Looking in London's Rearview Mirror.

Does a death grip on the success of the past hinder the potential of the future? When it comes to the advertising industry it London, it seems to be so.

I had conversations with the creative leadership at Lean Mean Fighting Machine, RKCR Y&R, glue Isobar, St. Luke’s and Dare, and while each had individual, original insights to share about the market in London, all hit upon a shared theme: London is holding on to the prowess of the past and it is hindering the market’s progression into the present and future.

London is a mature advertising market. It’s been there and done that brilliantly when it comes to traditional media. And that’s exactly the problem; at times, it feels like everything in television, in print, posters or radio has already been done, and there is no room for innovation. Until the digital space came along.

“I’m so invigorated and so excited by the new world of digital,” former Executive Creative Director of RKCR Y&R Damon Collins told me. “It’s fantastic because technology is evolving and people are evolving with it, which means that there’s always something new that you can potentially do.  The technology is helping change people’s habits and there are so many amazing, fantastic, groundbreaking things that you can do with interactivity and digital. We’re all learning and you can see real-time results, which is brilliant.”

It’s the “we’re all learning” piece that makes the industry a bit nervous, and is holding London back from embracing a quicker shift into the new landscape. London had the market cornered on traditional media – especially television – in the eighties and into the nineties. Think BBH. With success comes international recognition. With international recognition comes pride and confidence.

By contrast, with uncertainty comes procrastination and in some instances, complacent reluctance.

“Procrastination is the killer of all original ideas,” glue Isobar’s Executive Creative Director Seb Royce explained. There are scads of brilliant creative people in London, Royce said, but with a spotlight on digital, everyone freezes. It seems more is at stake in the unknown, agencies become afraid of making the wrong move and the cog moves too slowly. “The industry in London is nervous about change,” Royce said, “but change needs to happen. You can take baby steps, as long as you’re taking them forward.”

But it’s not only uncertainty and hesitation.

“It’s economics again,” Dare Managing Director Toby Horry said. “In the eighties and nineties, the UK had a massive, vibrant economy, and there was money to make, to put into big TV campaigns.” That’s no longer the case.

Take agency Lean Mean Fighting Machine, for instance. In 2008, the pure play digital agency who founded their work on a niche in banner advertising returned home from Cannes as Interactive Agency of the Year. And then the economy tanked.

When money dries up, clients become very risk averse. They stick to the tried, true and past-proven, and marketing and media plans mimic years prior. Fresh ideas are held “for next year’s budget.” And innovation stagnates.

London’s competitive agency marketplace adds to client confusion. There are too many agencies telling clients they can do the same thing. As the industry simplifies in this new landscape, the work will be better integrated, but at the moment agencies are not fulfilling the potential that’s there and clients are not getting the best that they could, according to Royce.

How to fix that? “We’ve got to start having fun again,” Royce said. Fear not the spotlight of “digital” as a buzzword and instead, step fully into a realm of new possibility. 

Sunday Morning at Old Spitalfield's.

If you like treasure hunts, then spend your Sunday morning at London's Old Spitalfield's Market. 

Located in East London, not too far from Brick Lane, the Market is open each day of the week with a different highlight. Thursday is the Antique Market, Friday is the Fashion Market, and those are certainly fun if you are looking to specifically find fashion or antique gems, but the weekend markets, well, those are my favorites. And Sunday is the biggest and baddest of them all, which also means big crowds, so plan accordingly (read: go early).

Walking into the market, the first thing you notice is the massive size of the old Victorian market hall. There are rows upon rows of vendors, in multiple rooms, surrounded by restaurants and retail stores. Overwhelming? Perhaps. But I was more mesmerized than overwhelmed and I eagerly jumped in to peruse the goods.

In one room, young fashion designers line up in stalls to show their fabrics, fashions and new looks from accessories to clothing, jackets and shoes. Fashion Street is not too far from Spitalfield's, in fact, just a few blocks down the road, so the fashion industry has a decided presence at the Market. There were some very innovative pieces in the mix, and it's always fun to support aspiring talent in any art genre when you appreciate their work. Mixed in and among the fresh work of the designers are stalls of cute, inexpensive clothing for women; shirts and blouses, dresses and more.

There's lots of something old with all the something new, too, as most of Spitalfield's main hall is lined with row upon row of vintage wares, from records and music, to jewelry, trinkets and treasures, to books, shoes leather bags and purses, furniture and household goods, and old vintage fur coats.

I know I'm not supposed to like fur coats, but these vintage beauties were tempting, soft, worn and yet still in gorgeous shape. Don't worry, PETA, I did not buy one. But I wanted to.

