it is no surprise that Moonpig are probably having a great Christmas. Superficial relationships can be sustained in easier ways than sending a Christmas card though – be it Facebook or a blanket email to your inbox.

Christmas is still the event of the year for most people, and insanity still rules in terms of interaction. “I must see you before Christmas ….” will have been said or typed by many people in December. Why? Wouldn’t it make more sense not to meet a valued client in a crowded restaurant surrounded by people wearing hats, who never normally go to restaurants, and instead opt for a date in January?

If the printed card with scrawled signatures has had its day, then perhaps next year the mad surge to have Christmas lunches with all and sundry may dissipate.

January would then be a little less depressing. Start, as ever, has been ahead of the game for many years – always having its client party in January / February. How many clients protest “Not another party in January!”?

Happy Christmas everyone

December 10th is the day that boasts the highest internet traffic of the year. A few years ago, that would have been mildly interesting, but because internet shopping was such a small percentage of overall shopping, it really wasn’t that significant.

Now though it is hugely significant. For retailers, whose business is only online, they know whether to go into sale mode on the 26th or leave it till January – an option not available to conventional retailers who do little online. But what about those retailers who have a large number of shops and a big web shop as well?

What do they do with internet sales data? These days internet sales are in fact a really good indicator of what will happen off-line. So for executives waiting for the text message with the sales results on Christmas Day, that used to be their excuse for running away from the family mayhem, this is bleak news indeed.
Web sales and retail sales are as inextricably linked as Mary and Joseph – which is actually really helpful in terms of forward planning. Christmas has come early for all those responsible for planning what to do after it is all over.

In fact Soho Lives is perfect for people who don’t read a lot, as it is, to be honest, lots of pictures with very few words.

Nonetheless, it is an extraordinary book and as fine a piece of social history as you will find anywhere. It came about because of several things coming together.

Firstly there was a meeting between Nick Poulton (of Randall & Aubin and Soho Books fame) and Mike Curtis (CEO of Start), where Nick mentioned the House of St Barnabas charity, (where the disadvantaged of Soho are helped to rebuild their lives). Ben Eliott from Quintessentially then entered the equation – he is the man behind Quintessentially Soho, the pop-up club at 1, Greek Street – the home of the House of St Barnabas charity. A ball to take place at the end of November 2009 was mentioned. How do we maximise revenue for the charity? Mike and Darren Whittingham, the co-founders of Start, agreed to design the logo and the website for the ball for nothing, but then decided to go one step further…

The result is this amazing book, that would make any coffee table proud.

Various employees of Start set about the task of taking over 250 photographs, getting the permission of the people to use the photographs for no charge, set up Amazon accounts, artwork it, find a good (but cheap) printer, edit the copy, proof read the copy, and then deliver it in time for the ball. The result, after a couple of all-nighters, lots of miles clocked up on foot through Soho’s streets, and a sore right finger for the brilliant photographer, Start employee, Cat Garcia, has surpassed all reasonable expectations.

It is a very important book.

Important because it is for charity (all profits from the book go straight to The House of St Barnabas).

Important because it it is a great example of what communities are capable of when the community works together.

Important because it shows what can happen when people are inspired even when there is no commercial gain to be had. If ever there was a counterpoint to the bankers’ bonuses, this is it .

So if you are looking for that unique Christmas present, forget the celeb autobiographies or the copy of the latest celeb chef recipes and go for Soho Lives (it ‘s even got a few celebs in it).
Go to Startcreative.com or Amazon or Soho Books.

Do it now!