I got into the events industry because with events and face to face activations you can see campaigns at work first hand, and the reaction; a smile, a thought, a comment, a laugh. It’s great to see relationships building between people and brands right in front of your eyes.
I have worked here since Amplify was conceived just under five years ago, and I’ve never looked back.
I was attracted to this particular role because I wanted to have creative control over the work I did. I believe you’re defined by the good work you do, and by the bad work you choose not to do. We wanted to create an agency that was a home for like-minded, creative people and clients, building on our previous experiences, good and bad. Every day I now get to work alongside those who I consider the best in the business on the coolest brands like PlayStation, Converse and Honda. It’s not hard to get out of bed in the morning.
Not many people know that when I was 24 I found myself in the embarrassing situation of co-presenting a session on organising outdoor events alongside Michael Eavis. His event was clearly a little larger than any I had organised, and he had a lot more anecdotes up his sleeve. He was a legend. Humbling.
My worst experience at an event was getting snowed in at Stansted Airport with Addictive TV, who was headlining a PlayStation event at Berlinale, the German film festival. Several hours and modes of transport later we got them there on time, had a lot of fun and made some good friends along the way.
If there’s one thing I’ve learnt it’s all in the planning. If you’ve left it to the event it’s too late. Just add people and let it breathe.
The best event I’ve been involved in is always the next one. However, the one that sealed events as an integral part of my career was a sell-out gig at Brixton Academy. I remember being a rather nervous 24 year-old standing side of stage beside my then colleague Steve Hoyland (now a big shot at the Academy Group) watching Roni Size and Reprazent smashing it. I had the biggest grin on my face – a mix of relief and elation.
If I could do it all over again I would do it exactly the same, as the decisions you make at the time will always be the right ones. However, the team behind Amplify are currently working with a number of start-ups giving the benefit of our experiences and structure – so they can focus on what they’re good at. I firmly believe it’s always better to learn from someone else’s mistakes rather than making them yourself.
The one thing I can’t stand is unprofessionalism in all its forms.
Outside of work I spend my time thoroughly enjoying myself, as I do at work. The lines between work and play blur, but my greatest fear, being bored, is always kept at bay.
If money were no object we would do more pro-bono work, like the work we’re doing with Shelter that I’m really proud of. It’s more than a warm fuzzy feeling. It’s about taking hard, complicated issues and making them heard and understood. Other than that there’s always another 12" record to hunt down.
The one event I will never miss is Sonar Festival, and the periphery parties. It is always a regular haunt, as is Secret Garden Party Festival in the UK or any number of the boutique festivals in Croatia and Europe. All provide the perfect backdrops for mischief and hedonism. I’m manning up for Burning Man, the big boy of festivals, in 2012 as well.
The next 12 months will be spent remaining true to the original Amplify ethos and culture, continuing our expanding reach with our international work and developing the next generation of Amplifiers. I’m a big fan of lots of boutique, rather than one lot of big.
If I could switch places with anyone else in the industry it would be my co-founder Anton Mercier. He’s got the desk directly next to the window.
If I ruled the event industry I would ban some of the cowboys and chancers I’ve met along the way. You know who you are.
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