Can we interrupt you (again) for a moment? You’re no doubt busy putting together your submissions for the Outdoor Media Awards, run by Clear Channel and Campaign. But we have some insight that might help - and make it even more enjoyable.
The experts who will be sifting through this year’s entries and ultimately deciding on the winners have generously given us all a window into who they were as children and growing up.
Not only does it make for an illuminating and occasionally heartstopping read, now you can know the personalities you are putting your work in front of, not just the names and job titles.
There’s also valuable information about what excites them about outdoor and what specifically they will be looking to reward in the 2024 contest.
Hear from the second cohort here; you can read what others said in From school child to Outdoor Media Award judge #1
Entries to the Outdoor Media Awards, run by Clear Channel in partnership with Campaign, close Friday March 1, 2024
Neil Harrison, head of media, Virgin Media O2
AS A CHILD
What did 3-year-old you want to be when you grew up?
A cowboy.
A favourite childhood memory
Hadlow Down Traction Engine Rally.
Any childish misconceptions (and when dispelled?)
Too many to name.
What child’s game did you play that would now be outlawed/deemed unsuitable?
As above – cowboys and Indians.
What were you like at 15?
Unkempt.
Favourite lesson
Science.
Worst lesson
Latin.
Your school persona
Sporty.
Favourite ad
Guinness “Sapeurs.”
First song you became obsessed with
Two little boys – if only we knew!
First job
“Selling courier contracts.”
What do you miss about being a child?
Being oblivious to the brevity of life.
Things you’d have done differently if you’d known how life would pan out?
Spent longer talking to people who are no longer with us.
AS AN OMA JUDGE
What's the best thing about working in outdoor?
It challenges us to distil what we need to land with consumers down to the essential elements.
What are you hoping for in the 2024 entries?
Clarity on the role of OOH and creativity.
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Eva Grimmett, chief strategy officer, PHD
AS A CHILD
What did 3-year-old you want to be when you grew up?
Artist.
A favourite childhood memory
My 8th birthday party at Wimpy.
Any childish misconceptions (and when dispelled?)
That in Dire Straits’ Money for Nothing, it wasn’t your chips that were free (embarrassingly late in my teens did I work out it was chicks).
What child’s game did you play that would now be outlawed/deemed unsuitable?
Not a kid’s game but I remember buying candy cigarettes.
What were you like at 15?
A total grunge kid with red and green hair.
Favourite lesson
Art.
Worst lesson
Any languages.
Your school persona
Relatively quiet, arty kid.
Favourite ad
Peugeot 405 “Take My Breath Away” 1989.
First song you became obsessed with
Bon Jovi, Keep the Faith.
First job
Wine girl in a furniture shop – they employed young girls to walk around in hot pants and serve customers drinks (often alcoholic). This would not be acceptable now!
What do you miss about being a child?
Playing in my imagination.
Things you’d have done differently if you’d known how life would pan out?
Nothing – no regrets.
AS AN OMA JUDGE
What's the best thing about working in outdoor?
Being able to contribute to the visual fabric of our culture.
What are you hoping for in the 2024 entries?
To be inspired by a medium that can truly be used for any objective or role within the comms mix.
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Gareth Orr, managing partner and head of OMD Create, OMD UK
AS A CHILD
What did 3-year-old you want to be when you grew up?
Pop star.
A favourite childhood memory
Eating popcorn, watching Star Wars in the tiny local cinema.
Any childish misconceptions (and when dispelled?)
That everyone in the world was “foreign” apart from people in the UK. Thankfully dispelled at the age of six when we went to France for our first overseas holiday.
What child’s game did you play that would now be outlawed/deemed unsuitable?
Always being the boss and my sister always being the secretary in office roleplay.
What were you like at 15?
Slammed a lot of doors. Much cider drunk. Wanting to be different but “fit in” at the same time.
Favourite lesson
English.
Worst lesson
Physics.
Your school persona
SWOT.
Favourite ad
Gold Blend.
First song you became obsessed with
The Smurf Song(!)
First job
Meat department of Safeway supermarket.
What do you miss about being a child?
