Simon Martin, chief executive at OLIVER Group takes on our Lucky 13 questions, and tells us why speaking about brands is over simplistic.
1 – Summarise yourself in three words.
I’m all in.
2 – What made you want to pursue a career in media and marketing?
The abundance of opportunity.
3 – Describe your ideal client.
Ambitious and unafraid.
4 – Name your favourite ever campaign
There are so many but I really like The Guardian’s 1986 ‘Points of View’ piece because it’s not what it seems. It reminds us never to assume.
5 – Which award win are you most proud of and why?
Our first colleague to graduate with an MBA fully sponsored by OLIVER.
6 – Who is the best industry speaker you have seen?
Sir Martin Sorrell.
“Hot = data driven marketing. Not = ‘brand’, or more specifically, its usage as a catch-all term for everything encompassing business and marketing”
7 – Which is your favourite social media platform, and why?
Facebook. It fills a need brilliantly and has become habitual.
8 – Where is your ideal meeting venue?
Anywhere except over a business lunch.
9 – What is your favourite restaurant?
Covent Garden’s J Sheekey – an evening jaunt.
10 – What is hot in international media and marketing, and what is not?
Hot = data driven marketing. Not = ‘brand’, or more specifically, its usage as a catch-all term for everything encompassing business and marketing. At best, speaking about brands is over simplistic.
11 – Which industry buzzword would you ban?
All of them – we need to put the consumer at the heart of our strategy; marketing buzzwords only detract from this purpose.
12 – Where do you see yourself in 10 years’ time?
The next year will be spent travelling a lot growing OLIVER internationally – our ambition is to build OLIVER Group into a global market leader for the 21st century.
13 – Finally, who would play you in a movie of your life?
Sir Kenneth Branagh because I love his St Crispin’s day speech in Henry V. An excellent lesson in leadership.
