Tom Roach

This week all it took was a tasty tipple of classic TV ads to trap tenor turned top strategist, and alliteration aficionado, Tom Roach.

Currently VP of Brand Planning at Jellyfish, Tom has worked at some brilliant acronyms agencies like AMV BBDO, Leo Burnett, BBH, and adam&eveDDB, creating pitch-perfect campaigns for McDonald’s, Sainsbury’s, and the BBC to name a few.

He gets vocal on a ton of topics, including his early days as a choral scholar, his first agency job, what account people and snow ploughs have in common, The Guardian Points of View ad, why funnels getting flack is unfair, whether advertising will ever die, freedom within a framework, why media, strategy and creative shouldn’t be siloed, a dedication to Les Binet, and more.

Follow Tom on Twitter and LinkedIn

Here’s his blog

Make sure to read:

Most marketing is bad because it ignores the most basic data

Why advertising will never die

The sales funnel is wrong but it’s here to stay, so let’s fix it.

And his Marketing Week column

Tom also asks that you check out the brilliant work of Dr. Grace Kite (who’ll be on Call to Action very soon) and CTA alumni Professor Karen Nelson-Field. Here’s your starting point:

The wrong and the real of marketing effectiveness by Dr. Grace and Tom

And here’s a thread from Tom on Professor Karen’s research

Timestamps

(01:59) - Quick fire questions

(04:23) - His beginnings as a choral singer

(07:19) - First proper job in an agency

(09:41) - Why account people are often unsung heroes

(17:51) - What makes Jellyfish different from other agencies?

(20:41) - His adapted sales funnel and adopting freedom within a framework

(23:29) - Why media, strategy and creative shouldn’t be siloed

(32:40) - Advertising will never die

(36:49) - Incredible value of brands

(38:20) - Listener Questions from Jonny McGrath-Smith, Nick Ellis, and Will Humphrey

(48:55) - 4 Pertinent Posers