Steven Underwood的动态

When starting out in my career, I was the person who would shy away from the camera.... But now, I love the challenge of featuring in video content and presenting Bonded Agency in an effective way. Being visible online is a commitment I made when we launched the business ?? I’m still learning and loving the process of challenging myself to constantly improve. A key focus is confidence – which doesn’t happen overnight. ? Confidence comes by reassuring yourself that you CAN do the things that worry you, by pushing out of your comfort zone. ? Next time you feel uncertain, remind yourself that the previous time wasn’t so bad! ? Step by step, celebrate the small wins ??. Over time you will overcome your fears and naturally improve. And remember, everyone gets nervous sometimes…it’s healthy and shows you care ??. How do you overcome your fears and anxieties? I’m of the opinion that it takes work and a willingness to be uncomfortable. Sometimes we need to push ourselves to do the things we least look forward to in order to progress - and who knows, you might end up enjoying it - do you agree? ? Below is content we shot yesterday - a behind the scenes video of the venue for our upcoming Future Advertising Trends Festival on Thursday next week!... What are your thoughts? #BondedAdFest

One of my favourite festivals to date is by far MAD//Fest - which just happened this past week. Such great inspirations, connections, and valuable learnings experiences. However the highlight for me was undoubtedly watching Rory Sutherland on stage. One particular anecdote really stood out - he told it in front of over 500 people so I guess I can tell it here:) One time right before going on stage he went to the bathroom where the washbasin went into spasm and deposited a huge amount of water in the front of his pants. While he was desperately trying to think of a solution…a miracle happened and it started raining. So he went out to stand in the rain and came on stage all soaked. Yes admittedly unusual, but better than the alternative he thought… So why am I telling this story apart from the comedy angle…He brilliantly linked this experience to the concept of non-linear problem solving. A lot of progress actually happens backwards, in a non linear fashion. You might lose the clarity when not going forward but you gain an enormous surface for creativity. In essence, the opposite of an idea is another good idea. How does he tie it to this point? He says, “Sometimes instead of drying the wet patch, you need to wet the dry patch.” Brilliant storytelling ???? While it’s a great metaphor for the importance of embracing unconventional methods, I think the real value lies in how you could turn such a story into an intellectual learning! By the way, I took his masterclass this year, I would truly recommend… #madfest #festival #marketing #advertising #storytelling #masterclass

The countdown has begun! Join us THIS Wednesday as we get ready for the best week of the year in both advertising and the french riviera! We're talking about everything you need to know about packing, planning, and conquering your week at Cannes! Register to join us for this informational session through the link in the comments! #cannes #events #advertising #marketing #canneslions

* This Here Round-up * - Finally kicked off the research phase of a talent project after a several month build-up to define the strategy and make the business case.?Personal highlight is setting Shona Sterland the task of predicting who would be nominated for the Mercury Awards by studying past nominees and the indicators that lead to this. The nominees were just announced yesterday, and guess what, she cracked it! #charliexcxftw. - Briefed in a mega update to our showreel, dropping next week, which will be a much better reflection of the mix of clients and work in the studio of late. - Re-building the client interface to our talent project management interfaces on Airtable with Dave, and seeing some 'newness hesitance' fade into gentle positivity from team and clients... Give it a month. - Successfully arming up with lawyers to battle our freeholder who landed us with some extortionate service charges of questionable legality. Still in progress, but after 4 months of brick walls, the little people seem to be winning. - Putting some further finishing touches to our new space on Broadway Market, so definitely ready for a studio warming party - watch this space. - Re-organising our hybrid Talent & Client Services teams roles and job titles to better differentiate these two weirdly similar skillsets into clearer divisions of labour and career trajectories. - Shoots for Jansport and The North Face, Alongside organising and hosting performers for the amazing inaugural Climb Festival for The North Face, and getting a text well past my bedtime to approve a decent bar tab as the after party rolled on. - Campaign Launches - just go and check out Under Armours European Homepages to see our first campaign drop - #Unstoppable - more on that next week. :) Personal highlights - Goodbye Tories! ??♂???? - Hello Summer ????

23…24…Holi!! Can you believe Holi is almost here? It feels like time is flying by this year! As I gear up for the big day to have fun, there's this thought on my mind. As a creative professional, I wonder how brands try to capitalize on these festivals. For us marketers, it's the perfect opportunity to let our creative juices flow, cook up some awesome ads, and sprinkle a little bit of magic into people's lives with our ads! ? I can't help but think about how every festival is like our time to shine as marketers and creatives. But here's a little twist: What if, by some crazy twist, I couldn't get my ads out in time for Holi? ?? Can I just whip out the classic line, "Bura na mano, Holi hai"? ?? I'd love to hear your thoughts! And hey, if you're in the marketing or creative world, drop a comment below and let me know: Is your Holi campaign all good to go? ?? Let's spread some Holi cheer together! ?? #HoliVibes #CreativeMarketing #FestivalFun #AdMagic

