In an interview with The Drum, Simon Manchipp talks Trouble at WHSmiths, Tourbillon at JLC and Terrific Architecture in Azerbaijan.
So how are you? What’s keeping you busy right now?
We’ve just come back from Dubai shooting a luxury travel TV campaign for Sovereign. So we are all a bit jet lagged! I’m also working on the branding for a new central London museum, a tech start-up, a boating brand, and leading the Cancer Research UK brand team. It’s all adding up to a rather exciting start to the year.
What’s your biggest gripe at the moment?
The film ‘Boyhood’ — saw it, and really don’t see what the fuss is about. Love the idea of using the same actors over a very long period of time. Interesting right? But watch it — very little happens. The script is yawn-inducing. Lead character drab. Misses all the wonder of boyhood and centres on a dismal dullard. Oscars? You must be kidding. It’s like being told to go and see an amazing wall that is 3 miles long and has been painted using eyelashes. Then you go, see it, and it’s just a yellow painted wall. The back story is SO much more interesting than the result. Disappointing.
Likewise, what are you loving?
Watches. They seem to be undergoing a bit of a revolution (pardon the pun). With the news of iWatches it feels the level of craft has stepped up a gear and the new tourbillon work from IWC is pretty incredible. Tourbillons are often seen as the highest achievement in horological design. They are a watch with in a watch that regulate the watch against gravitational forces, making them incredibly accurate. They are also complex. Hard to make. Oh. And they are made by hand. It’s astonishing really. The gyro-tourbillon by Jaeger LeCoultre is unbelievable. It not only only operates on one axis, it works on two and spins while it’s at it. This level of craft, rigour, detail and perfectionism inspired us to increase the elements we include in branding programmes for our clients. To better serve the business purpose.
What would you change if you were prime minister and/or had unlimited resources?
Disabled Parking spaces. They are always empty, there’s got to be a better way. The ‘printing and graphic design’ display at the Science Museum. It’s way out of date. Nigel Farage needs to be removed from the picture. Introduce a more bistro-led approach to restaurants and pubs. Greater funding for Cancer Research. Oh and more cats. Obviously, more cats. They are the currency of the internet.
Which project do you wish you had worked on, and why?
I wish we could work with WHSmith — because currently, they are a car crash of up-selling chocolate bars within rushed purchase of magazines for a long flight. I bumped into one recently in Heathrow and it just awful. The one in Balham is even worse and frankly they really shouldn’t be in business. I’d love to get in there and help them turn around what is rapidly becoming an embarrassment for all involved.
Thinking outside of your industry, who inspires you?
Pretty much anything by Zaha Hadid — we’re working on all sorts of things for the 1st European Games and her building in Baku is simply astonishing. I love the way that the buildings begin life as paintings.
Where do you find your inspiration?
Generally in liquids. Coffee is a good one, Tequila is often more interesting. (We’ve just started working on a Tequila Brand at SomeOne!) Truthfully it’s everywhere, every brand, every project, every organisation, product or service has something interesting about it — even if it is the fact that it’s awful, boring or slow. It’s our job to find that inspiring point and make it famous.
What’s your last word on the industry?
Entertainment. It’s where it’s going. Ads don’t make people laugh at the moment. They set out to tug heartstrings and make you feel all warm inside. The brilliant gags have gone to be replaced by the violin section. Branding can step up and help bring the entertainment back.
This Article Appeared in the February 4th Edition of The Drum.