The freedom of no responsibilities.
Things you’d have done differently if you’d known how life would pan out?
Bought Apple shares.
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AS AN OMA JUDGE
What's the best thing about working in outdoor?
It’s one of the few remaining canvases left to create dazzling impact for large numbers of people.
What are you hoping for in the 2024 entries?
To see work that moves me – work that makes me think / smile / cry / laugh / gulp.
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Bobi Carley, head of media and diversity & inclusion lead, ISBA
AS A CHILD
What did 3-year-old you want to be when you grew up?
Performing in the West End.
A favourite childhood memory
My dad’s treasure hunts.
Any childish misconceptions (and when dispelled?)
Convinced that I was taught that odd numbers were 2,4,6,8 , cos they are nice and round like the word “odd”.
What child’s game did you play that would now be outlawed/deemed unsuitable?
Doctors and nurses.
What were you like at 15?
Permed, blue eyeliner and drinking Cinzano.
Favourite lesson
Maths – I got into media because I knew 7% of seven.
Worst lesson
English – still not improved.
Your school persona
Delusions of coolness.
Favourite ad
Starbucks, “Jamie”.
First song you became obsessed with
Love of the common people – Paul Young
First job
Sales assistant at Mansfield shoe shop. I wasn’t good with smelly feet.
What do you miss about being a child?
Watching Saturday morning TV.
Things you’d have done differently if you’d known how life would pan out?
Seriously no idea.
AS AN OMA JUDGE
What's the best thing about working in outdoor?
A blank canvas.
What are you hoping for in the 2024 entries?
To be seriously impressed and wowed with creativity
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Ben Chadd, chief client officer, Mindshare
AS A CHILD
What did 3-year-old you want to be when you grew up?
A farmer, I was obsessed with farms and farming.
A favourite childhood memory
Playing rounders on the field next door in my Adidas Poppers.
Any childish misconceptions (and when dispelled?)
That Santa set up my Christmas, ruined by catching my parents putting out all the presents at midnight (a German tradition).
What child’s game did you play that would now be outlawed/deemed unsuitable?
Dungeons, although I fear they still play this.
What were you like at 15?
A lot of fringe with very little confidence.
Favourite lesson
Maths.
Worst lesson
PE – sport was not my forte.
Your school persona
The quiet, shy kid.
Favourite ad
Tresemmé launch, “Not for you”.
First song you became obsessed with
Steps, 5,6,7,8.
First job
I washed dishes at a residential home.
What do you miss about being a child?
My Adidas Poppers.
Things you’d have done differently if you’d known how life would pan out?
Come out a lot earlier.
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AS AN OMA JUDGE
What's the best thing about working in outdoor?
It optimises everything that is great about our industry in the UK. It is creative, digitally advanced, impactful and something you’re proud to show your mum.
What are you hoping for in the 2024 entries?
The coming together of creativity and technical advancement that drives business growth. Effective and memorable.
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Stephanie Brimacombe, global chief growth officer and CEO, EMEA, VCCP
AS A CHILD
What did 3-year-old you want to be when you grew up?
A farmer.
A favourite childhood memory
Harvest time on the farm.
What child’s game did you play that would now be outlawed/deemed unsuitable?
Straw bale tunnel mazes. Makes me claustrophobic writing it!
What were you like at 15?
Depends who you ask!
Favourite lesson
Geography.
Worst lesson
Physics.
Your school persona
The stork.
Favourite ad
Can I have two? Cadbury, “Mum’s birthday” and “God made a farmer” by Dodge Trucks.
First song you became obsessed with
MMMBop by Hanson.
First job
Chicken plucker.
What do you miss about being a child?
Shellsuits.
Things you’d have done differently if you’d known how life would pan out?
Learned more languages when I was small.
AS AN OMA JUDGE
What's the best thing about working in outdoor?
That I am reminded about the brilliance of creativity in our industry everywhere I go… literally EVERYWHERE!
What are you hoping for in the 2024 entries?
I’m hoping to see brands showing up in confident, bold dynamic ways - making best use of the format wherever possible. I want to see entries that stop you in your tracks - thought-provoking, attention-grabbing, universal work that appeals to the nation and above all is innovative with beautiful design.
