Ahead of our 100th episode next week, one of the most outspoken and brilliant voices in ad land, Steve Harrison, dropped by …Gasp! HQ and tore up our usual script for a special bonus episode of Call to Action.  

Copywriter, author, and great friend of the agency, Steve stuck the boot very much on the other foot and snared Giles to shoot the breeze on all things …Gasp!, with an extra dose of eloquent fire for good measure. It is Steve after all. 

We chat on why we’re called …Gasp!, art director heroes, being a bunch of creatives who excel a strategy (and vice versa), turning down pitches and firing rude clients, turning 13, abusive voicemails from Sophie, the confidence crisis amongst agencies, our work for Langleys and Zen Internet, setting fire to the Leo Burnett offices, getting sued, selling the agency and tons more. 

Tune in next Friday for our 100th episode with an extra special guest. It’s going to be mega. Ritson Mark my words. 

/////

Follow Steve and Giles on Twitter 
See what happened when …Gasp! turned 13 
Check out our work with Langleys and Zen Internet 
Here’s Jonathan Barnbrook 
Watch Giles’s talk on breaking away from billable time  
Over 80% of our team has completed at least one of Mark Ritson's Marketing & Brand Management Mini MBAs



Timestamps
(02:54) - Why we’re called …Gasp! 
(04:46) - Art Directors and creative heroes 
(09:30) - …Gasp!’s focus on strategy over tactics 
(13:23) - Working for big shops or little shops? 
(19:32) - Turning down pitches and firing clients  
(32:00) - Moving away from the billable hour 
(35:45) - Confidence crisis amongst agencies 
(44:42) - A social purpose campaign that works for Zen Internet
(52:10) - Setting fire to the Leo Burnett office; have we lost rock and roll creatives? 
(59:00) - Our work, that worked, with Langleys 
(1:08:43) - Would Giles sell the agency? 



Giles & Steve’s Book Recommendations 
A Smile In the Mind by Beryl McAlhone and David Stuart 
The Art of Looking Sideways by Alan Fletcher 
Can’t Sell Won’t Sell by Steve Harrison 

/////