My takeaways from my time in London last month and the news that we’re combining forces with CCGroup:
- The endorphins are finally subsiding (thankfully).
- The word “nice” gets a bad rap. I’m here to say that being nice and having an intense drive to win can co-exist. In sifting through the hundreds of comments on social channels about Paul Nolan and Richard Fogg and their staff, it becomes crystal clear that the UK PR industry holds CCGroup, a Hoffman Agency in high regard. They like them. They’re nice.
- I’ve never experienced an office with its own rooftop terrace. This should be part of our global playbook
- Here’s the definition of a “mixer” I surfaced online. “A gathering designed to facilitate informal interactions and allow people to meet and get acquainted with one another.” That’s exactly what we did last Thursday, bringing both staff together at the Kings Cross office. If you were an invisible alien observing the event, you would have concluded this was one company enjoying banter and refreshments (while questioning the use of jalapenos as part of the Mexican buffet to deliver an unnecessary jolt).
- I don’t like the word “integration” to describe what’s ahead for our UK teams. It sounds too technical for an exercise that’s all about the people. Instead, we’re “harmonizing” the two groups.
- Global communications is a mentality, not a function … which brings us back to the people and “harmonizing.” While we’ve still got work to do here, Caroline Hsu and Isabelle Demaude have helped us making meaningful strides over the past couple of years.
- It turns out that Paul does a rousing rendition of “Zombie” by the Cranberries down to Dolores O’Riordan’s Irish lilt, singing the lyrics “… With their tanks and their bombs, and their bombs and their guns.”
- Speaking from my own experience, one’s partner — in my case, Heather T Hoffman — plays a key part in shaping the building of a consultancy. That’s why it was great to meet and spend time with Alice Fogg and Becky Nolan last week.
- A massive amount of behind-the-curtain work transpired over months to get to the finish line. Lydia Lau, FCMA, CGMA Lau shouldered much of the heavy lifting, deserving of a standing ovation. I also want to recognize Jenny Fieldgate and Andy Monk, who took on the local “steering.”
- As our new UK team takes the stage as one, combined with our APAC and U.S. teams, which have brought home more than their fair share of hardware, the outcome is a consultancy like no other in the industry. Okay, that’s my seven-second brag for the post.
- While it’s silly — maybe downright corny — I do view joining forces with CCGroup as our “chocolate meets peanut butter” moment. It’s only fitting that we named Reece’s Peanut Butter Cups as the official candy of our UK team. We are not expecting The Hershey Company to pay us for the promotion, though if they want to ship product our way to encourage our “influence,” that would be savvy.