I am in the throes of Cannes FOMO, not because I just wanted to go, but because I wanted to have work in the show. I can’t shake it. I'm VCU Brandcenter, through and through. So, I’m OPEN FOR WORK again as a creative. In 2015, I told Cindy Gallop and the audience at the The 3% Movement that “I wouldn’t work for a job that didn’t work for me.” But, it still holds true. To the agencies and brands, I say: 1) LOVE ME, OR LEAVE ALONE: I am many things. I’ve been advised multiple times (and it was likely correct) to leave more than half of myself at the door, when looking for a creative leadership role. But, nah. I am who I am. I’m also way too seasoned to be a CD, but not seasoned enough to be a CCO (although some of my ad peeps say otherwise.) In addition to creative direction and copywriting, coaching is my superpower. A DEI perspective is more important than ever. And, travel is life. And, all of this makes me an exceptional people leader. 2) PAY ME: I’m a blessing, not a bargain. This is my 25th year in the industry. I know what I'm doing. I know what people make and most importantly, I know what I’m worth. I bring a lot to organizations because there’s no one else quite like me. See point 1. 3) DON’T BULLSH*T ME: If your leadership is more interested in optics than my talent, I’m not the one. I want to be OF USE because of my difference, not USED FOR my difference. The latter is a form of tokenism and I have walked off a gig because the intent was to use me as a figurehead. I am many things, but a token is not one of them. See point 1. 4) NYC IS NOT A DEALBREAKER: I’m open to 2-3 days hybrid, as long as I can get back to NYC as often as possible, preferably each week. *Adds mom of two teen girls to the list of things I am.* 5) DON’T DAWDLE: Returning to the ad business is like reconsidering a bad relationship. Will it really be different this time?? Probably not. So, let's not waste any time. This Cannes halo effect may dissipate as quickly as it appeared! Go ahead, judge me: https://thebrownscribe.com #CannesFOMO #PutItOutThere #SeeWhatComesBack

April 2024: This is what happens when you pour so much passion, drive and hard-work into your business, and you love what you do so much that everything else that comes with it, regardless, is just an epic bonus. I spoke at Creative South in April 2024 (Columbus, Georgia USA)?and I recorded this video after last day, following my speech to 500 people, as a bit of a reflection ?? Man, this conference was honestly incredible. I was asked to speak at Creative South?end of last year and I asked around a few people who had spoken at the event before to see if it was worth travelling so far for. Travelling from NZ to Columbus, Georgia was not a quick flight haha And people told me it was definitely worth it. And they weren’t wrong. ‘Come as friends, leave as family’ is their tagline and that couldn’t be more accurate. This video isn’t a sympathy post, this is purely to show how much I genuinely am so incredible grateful and just mind blown that I get to experience these conferences, speak at them and meet the people I do. I think being all the way from New Zealand just makes this even more special to me. An absolutely wild and unforgettable time. This industry is SO much more than what we do. #creativesouth #businessmoments #publicspeaking #graphicdesigner

In 2017, I was ready to walk away. Frustrated. Disillusioned. Questioning if I belonged in the events industry. Every event I watched felt the same. Audiences sat back, watching someone else’s story play out. There was no sense of ownership, no stake in the outcome. And I realized—if no one was going to create something different, I would. I didn’t want people to just show up. I wanted them to shape the experience. To have a say, to be part of the journey. To take an active role in how the event unfolds. And that’s how uRequest Live came to be. An interactive experience where the audience holds the reins. Where each person isn’t just a spectator—they’re a creator. They drive the energy, the atmosphere, the story itself. Today, looking back, I’m grateful I didn’t give up. Because sometimes, the only way forward is to reimagine what’s possible. To redefine what entertainment can be. To create experiences with real connection, real impact. To make people feel they belong in the story. So, if you’re on the edge of giving up, remember this: Sometimes the change you’re looking for is the one you’re meant to create. Keep going. #EntertainmentRevolution #AudienceEngagement #InteractiveExperience #Empowerment #EventIndustry #uRequestLive

The ability of brands to make people laugh was in the spotlight more this year at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity than ever before. Not just because as humans we're yearning for work that lightens the mood and gives us a break from the constant reminders of just how shit everything is right now, but because the festival added 'Use of Humour' to the Culture & Context subcategory across all Lions of the festival. So, I was paying extra close attention to the work that cut through to our collective funny bones... and I want to single one out in particular. As the Monday night awards were being dished out for the Audio & Radio Lions category, there was one entry that was played in the Lumière theatre that had the whole audience in stitches - Otter for Sandoz Deutschland. I really don't want to spoil the gag, as it's really worth experiencing for yourself - so please check it out on the creative's website here: https://lnkd.in/gXgYsQUg But a huge shout out to the junior creatives (Nidhi Shah & Rag Brahmbhatt) behind this work, two impressive Miami Ad School Europe students looking for their first permanent start in the industry. So, do please reach out via their website if you want two genuinely talented funny people joining your creative wings. #Lions #Humour #Creativity #Advertising #Radio #Audio

Cannes In Cairns has come to a close! Known as the “Antipodean Festival of Creativity,” the Cannes in Cairns Festival has established itself as one of the premier industry events in Australia. Supported by several partners, including News Corp Australia, some of our News Xtend team had the privilege of participating in this special four-day event. With over 100 speakers and 10 fantastic networking events, the festival brought together experts in advertising, media, marketing, tech, and more. Here were some of the key takeaways: 1. Accessibility in #advertising: Advertisers are potentially missing out on $13 trillion globally by not making ads accessible. Adding captions or using easy-to-read fonts can help businesses engage with a wider audience. 2. "One way in, one way out" approach: Hushidar Kharas, Head of Prime Video Australia and New Zealand, shared this innovative strategy. It involves testing new ideas in teams with calculated risks and quickly moving on if they don't work. Hushidar emphasised that some of Prime Video’s/Amazon’s most significant successes have come from this approach fostering a culture of continuous improvement and minimising resource waste. 3. Inclusivity, diversity, and responsibility: There is a strong emphasis on these values in advertising. It’s important to think about where your brand or business can make the most impact and focus on providing solutions. We can’t wait to attend next year. Thanks, #CannesinCairns for having us! #NewsXtend #NewsCorpAustralia #CannesinCairns2024 Belinda MacPherson Karen Gill Matt Paine Edgardo (Jed) Tallada Amelia Faulkner Lisa Gillman Medha Mittal Mady Mitsoulas Anthony Christian Jacob Hoskins Sophie Madden Tristan Paul C. Andy Reeves Hannah Myers Emily Walker James Comino