Indie agency, Five by Five Global, caught my eye in September when it sent me the best laxative campaign that has ever been created. Since then, the agency has been growing significantly (not really a surprise). This week, I interviewed two of its people, managing director, Matt Lawton, and new employee, Nigel Powell. I’m even more impressed.
You see, most creative agencies pride themselves in thinking outside the square but never venture outside it when hiring. There has been a softening around the edges in the last few years, but it is still almost impossible for anyone outside the “right age” to enter and difficult for those without “the right background”. Statistically, the right age is around 34 and for newbies, more than ten years less than that.
Nigel Powell doesn’t have the right background and isn’t the right age. Five by Five is an agency that thinks outside the square. In everything. Powell has been hired as business manager because Lawton values his organisational and project management skills. He stated, “As Michael Gudinski’s right-hand man for several decades, Nigel’s life experiences read like a dream to me. He’s a fixer, a do-er, and gets shit done. He organises and does things properly: old school to the core, I cannot be more complimentary than that. I’m sure our office will run like a well-oiled machine when we are all back together under one roof.”
Powell’s candid answers to my questions leave me in no doubt about that:
The Stable: Why did you apply for the job at Five by Five Global? What were you hoping to gain?
Nigel Powell: Applying for any position is very daunting for a person at my age, the process of providing a CV in itself can halt the process in its tracks. Fortunately, I was approached by Matt, whom I’d met previously. This made the process slightly less stressful and intimidating. The pandemic stopped employment in my chosen field of touring live entertainment immediately, as for many, so the prospect of future employment in my industry looked fairly non-existent. To be offered a chance to work in a new environment still within the creative sector was appealing. With absolutely no experience in the field I was about to embark on, I knew it would be a challenge.
The most obvious immediate gain was full-time employment, financial stability, a new beginning, at a later stage of my life, knowing full well in my subconscious I was a touch terrified.
Other gains? To feel part of a team, to be acknowledged, supported, where age was not an issue and to start understanding technology and the language of a modern creative workspace such as Five by Five, I am still learning albeit slowly.
TS: What was your first day like?
NP: The first day was a bit like a first day of school, everything was new, but Five by Five Global the company and its employees were extremely welcoming. The first realisation I would be in front of a computer for a good part of the day, was daunting. It was just so foreign, having spent most of my working life on the move never doing the same task twice. Imagine a horse that has been running around a paddock for years, suddenly put into a stable. As you may imagine, I was fearful I would not make the grade expected of me.
These fears are very real in an older person embarking on a new career. Suffice to say, I realised a new form of discipline was required, resulting in a series of new encounters. I now take each day as my first day.
TS: What do you feel you’ve achieved or gained so far?
NP: I view passing my probation period as Five by Five office manager as an achievement, for which I am thankful. Knowledge, patience, understanding, to work closely within a team of young, highly qualified creative people, is a great privilege. I hope to continue learning so I can become even more of an asset to the agency.
Matt Lawton:
The Stable: Let’s be honest – most people would overlook Powell’s C.V. Why did you keep reading?
Matt Lawton: Nigel’s life experiences read like a dream to me and his reputation preceded him. I knew Nigel from way back and approached him about the role proactively. In a more conventional recruitment process, I imagine it would have been easy to overlook him because we all have subconscious biases. But my mind was anchored to the culture we’re building in the agency and the qualities I look for aren’t based on skills – although Nigel had some nicely transferable skills. To me, one’s character and integrity are more important. Skills can be learned.
TS: What has Powell added to the agency? What does he bring to the role?
ML: Nigel is a very popular member of the team. His pragmatism and lack of agency parlance is an asset because it forces everyone to simplify their communication. Our business is about ‘strength and clarity’ – that’s what Five by Five means actually – and having someone in a business management role keeps everyone on message. He’s a very humble man and humility is another trait that’s good for staff to see and be influenced by. Nigel works front of house and back of house, meaning he greets visitors on reception as well as providing admin support across HR and Finance. He is efficient, committed and hard-working. A lot of people have been gobsmacked by some of his stories, too, which is always a good way to connect and build relationships. They are yet to see how his vast experience in events can help us manage experiential projects which accounted for about 20% of our revenues prior to Covid.
TS: How do you feel about ageism in the advertising industry? What is the industry missing out on? What do you think will achieve real change?
ML: I don’t know if ageism is any worse in our industry than others but it’s an important part of having a diverse workforce so any industry misses out on diverse thinking by ignoring someone’s age. Obviously, the population is getting older and so the consumers we write ads for have less and less in common with ‘young’ creatives. We’ve synthesised a lot of the recent consumer research during the pandemic and it tells us that there are two mindsets evident in society – you are either nostalgic or progressive and neither of those have much to do with age. But having a diverse team gives us more insights into the references and tone of voice we know will resonate more broadly. But I don’t think it’s a one-way street. Older candidates should ensure they do all they can to equip themselves for the role and not just rely on experience. Yes, skills can be taught and your experience is great, but demonstrating the edge such experience provides is what will impress hiring managers. We see young talent recognised all the time in our industry – 30 under 30 etc but I think real change will come when we have awards that recognise the 60 best performers over 60. Perhaps we could start with 6.
The agency has also hired designer, Toffany Gozal; art director, Dan Craig; and copywriter, Charlie Dejean.
Lawton added, “A desire to provide a diverse and inclusive workplace is a conscious choice. Every person, regardless of their age, cultural background, disability, gender, sexual orientation and socio-economic background deserves to feel like they belong in their workplace and be valued for their thinking and contribution. This sense of belonging will result in a stronger business, a better workplace and ultimately better work for our clients.”
The best laxative campaign ever:
