Hello, I must be going…

October 12, 2010 By

For me, it’s no longer just the title of a 1980s Phil Collins album, due to the fact I’m no longer with Absolute Radio.

It was a mutual decision, at a rare time when there’s a healthy break between projects. And going into a company of incredibly talented and digitally-aware people from senior management down to reception, I was well aware that the key objectives of knowledge transfer and integrating digital marketing throughout the business contained an element of self-redundancy at some point.

It’s a testament to the team at One Golden Square that in the 14 months I’ve been there, we:

  • Launched over 20 mobile applications which have had downloads in the millions, and driven sustained growth in mobile listening and engagement.
  • Connected with tens of thousands of new and existing listeners via social media, with each account now run by a key stakeholder in the business. Those connections have increased by a multiple of about x1000 in 14 months, with a corresponding effect on engagement with the Absolute Radio websites and specific content items.
  • Launched a number of new brands, including Absolute 80s, Absolute Radio 90s, Absolute Radio Extra (with Rock ‘n’ Roll Football), and the re-launch of Absolute Classic Rock.
  • Redeveloped key content areas of the Absolute Radio website for natural search optimisation, usability and user engagement with fantastic results.
  • Developed internal digital and social media policies which encourage engagement, and utilised an internal planning and collaboration tool.
  • And increased and improved the utilisation of paid search.

And that’s just some of the things which spring to mind…

It’s honestly been a privilege and honour to work with a group of people who are not only skilled, but also extremely passionate about building a new brand which is clear and transparent to both employees, and most importantly to consumers.

In addition I’ve also met and worked with great people from external companies, and if you’re one of them and I haven’t already thanked you, then I hope this counts.

And as for the future?

It’s quite an exciting time – I’m working on a some projects with various people, I’m looking over what I’ve achieved with my own digital projects in the past, and I’m taking the chance to speak to a whole host of new people about various opportunities, whether on a short or long term basis. So if you’d like to chat, please do drop me an email (thewayoftheweb at googlemail.com).

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Great news and good times for the future…

August 27, 2010 By

One of the very brightest and best people I’ve had the pleasure of knowing, working with, and becoming friends with, had some news to share yesterday. He and his great wife are now parents of a beautiful child…

And it summed up how things have changed – even in the short time since my own son was born. The last update before birth was via Skype, the news and images appeared first on Facebook, and rather than everyone heading to a pub to wet the babies head, we all shared congratulations via Xbox Live.

It’s a great time to be a parent. Despite how much of politics and the media can try and achieve their aims by propagating scare stories and propping up things they shouldn’t with cash that really should be used elsewhere, the rapidly changing nature of the world means I have no idea what job or life my son will have. I’m not going to be hoping he’ll become an indentured servant to a feudal Lord, or go into an apprenticeship to have a lifelong career in one role which will never change.

Instead I’m hoping to pass on the ideas which not only seem to be increasingly important in terms of working but also living – embracing change, constantly learning, being willing to take some risks but with the knowledge of how to minimise the danger where it makes sense, connecting to trusted global networks of people with brilliance in a huge variety of ways, and helping others to achieve their aims and ambitions. To be able to effectively share knowledge and wisdom for the good of others and of yourself. To strive to make some kind of positive change for those around us, whether it’s one individual or a whole network. To always work towards doing cool stuff. To experiment. And to take advantage of the fact more information, conversation, connections and progress are enabled by new technology even as it raises new challenges to privacy, security and existing business.

And lastly – to encourage him to tinker with technology and particularly code. If only I’d made the link between my small natural ability in maths and the creativity that can be achieved with it, I might have continued with it far more, and had more of a balance with the more traditional creative outlet of writing (Which I still adore, and don’t regret pursuing – and it’s never to late to start playing around more!)

I’m immensely happy for my my friends and their new child, immensely proud of my family (for which I can take little credit), and I’m looking forward to a new era of evenings of Call of Duty accompanied by more discussion of nappies, toys, learning to crawl, walk, talk and all that comes after…

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