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Omar El-Gammal, strategy director, Mother London
AS A CHILD.JPG)
What did 3-year-old you want to be when you grew up?
An artist.
A favourite childhood memory
The time I spent with my grandparents was something I cherished. I recently rediscovered a cassette tape of my grandmother telling me imaginative bedtime stories that she would make up as she went along.
Any childish misconceptions (and when dispelled?)
That politicians tell the truth.
What child’s game did you play that would now be outlawed/deemed unsuitable?
I’ll admit it. We used to be those kids that would play “ding-dong-dash” where you or a friend would ring someone’s doorbell without warning and everyone had to make a run for it. Living in a tall apartment building meant we had hours of entertainment on tap. I don’t live in apartment buildings now for fear of karma.
What were you like at 15?
I had a fully-grown moustache so got away with being much older than I was. I’d also constantly get into trouble for hanging out with kids who were much older than me.
Favourite lesson
History.
Worst lesson
Arabic poetry (which now I regret not paying more attention to).
Your school persona
The intelligent troublemaker.
Favourite ad
There’s a lot I could mention here, but to share something that maybe most people haven’t seen, I’ve always loved The Atlantic and HBO’s “Question Your Answers” campaign featuring Michael K Williams (Omar from The Wire) answering “Am I - are we - being typecast?”
First song you became obsessed with
Every single track on The Score by The Fugees.
First job
First hustle - selling snacks from the vending machine to kids on the schoolbus for a markup. First real job - a host at the Hard Rock café.
What do you miss about being a child?
My hair.
Things you’d have done differently if you’d known how life would pan out?
I wish I never said “no” to free lunchtime piano lessons.
AS AN OMA JUDGE
What's the best thing about working in outdoor?
Someone once told me there’s a reason why the film was called Three Billboards outside Ebbing Missouri and not Three programmatically targeted banner ads outside Ebbing Missouri and the thought has never left me.
I love that the best OOH gets its power from its brutal simplicity and being so public. I don’t think any other channel has the ability to literally stop people in their tracks while also making you so consciously aware that it’s a public statement. No matter what technology comes along, that’s something that will never be replicated.
What are you hoping for in the 2024 entries?
Work that would stop me in my tracks.
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Charlotte Mullan, managing director, Walk-In Media
AS A CHILD
What did 3-year-old you want to be when you grew up?
Probably a teenager. They felt very grown up and fun!!
A favourite childhood memory
All of my favourite memories from growing up are our holidays in Weymouth and the South of France; they are still my favourite places to go now. England always seemed to be sunny back in the 90s in my mind…it never rained.
Any childish misconceptions (and when dispelled?)
Most of my misconceptions were probably words to songs. What I used to hear vs what they are were very very different. Some of them still haven’t been dispelled.
What child’s game did you play that would now be outlawed/deemed unsuitable?
Probably kiss chase.
What were you like at 15?
I asked some of my family to help answer this: they said I had high expectations and was high maintenance. Always pretending to be a grown up, walking around with my schoolbag on my shoulder and a (soft) drink in my hand. So it sounds like nothing has really changed; still pretending to be a grown-up but with alcohol now!
Favourite lesson
P.E.
Worst lesson
Regrettably French (I wasn’t very good but we would also cause havoc in those lessons).
Your school persona
Sporty… and a bit bossy!
Favourite ad
Oh, this is a toughie. I used to love the old Reebok ads with Ryan Giggs back in the day. Oh and Toys R Us….. can’t beat that Christmas high, hearing that song. My daughter gets that same excitement from the Smyths Toys song.
First song you became obsessed with
Too many embarrassing ones to mention. But I imagine it would have been Kylie Minogue, Wouldn’t change a thing.
First job
In a florist, when I was 13, for £15 a day. Loved every single minute.
What do you miss about being a child?
Not having to pay for anything and “waste” my money on toilet roll.
Things you’d have done differently if you’d known how life would pan out?
Paid attention in French class.
AS AN OMA JUDGE
What's the best thing about working in outdoor?