Essentially you name it, you can dig through and find it. An old typewriter? Yes. A tea set? Yes. An antique platter to add to your blue plate collection. Likely yes.

I did not get into the mix of the food surrounding the Market, but from what my nose could tell, and what I have read since, the restaurants and food vendors (there were organic baked goods, wines and more) are among London's finest. From gourmet pies and mash, to gourmet burgers, Mexican food, French cuisine and cheeses, to a piping hot cup of coffee, the Market's got it all.

However, Poppie's Fish and Chips is just across the street for a traditional taste of London, and Brick Lane is less than five minutes away if you wanted to pop over for some of the city's best curries.

Old Spitalfield's Market is just a five minute walk from the Liverpool Tube Station and is open on Sundays from 9 am- 5 pm. Check their Facebook page for news and updates each day but do yourself a favor on a visit to London and explore the treasure trove that is this Market.

Borough Market on a Saturday Morning.

There is no shortage of weekend markets in London and tempting the taste buds at an open food market is, in my opinion, a perfect way to start a Saturday morning.

But with the Borough Market in Southwark, you don't need to wait until Saturday. If your schedule permits, the Market is ready to get your mouth watering on Thursday and Friday afternoons, as well. Some retailers in and around the Market are even open earlier in the week.

Being that I spent my days with some of London's best agencies, I did wait until Saturday to check it out. I boarded the Tube and rode it to London Bridge; another perk of a visit to Borough Market being that you can combine it with many other tourists attractions in the vicinity, from the London Bridge to the Tower Bridge, and everything in between.

Crossing over Southwark Street and to the left of the beautiful Southwark Cathedral, I dropped down into the madness under the Viaduct.

And make no mistake: the market is madness. But a beautiful mess of madness it is.

My first order of business was breakfast. I had to select a snack to prevent myself from purchasing everything I laid eyes on in a fit of early a.m. hunger. With endless selections of fresh produce, seafood and meats and soft buttery cheeses, I was bound to get in trouble. Around me vendors were doling out taste tests of piping hot, spicy paella and mulled wine and cider, and the smell of crispy fried fish 'n' chips wafted through the air, making my stomach growl.

But it was morning time, giving my brain a battle between a later day indulgence like paella, fish 'n' chips or a toasty duck sandwich, and something that was a little more typical for the time of day. Earlier in the week I had passed by a pastry store on Primrose Hill and the memory of the soft croissants denied taunted my memory. Borough presented my solution just a short distance into the Market with an almond chocolate croissant, decidedly my favorite kind from my young days studying in Paris.

Even being my favorite, it was no easy decision with brownies the size of bricks and other warm freshly baked delights in the mix.

But I stuck to my decision and savored every sweet bite. With my hunger in check, I explored the rest of the Market.

As with most any food market, Borough would be a great place to get one's weekly produce and local, fresh goods. If were a resident and less a nomadic fast-moving target, I would have taken some of the goods home. Instead I indulged with my other senses, taking in the sights and smells, and when offered, accepting the occasional taste.

Borough Market has been around in some form or fashion since the 13th century, and has since grown into a fashionable and popular destination. It has also been featured in film and on TV to add to its notoriety. Thus the madness.

Various other markets around town were suggested to me by some of the ad industry professionals I spoke with throughout the week, but be it as it may, time only permitted a visit to Borough.

What is your favorite market in London? Or what is your favorite city to explore weekend food and treasures markets? Chime in here.

IHAVEANIDEA Agency Profile: St. Luke's

I’ll let you in on a little secret: I love a good cream tea.

I’ll let you in on another little secret: I did not know how much I loved a good cream tea until I visited London agency St. Luke’s.

I was welcomed from the moment I approached the gates of the St. Luke’s office, though the gates themselves were a bit hard for me to find. I missed Duke’s Road and carried on down the London city sidewalk straight into the hustle and bustle of the King’s Cross St. Pancras tube station before realizing that I’d made a wrong turn.

Backtracking my steps, I finally found the gates outside St. Luke’s, reminiscent of a royal entryway, and rang the bell. I was kindly and warmly ushered inside and that, my friends, is where I encountered the cream tea… waiting just for me.

I won’t torture you with details of the warm scones with clotted cream and jam, or the hot, sweet tea that accompanied my introduction to St. Luke’s, but alas, all good things must come to an end. And so was the case with my cream tea. Thankfully I managed to learn a thing or two about St. Luke’s in between bites of clotted cream goodness, and I liked what I heard.

What would you do with a “Make Yourself More Interesting Fund?”

Click here to read more on IHAVEANIDEA.org and click the image below to take a look at St. Luke's cozy, chic, collaborative office space in London: