TH: What does the Manchester brand stand for?
NB: Genuinely, off the top of my head, it would have to be something that captures its heritage, attitude and creativity. Let’s go for “Industrious Imagination”.
TH: Are the city’s brand values reflected in your own agency culture?
NB: It’s not a question I’ve ever really considered before and certainly isn’t something that we’ve consciously tried to mirror. But now you come to mention it, I can see the similarities. At driven we talk about approaching everything we do with a Restless Ambition coupled with a Clever Simplicity. I can see how both of these could be found in Manchester’s dna. So maybe our nature could have played a subconscious role in how we’ve nurtured our culture.
TH: Does being based in Manchester influence your creative output? If so, how?
NB: I don’t think so. Manchester identifies where we are, it doesn’t really define our output. Our client’s brands cross many different consumer groups, channels, cultures and countries. So it’s “where they are” that defines our output, not where we are.
TH: What makes your agency offer different?
NB: I think the fact that the agency is run and owned by a group of people whose careers have been spent working on big brands, in some of the world’s biggest agency networks is reassuring.
I think the fact that these people work directly on all our clients could be incredibly compelling for anyone who wants proper senior input on their accounts on an ongoing basis, rather than the odd occasional meeting.
TH: Why should clients consider sourcing work from Manchester agencies?
NB: Given the talent pool, combined with a relentless work ethic, I‘m not sure why you wouldn’t really.
TH: What sort of clients do you particularly want to attract?
NB: Good ones.
I know that sounds like a platitude, but it is true.
For us, it’s not just about the brand or its size; it’s as much to do with the people we will be working with.