The best thing about OOH is that you get to see it EVERYWHERE. For me, it is one of the “sexiest”channels with so many different formats to bring to life. Who doesn’t want to see their brand on a massive bespoke banner or doing a full Cromination or being up on Piccadilly Lights? They are iconic, and it’s a great feeling to get these types of formats on your plan for the first time. Everyone outside of the industry knows posters and always have some great opinions and thoughts on various campaigns they see.
What are you hoping for in the 2024 entries?
Bravery. It has been such a challenging couple of years for many reasons and there has been less jeopardy in the market, with a lot more focus on the short term here and now. I hope to see some “risks” being taken, for the right reasons, and showing that they were the right decision.
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Jason Foo, founder and CEO, BBD Perfect Storm; non-executive director at The Marketing Society, and advisory board member at The Alliance of Independent Agencies
AS A CHILD
What did 3-year-old you want to be when you grew up?
A cowboy - advertising therefore seemed like an ultimately fitting choice of career! When I was a little older, I wanted to become an author, as I loved reading. My speech had a slight impediment when I was very young, though, so when people asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up they would think I was saying “Arthur”.
A favourite childhood memory
Wandering around jumble sales with my mum, buying books.
Any childish misconceptions (and when dispelled?)
That it was ok to have a pudding-bowl haircut. This was dispelled the moment I attended school.
What child’s game did you play that would now be outlawed/deemed unsuitable?
Kiss chase!!
What were you like at 15?
Sport-loving but quite rebellious to authority. Interested in everything except school.
Favourite lesson
PE - Rugby.
Worst lesson
Physics.
Your school persona
If you asked me I would say, fashion-forward leader, defender of the bullied, and an upstanding sportsman. If you asked my teachers, they would probably say a school-uniform-modifying and defying rebel who was a little too cocky and should have spent more time studying and less time attempting to skirt the school’s uniform regulations.
Favourite ad
Honda, “Cog”.
First song you became obsessed with
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five,The Message.
First job
Co-founder of T-Cup Enterprises, a second-hand car dealership established at 17 with my best friend, using our parents’ driveways as the forecourt!
What do you miss about being a child?
Being utterly carefree.
Things you’d have done differently if you’d known how life would pan out?
Paid more attention in my language classes given how much I travel!
AS AN OMA JUDGE
What's the best thing about working in outdoor?
I think it is the purest advertising medium. It forces the simplest and most distilled expression of a creative thought.
What are you hoping for in the 2024 entries?
Utter creative brilliance that stops me in my tracks and makes me wish we had done it.
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Denise Turner, chief executive, Route Research Ltd
AS A CHILD
What did 3-year-old you want to be when you grew up?
That’s a tough one, I’m not sure I knew.. However, once I started school, I wanted to be a teacher. I just loved reading and learning and was somewhat of a swot. This desire to be a teacher lasted well into my teens until, when doing A levels, the thought of doing a degree with lots of French and German literature put me off. So I changed plans and did a languages and business degree instead.
A favourite childhood memory
When I was about six or seven, and my brother a few years younger, my mum took an evening cleaning job at the local hospital, so Dad was in charge in the evenings. That invariably meant fun. Both my parents loved cooking and baking, and when Dad came home from work, and Mum was out working, he’d involve us in his latest food experiment (he was a food technologist and latterly made cheese for a living). My favourite memory is of making ravioli together. This was quite unusual and advanced for Northern Ireland in the 1970s, given potatoes were the staple! My brother and I would stand on chairs and help roll out the hand-made ravioli and fill it. I can still see it clearly in my mind’s eye now.
Any childish misconceptions (and when dispelled?)
Growing up in Northern Ireland at the height of the Troubles, I was very used to seeing police and army all over the place, lots of checkpoints and bag searches to go shopping in the centre of Belfast. But strangely, despite the terrorism, there was very little “normal” crime. So as a teenager I would walk home on my own in the dark and feel completely safe.
When I got to university in Swansea, two things struck me. I thought the police looked like wimps, because they weren’t wearing bullet proof vests! And my new uni friends quickly disabused me of the notion that walking home alone was a safe thing to do.
