On My Radar: Tom Keeler

What the most creative advertising idea you’ve seen recently?

Loved the Marmite Dynamite campaign by adam&eveDDB. It was something so different and I just can’t help but chuckle at the thought of the resident’s faces when they came out to see that. 

What website(s) do you use most regularly?

I have to know what’s going on in the world (even if it always seems like it’s all going to pot) so I would have to say my most frequent website is BBC News, particularly whilst I’m not commuting and getting my news fix via the Metro and the Evening Standard.

What’s the most recent piece of tech that you’ve bought? 

As a company, career development is a core value, so we are in the process of rolling out a new platform for learning and development. We are incredibly lucky to have the staff we have and giving them additional tools to improve and clarity to reach their career goals is incredibly important. On a personal level, I’ve not purchased any tech for a long time but, if I were to treat myself, I’d go for a Wahoo Bike Computer [below]. After all, the more tech you put on your bike, the faster you go and the more motivated you are to train. I’m sure that’s how it works.

What product could you not live without?

With a two-year-old and a four-month-old at home, it’s fair to say that I’ve got my hands full – but not of products. Prior to having kids, I was out on the bicycle every day and, whenever I get a spare hour now, I take the opportunity to go for a ride. I used to follow the mantra that you could always cycle fast enough to leave any problems behind, but with my current level of fitness, I’m not sure that’s still true.

What’s the best film you’ve seen over the last year? 

Joker; the first time I watched it was obviously more than 12 months ago now, but I’ve had to re-watch it again lately because it’s just too good to only see the once. In fact, it’s one of those films that gets better the second time round.

What film do you think everyone should have seen?

I’d say about 95% of the films I’ve had to watch recently have been one of the Toy Story movies. I say I’ve ‘had to watch them’, but they do provide a nice bit of escapism, which I think we could all do with at the moment. Even if it is the 25th time I’ve ‘had to watch them' in the past month.

What’s your preferred social media platform?

I mostly use LinkedIn. It’s a fantastic way to not only see the work being produced, but also the initiatives companies are running to better themselves. We’re not just about churning through the work. We want to be the best company we can in many other aspects and learning from the market can be really inspiring.

What’s your favourite TV show?

I’m not saying it’s necessarily the best show ever made (although it was still so good) but growing up I loved Scrubs [above] and it’ll probably always be my favourite TV show, purely from a nostalgia point of view.

What’s your favourite podcast?

Off the back of that, I’ve been listening to Zac Braff and Donald Faison’s Fake Doctors, Real Friends podcast, where they discuss each episode of the show and give some insight to the BTS moments. If Scrubs ever comes up in a pub quiz, I’d get at least one point.

What show/exhibition has most inspired you recently?

Every month/every other month/whenever he remembers, Ric [Comline Creative Director at sister company, Blind Pig] hosts an internal ‘Cool Shit’ night. We get together (or log onto Zoom!) for a viewing of the weird and wonderful things we’ve seen across the world of filmmaking, art and design recently. Anyone can submit something to watch, so it’s pretty varied, but a recent submission was Walt Disney’s 1957 intro to the MultiPlane Camera. Patience has never been more inspiring!

What’s the most significant change you’ve witnessed in the industry since you started working in it?

The obvious answer would be the adaption to remote working, but I think there has been something deeper at the heart of all companies wanting to make the industry - and the world – a better place. Existing purely to produce work is no longer enough and companies need to provide their staff, clients and wider community with something more. I don’t think we’ll see those benefits immediately, but they’ll be felt in the years to come, I’m sure.

If there was one thing you could change about the advertising industry, what would it be? 

There are many things that can be improved, but it really feels like the big issues are being talked about and organisations such as the APA are turning those conversations into actions. Success in those initiatives won’t be achieved overnight, but I genuinely believe that we’ll see a lot of positive outcomes over the next few years.