About Me
For 15 years I was an adman in London.
I was lucky to work with some of the world’s best brands (BMW, BBC, LandRover, adidas to name a few). And I was lucky to learn from some of the world’s best admen, help create some of the world’s best ads, and end up as the Managing Director of Bates UK; one of London’s biggest ad agencies of that time.
But, by the mid-noughties, advertising had started to drop down the marketing pecking order.
So I moved to Portugal, started a family, and became a ‘brandman’, working via phone and email from home.
First, I did it as Executive Director of a branding consultancy, and then for more than a dozen years as the Global Creative Director of the world’s largest online gaming company, PokerStars. During that time I built their internal agency, ‘Stars Creative’, and oversaw a huge output of creative work across branding, design, advertising and content.
Now I’m doing project work for people who have a great product and want an equally great brand. (Please get in touch if that’s you.)
My greatest belief is that there’s far more to life than work.
But when at work my core belief is in the phenominal power of great brands. Their power to attract and retain. Their power to survive and grow. Their power to be respected and loved.
I’ve learned a lot on my journey about what makes a great brand. And I’ve also learned HOW to make a great brand.
I know that convictions and beliefs lie at the heart of every great brand.
I know that a great brand is better defined by what it doesn’t do than by what it does.
I know that the branding process starts with a compelling brand promise, and ends with every single department in the company.
I know that for a brand to look great is crucial, but that alone is not enough.
And I know that any marketing director who wants to make ‘a brand ad’ is doing it wrong.
In my blog I’ve written down a few thoughts I’ve had over the years, mostly relating to branding. I hope they don’t waste your time.
Because I want you to be brand, not bland.
I’m chrisjherd@aol.com if you want to chat.