What child’s game did you play that would now be outlawed/deemed unsuitable?
Well, I think that would have to be British Bulldog, which at primary school, we played in the playground every break time and lunchtime. Many a graze, bruise and sometimes more serious injuries happened on the concrete playground surface.
What were you like at 15?
I had just got a place at the grammar school in town to do my O-levels and A-levels and I think I was finding my way and discovering my strengths. It’s worth reading this in conjunction with my school persona; I wasn’t the sporty type, so I sometimes felt a bit of an outsider. However, going to Lurgan College was transformative, as I found things I loved doing – debating, acting, quizzing. All of which brought me out of my shell, and instilled me with more confidence.
I also started questioning the politics of Northern Ireland, and asking “why” a lot. My debating training helped with that. Though my Dad was in the Orange Order, which meant he had a particular point of view! I would like to say we had lots of healthy debate, but he couldn’t take enough of a step back. Years later, when I had left home, we did manage some good discussions about it all.
All of this, I think, laid the foundations for the career I then went on to have.
Favourite lesson
At school, my favourite lessons were languages, history, and maths. It was so hard to choose A levels, but I ended up going for languages and history, supplementing with an additional post O-level maths qualification. I ended up doing a modern languages degree. However, I went down a non-traditional route, combining them with business studies, covering a wide array of topics from economics to employment law to a dissertation on the Bild newspaper (probably the German equivalent of The Sun). Perhaps working in media was my destiny.
Worst lesson
It’s a toss-up between art and chemistry.
When I was about 13, at a parents’ evening, my art teacher said you can either do art or you can’t, and Denise can’t! To be fair, it wasn’t my strongest subject by a long way! And I gave it up as soon as I could after that.
I was pretty good at chemistry, but the teacher, Mr Edgar, was somewhat draconian. In one – infamous among my school friends – lesson, we were doing an experiment with a Bunsen Burner, and my hair caught fire! Thinking quickly, my classmate Colin Elliott used a fire cloth to put it out but was worried about Mr Edgar’s reaction. There was a moment’s silence (though it seemed much longer) as the teacher observed the situation, and eventually said “Well done Elliott – carry on”. Needless to say, chemistry didn’t feature in my A-level choices.
Your school persona
Well, I was definitely not the joker and not sporty (though I was pretty good at discus and shot put ). I was a cross between a nerd and a leader.
At school, I led our team to the finals of the Northern Ireland schools debating competition, with a debate on the 1984 miners’ strike. And I loved performing as part of the drama society. I played nattily-named characters such as Black Muffler and Poitrinos (no, I don’t remember who they are either). In my final year at school, I played the part of Lady Julia Merton in a production of Oscar Wilde’s Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime.
Amid all of this, I became a leader, being appointed Head Girl.
Favourite ad
Again, a toss-up – as a child I loved the Fairy Liquid ad – “Hands that do dishes”.
When I started working in the advertising industry, of course I was exposed to a lot more ads. The one that stands out is The Guardian “Points of view” ad – it’s so important not to assume from first glance and always to question your instincts.
First song you became obsessed with
The first ever 7” single I bought was The Police: Every Breath You Take. Before that, I’d had obsessions with Cliff Richard and Shakin’ Stevens, but this took music to a whole new level for me. I’m not musical really but I loved the emotions the song evoked in me.
First job
My very first job was in a local newsagent, from when I was 14. There was only one old-fashioned till, and often when it was busy several of us were serving, so it was great for my mental maths!
After uni, I worked in a factory for a year, where we welded load control straps for lorries.
And then, on Monday 15 July 1991, I walked into the offices of Bartle Bogle Hegarty on Great Pulteney Street to start my first media job as a research assistant in the media department. I was immediately captivated by the world of advertising and inspired by the possibilities it opened up for brands and people. Those were the days when the unveiling of a new Levi’s TV ad was a big occasion, and the whole agency would stop for that.
There is, however, one event that is imprinted on my memory that made me realise the power of advertising and media as a force for good. Less than a month into my career, John McCarthy, who had been held captive in Lebanon for over five years, was freed. BBH had worked tirelessly on the campaign for his release, using a yellow ribbon as the symbol.
