So, what’s new?

Take the plunge

If you’re about to dip into the first pitches of the year, Peter Kenny and I are ready to jump in with you.

  Thank you Kin Ho for lend of this concept pic we shot together on a chilly Bournemouth beach.

Happy Christmas from KEITH + PETER

Wishing everyone I know a Happy Christmas and prosperous new year. This year, as last, was mainly spent in the company of the illustrious Peter Kenny. So a big thank you to everyone Peter and I have worked alongside over the last year — and of course warm best wishes to everyone else!

Well, we seem to have this one licked

This experiential pitch idea was created back in early Spring. Influenced by the beautiful sugar sculptures of Joseph Marr, we wanted to take the idea further into performance pieces with huge PR potential.

Fresh slap of paint

As more and more projects start to come from local small businesses, it was high time for a refresh to the website. The site now divides between direct and agency flavours but hopefully you'll still find what you're after. Agency clients should start here, at Services to the creative industry. I can also point you towards some personal portfolio pieces if youdrop me an  email 

Dumpster diving

You gotta love those open PR creative briefs. This free sample dumpster diving shopper experience is a favourite of mine and Ross' that we did a little while ago. Just one small part of a set of ideas we came up with for a US presentation.

AAAAAAAAH!

Yes, pitches can have that effect. But being a pitch specialst, nothing scares me any more. Not even Peter Kenny who I've teamed up for on this tick awareness job for a favourite agency client.

Pacing back & forth

These quiet times have at least given me chance to catch up on a few shots that I've been meaning to get around to.

Blown away

Earlier this summer, it was a joy to art direct a beautiful set of watercoloiur illustrations for a regular client. This, the cover shot by Liz at KJA Artists.

Up to the old tricks

Back on concepts for an old account. Initial idea trawling offered up these web grabs that'll lighten any day

Grand days out

Last month's shoot in Bradford was the last in the series of 'real-life' portraits that I've been shooting with photographer Henrik Knudsen. This scouting shot of the final location on the Leeds and Liverpool canal shows what a stunning end it was to the series. Though not half as stunning as Henrik's finished portraits.

Plum job

This cheeky little kid-friendly idea popped up while working on some concepts this week. I'll leave it for you to hazzard a guess what the product's for but there won't be a prize for correct answers.

Marching towards success

Making the nominations for finalists list at this year's PM Advertising Awards is the March of Flu interactive piece that I did with Richard Rayment last summer at inVentiv. Winners are announced at the awards ceremony on the 29th. If you can't wait, there are some screengrabs of the project on my portfolio page.

  Picking up Silver Digital Interactive award yesterday. A really great result. Here's a link to all the winners at yesterday's PMs

It’s all go

Welcome to my new website. Very happy /relieved /exhausted, depending on the hour I ask myself.
The blog has been carried over form my old one with a few improvements. I'm afraid the very old posts didn't manage the journey. Hope you enjoy the site.
And, if you're wondering about that magnificent home page shot: I took it with Jez Matthews in the Namib desert.

Flashback - 2012

On this day. With Kin Ho. If I remember rightly, six hours of prep and just a two actually shooting. The first of two variants shot for a student campaign - this first shot was never used.

It’s funny what
you find

While putting together my new site, I've spent ages rummaging through old work I never even knew I had. And this line by Brian Towell was certainly the funniest dusty discovery. Possibly the best disease awareness headline I'll ever have the privilege of setting.

My day

Well, I spent my day working up this instant reminder app. There was a lot more to it but my favorite bits are always the simple bits.

Here’s an MRI to get your head around

This, one of two beautiful images created for a new concept a for non-Hodgkin lymphoma treatment. The idea portrays MRIs as new frontiers to be explored – the coral island, my favorite. With Richard Rayment.

Rhineland grand tour

Halfway through our German photoshoot - Oppenhein, Mainz and, tomorrow, Cologne. Snapping pictures, writing up interviews, and enjoying what the Rhineland does best with photographer, Jesper Westley.
*Other brands are available and were drunk.

Off the wall

It's been a while since I last had a wall to pin up concepts. Unfortunately, this one's for show. Our work's real enough but the purpose of the display is for inclusion into the pitch document.

Pitch-tastic

The fifth pitch this year, this one with Russ Speed. Some fun creative produced for this digestive health pitch but when you can sum a concept up in a tee, it's gotta be good.

Design basics

When illustrations as beautiful as these already exist, you should just go with what the style's telling you. Simple really.

Planned serendipity

Working a sweet little idea with Richard Rayment for part of a joint US-UK creative presentation for a new global campaign. Scouring the web and having fun.