On Thursday 8 August 1991, yellow ribbons flew from every window in Great Pulteney Street. It brings shivers to my spine even now.
What do you miss about being a child?
I guess I miss the innocence, and lack of serious life responsibilities. Though I don’t miss the insecurities I felt as I was finding my way in the world. Nor do I miss the exams, and hard work studying!
Things you’d have done differently if you’d known how life would pan out?
I am a firm believer that you shouldn’t think “what if?”. You make decisions and live with the consequences; there’s no going back. I do feel that, given my very traditional childhood in Northern Ireland, I took many more risks than most of my peers, and made choices that weren’t the norm.
As an aside, one of those risks – apart from going to Wales for uni – was a parachute jump just after my A levels. It was in the days before tandem jumps, so it was just me, a static line parachute and an aeroplane. It was fine. Though I did another one the next year, got caught in a crosswind and landed on the runway. I smashed my ankle and leg and ended up with an operation to insert pins and plates. But no regrets.
AS AN OMA JUDGE
What's the best thing about working in outdoor?
After 30 years – mostly ad and media agencies, and then publishing marketing, I joined the outdoor industry a couple of years ago. What a wonderful group of people! I especially love the collaboration. Like all industries, there is healthy competition but there is such fantastic togetherness. And the creativity is huge – such a can-do approach to promoting brands. And underpinning all of that is the link with local communities and how much the outdoor industry gives back.
What are you hoping for in the 2024 entries?
I want to be inspired, encouraged, and motivated. Most of all, I want to feel the way I did when the yellow ribbons flew from every window in Great Pulteney Street on 8th August 1991.
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Abi Ward, general manager, Havas Media UK
AS A CHILD
What did 3-year-old you want to be when you grew up?
Wow, at 3 – too early to say. I always like to consider my options. According to my parents, I just liked playing with my little kitchen and eating peppermint creams.
A favourite childhood memory
Every Friday after school, my grandparents would come and pick me and my brother up and we would go to their house. This meant playing Lego (they had a whole suitcase full), lots of cake and playing in their garden which was much bigger than ours, with a treehouse and a stream we could go fishing in.
Any childish misconceptions (and when dispelled?)
That if you ate an apple and swallowed the core or pip then a tree can start to grow inside your stomach.
What child’s game did you play that would now be outlawed/deemed unsuitable?
Knock-a-door-run. We used to knock on people’s front doors and run away. Hanging around outside other peoples’ houses in big groups, scaring them…can’t imagine why anyone would think that’s unsuitable these days.
What were you like at 15?
A nightmare according to my Dad! I thought I was the next Courtney Love, obsessed with Nirvana and Kurt Cobain.
Favourite lesson
English. I had the best teacher, Mr Fleck. He made it fun – and I loved Shakespeare. It wasn’t quite so fun when it came to exams. I still love reading, when I get a chance, and I always make up for it when I am on holiday.
Worst lesson
Physics. It’s just not me. It was also on a Friday and just ruined the last day of the week at school. Science and Maths – not a good combo.
Your school persona
Sporty and rule-breaker, a little bit of both. I loved sport, especially tennis and netball. I was on the school/county teams; I’m highly competitive. But I did also get up to no good, meeting the boys from the school round the corner at the Metro station whenever we could.
Favourite ad
Milky Way, “Red car versus blue car” when I was a child. Any Levi ad when I was teenager.
First song you became obsessed with
Madonna, Holiday. (My mum loves Madonna and we used to listen to her in the car). I used to sing it in karaoke, any chance I got, especially on holiday.
First job
Sales assistant in Schuh. I loved shoes and fashion – still do!
What do you miss about being a child?
Everything seemed much easier then – getting from A to B, having fun, imagination and doing things for the first time. Overall, things seem much harder now and much harder for our kids – there’s a lot they need to tackle mentally before committing to stuff. I don’t think we had the same challenges.
Things you’d have done differently if you’d known how life would pan out?
Travel more. I would have liked to have properly lived and worked in a different country. I travelled and did some odd jobs for the year I was away after university, but I mean properly experience living somewhere else and experiencing their culture. And learning to speak Spanish!
AS AN OMA JUDGE
What's the best thing about working in outdoor?
It’s planning for such a big moment, putting together an OOH campaign. It still excites me when I see our clients advertising on OOH. The special builds, projections are such one-offs – true impact. I used to count how many OOH ads on the London Underground were for our clients when I first started in media. I still do a mental tick when I see one.
What are you hoping for in the 2024 entries?
I am looking forward to seeing some of the industry’s finest work. Also how data integration has refined planning approaches and how has a brand’s first-party data been used to benefit the OOH campaign.
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Ross Sergeant, global head of media, Allwyn
AS A CHILD
What did 3-year-old you want to be when you grew up?
Astronaut.
A favourite childhood memory
Surfing.
Any childish misconceptions (and when dispelled?)
That sea shells grew from other sea shells. Dispelled when I was about 5.
What child’s game did you play that would now be outlawed/deemed unsuitable?
Merry-go-round. Getting flung off the merry-go-round on to hard concrete might not have been the safest play.
What were you like at 15?
I was a musician – spent most of my time writing music.
Favourite lesson
History.
Worst lesson
Inorganic chemistry. Still don’t get it.
Your school persona
I conducted the orchestra, so I guess the musical type.
Favourite ad
Heineken, “Water in Majorca”.
First song you became obsessed with
Orinoco Flow by Enya (still am).
First job
Strategic planner at an ad agency.
What do you miss about being a child?
Hiking, surfing and being outside all the time.
Things you’d have done differently if you’d known how life would pan out?
Learned more languages, hiked more mountains, and studied something completely unrelated to my current career.
AS AN OMA JUDGE
What's the best thing about working in outdoor?
It’s where the most innovative advertising is found. From massive, dramatic sites in New York to innovative 3D sites in Shanghai. It’s where art really meets advertising.
What are you hoping for in the 2024 entries?
Pushing the boundaries, using outdoor for what it can do – deliver dramatic impressive ads that really leave an impression. Forget “seconds of attention”, forget `’effectiveness of a long TV ad`’, a brilliantly executed billboard can do more in one second than most TV ads can in 30.
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Victoria Bickle, UK managing director, mSix&Partners
AS A CHILD
What did 3-year-old you want to be when you grew up?
My career aspirations were slightly diametric early on in life. On one side, I visited the Sea Life centre in Florida as a young child and was then set on being a dolphin trainer. Soon after, I decided a better career choice would be a childminder. The latter was realised to the extent that I now have two children who run me around!
A favourite childhood memory
I am fortunate to have so many. Family has always been important to me and all my great memories are time spent with my parents, grandparents and siblings. The smell of a roast lamb transports me back to my grandma’s kitchen; the airport reminds me of the excitement of holidays with my parents, and Christmas Eve traditions remind me of my sister and brother putting out the carrots for the reindeers. Working hard at my career gives me the chance to make sure that my children benefit from these experiences and create memories. My hope is they take these into adulthood and recreate for their own families in the future.
Any childish misconceptions (and when dispelled?)
I thought that if I dug deep enough, I would eventually arrive in Australia. I was quite determined and so spent a lot of time on holiday digging away. I’ve still not visited Australia but I’ll find another way to get there.
What child’s game did you play that would now be outlawed/deemed unsuitable?
As an 80’s child we had a “Fizzy Pop” van turn up in the summer. This was a weekly highlight and we waited in anticipation for it to arrive. We bought bottles of cheap Cola, Cherryade and Dandelion and Burdock. Much to my parents’ concern, we used to cling to the back of the open-back truck as it drove away. Luckily, I didn’t get hurt but, with the benefit of hindsight, this was rather dangerous.
What were you like at 15?
Mischievous. I was always trying to see what I could get away with and it transpired I was not as good at “bending the rules” as I thought as I usually got caught somehow. I’m told that I still have a slightly mischievous side today, except I like to think that, over the years, life experiences have taught me to balance fun with thoughtfulness.