Good morning Atlanta

What a phenomenal location to be thinking up ad ideas. Spending some time in the US working on a new global campaign with the guys at GSW. Doubt you could convince me of a better desk than the boardwalk of Lake Clara Meer.

Chance discovery

Started working today on a new Novo campaign and, while flicking through their online brand portal, found these guidelines that I produced with designer, Mauricio Munoz almost a year ago. There was, obviously, a whole campaign that accompanied the piece, all in the distinctive Novo Nordisk branding.

Flashback

On this day 5 years ago. With Kin Ho. Christmas campaigns start early. Shooting proactively, We went out to capture this shot on the south coast. The image went on to be a AOP Open finalist that year.

New season flu
campaign

A much harder-hitting idea for this season's flu awareness campaign that tries to tackle common objections and misconceptions around flu and its potential danger. Still utilising the established illustration styles from last year and still with a huge spread of materials, this year's campaign is strictly for consumers with an all-new (and very different) campaign for professionals to follow.

Credit where it's due. Illustration – Lee Playle. 'You vs Flu' logo – Mauricio Munoz.

Transcendental marketing

I found myself standing in he rain right at the end of Vauxhall's platform 3. Not exactly known for my spirituality, I stood there facing the breeze, looking at the skies. Soul confirming.
Everyone else was squashed up under the canopy. But why?
More to the point, why not?
The rain wasn’t a new experience. Shite summer weather's all too common. But it just so happened that that certain weather was absolutely perfect for one particular customer at one precise moment.

Fly posting our way around England

The last couple of weeks, me and photographer, Marc Ayres, have been shooting lots of varied locations all around the south of England for an upcoming integrated campaign. The revolutionary-themed concept came from an original line by Brian Towell.

Credit where it's due. Stencil and spray art by DS.

  Nice to see a development of one of the ads take Gold at the PMs. See the winners and finalists from the 2015 PMs.

New brand for Novo Nordisk on set

Really pleased to be shooting (if only in a Kingston car park) key visuals for a brand new global brand campaign. Not sure what Kin Ho will do with all the produce at the end of the shoot though.

  All questions answered, it seems.

Love Your Cervix
goes live

The digital aspect of this campaign has been quite interesting, particularly the inspired UCAS fresher email. I think the micro-site is the last of the foreseeable deliverables. www.loveyourcervix.co.uk

Credit where it's due. Photograph by Kin Ho.

 I'm afraid that link's now expired. Sorry.

Winning ways

Not too shabby - seven nominations and four awards, including this win for the 2013 Flu campaign. At the PM Advertising Awards 2013 with Mike and Jo from SPMSD.

Flu exposure

Just had to snap these as I walked past today.

A p-long p-time p-coming

Originally created for last season's campaign, these consumer vaccination awareness posters have been threatening to get finished for some months. Should be making their way in the world by themselves soon.

Let’s Talk Flu

Sanofi Pastuer MSD's Flu campaign gets reimagined for 2013. This is a huge campaign that incorporates consumer and professional advertising. Lee and Spencer have had a mammoth task with these technically complicated and individually bespoke pieces. This should get noticed.

Credit where it's due. Illustrations by Lee Playle.

Two TVC firsts

Finally on set filming Sanofi Pasteur MSD's 1st television spot in the UK. Also a very exciting first for Bedgebury too. Airing date will be in the winter months.
Should make a mention of our fabulous production team, Wilder, and also Paul Glyde who not only helped pen the original script but also makes a cameo appearance.

Attending to the details

A sweet little idea and a lovely little shot with JSR for this professional campaign. The talent was undemanding, if a tad camera shy. Surprising how fast a snail can move when you want to take its picture.

Well done Bedgebury
 

A Craft Award Win for SPMSD Travel detail aid at Friday's PM Society Advertising Awards. I'm happy to bask in the glory (and drink the champagne), but this one's all the work of Marc, Spencer and Sue. Let's see if we can't up the haul next year!

HPV London campaign

Started this project the day I started Bedgebury. Although the 123 Against HPV initiative has been running long before I started, this particular campaign marks an agency first for consumer outdoor and is scheduled to run as headers, risers, bus backs and even 6-Nations pitch-sides. A nice little start to business!

Credit where it's due. Photography: Roddy Paine.

Colgate trade ads

Been a long time in the concept phase, these. After a fun model build and studio session with photographer, David Gill, here are the shots fresh out of post-production. A great job, I think, in creating our hero and, not to mention, our beaten/ exhausted/ hero-worshiping competition (it seemed all parties saw them differently).

Total Pro-Gum Health
e-detailer

To accompany the new Colgate Total consumer campaign, we (that's Karam Sodhi and me) produced professional materials including ads, print material and this iPad selling aid.