Favourite lesson
English was the lesson I always applied myself the most in, both language and literature, and I studied this at degree level. I wanted to be a broadcast journalist (but found advertising) and, even at 15, I felt it was important to study this art and topics that could help with my writing ambitions. Good writing, interesting content and the basics of spelling and grammar are still high on my agenda. A misspelling or lack of attention to detail in content can often undermine otherwise good work.
Worst lesson
Despite (or perhaps because of ) my dislike of maths, my parents instilled in me the importance of it for future employment, and I am so glad they did. I really struggled with it and as such, my grades were average at best. I had private tuition every Sunday morning, and this not only turned around my grades, it made me enjoy maths more. Understanding figures is extremely important in business. Today, a significant proportion of my job requires me to not only be accurate and diligent, but also more patient and to take more time to understand and interpret numbers. In the end, knowledge is powerful, and data underpins client performance and business success.
Your school person
The chatty one. It came up time and time again that I was always the one talking in class and disrupting others. Today, I continually remind myself that we have two ears and one mouth. More listening and less talking as a leader is an essential trait. I still love a good chat though.
Favourite ad
It was Trebor’s “Mr Soft”. A jingle always captured my attention. I came across the brand not so long ago and started singing the jingle. My children thought I was going mad and so I found the ad on YouTube and they viewed it with total disinterest. The industry has come a long way in the last 25 years!
First song you became obsessed with
Walking in the Air from The Snowman. I loved the seamless combination of animation and song and the emotion it triggers. Apparently, I wanted to marry [singer] Aled Jones although I worked out he was 10 years older than me!
First job
I had a strong work ethic from an early age and was eager to get out and earn some money to go into town with my friends. I was heading off to Camp America and needed to earn some decent money. My dad set me a challenge; for every £100 I earned, he would match it. Not only did factory work earn a good wage (this was a pie factory in Wigan), working unsociable hours meant a higher rate. My dad realised very quickly never to set me a challenge. He did stick to the deal though!
What do you miss about being a child?
Finding so much simple wonder in life. Being more observant and amazed at such basic things that we would take for granted now. I love watching my young son Felix, seeing his excitement when a squirrel runs up a tree or when he notices a spider’s web glistening in the frost; his constant chatter on what he is learning at school is not only a joy but grounding. Children seem to see and hear more, and I miss that. I have a saying: “Be more Felix”.
Things you’d have done differently if you’d known how life would pan out?
Don’t have a solid career plan early on, have a plan but make it flexible to change. There’s a world to explore, people to meet and relationships to build. Enjoy the career journey and don’t rush to the top. Build the experiences and skills that both life and the workplace can offer you.
AS AN OMA JUDGE
What's the best thing about working in outdoor?
I started my career as a planner in an outdoor specialist agency and so I have always had a passion for outdoor. I love how there are more opportunities to be creative with the format, how the medium can work together with other channels and the exciting tech opportunities that are now available for data integration and targeting opportunities. Outdoor is also becoming a leading format in the sustainable space and is developing sites to deliver positive impact.
What are you hoping for in the 2024 entries?
How outdoor is being used to amplify creativity alongside new and interesting ways to use data for better targeting.
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More judging insights…
Melissa Orchard, digital marketing, media and dCommerce director for ice cream EU, ANZ and media director for UKI, Unilever
AS AN OMA JUDGE
What's the best thing about working in outdoor?
Outdoor media provides brands with a distinctive platform to share their messages in a unique way, using creativity boldly to capture attention and engage audiences with lasting impact.
What are you hoping for in the 2024 entries?
I'm eager to see fresh and innovative takes on outdoor advertising in the 2024 entries; campaigns that have used exciting creativity well to engage their audiences, but also leave lasting impressions on audiences. I am hoping to be inspired by clever use of the outdoor space, but also innovation that drives unique impact of brand message through the outdoor format.
Richard Warren, director brand, marketing and experience, Nationwide Building Society
AS AN OMA JUDGE
What's the best thing about working in outdoor?
Outdoor is the most democratic of all media.
What are you hoping for in the 2024 entries?
Entries that work at scale not as “one off stunts”.