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It would seem all I have done recently is write about colleagues of mine buggering off to new lands.
Connie … Mihika … OK, so it’s not too many I suppose except I now have to announce another two: Bazza and Freddie.
Now because Bazza is going to be earning a fortune as Steve Jobs [yes, THAT Steve Jobs!] personal ‘consumer trend advisor’, I’m going to brush over him till he buggers off some time in March 2008 … so that just leaves me with the sad task of saying goodbye to my favourite ever planner, Fred*.
After being my right hand man in Asia for the last 24 months or so, Fred has been poached by TBWA to be Planning Director as well as run [strategically speaking] the global account of the greatest airline in the World [after Virgin, ha!] … SIA.
I’ve said this about a billion times before, but as sad as I/we are to see Freddie go, there’s also a genuine sense of pride because it means we helped him develop his talent to the point where a load of great agencies were all tripping over themselves to hire him.
In the 2 years we’ve worked together I can honestly say I’ve done some of the best planning work of my career … planning work that has helped lead to creative that very few people ever gave us a chance of achieving … and as much as I was often the media spokesperson for the ‘thinking’, the real praise was [or should have been] aimed at Fred, because without his intelligence, ingenuity, conscientiousness, and all round good nature, much of the work would never have seen the light of day.
How Fred managed to put up with my loud mouthed, opinionated gob for so long is testimony to Swedish ‘calm’ so all that leaves me to say is thank you Fred for everything – you’re a great planner, colleague and friend and I look forward to the day when I can come and steal you back again!
Knock ’em dead … stay true … see you soon!
[* Who comes from Sweden. Lives in Singapore. And is called Fred]
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Congratulations Fred, great agency and great role. Hope this doesn’t mean you’re going to disappear from our blog lives for too long though.
Comment by Pete November 13, 2007 @ 7:34 amNice post Rob, hopefully a certain agency will now realise you’re really a very caring and protective guy, not some maniac who likes to destroy individuals confidence. Yes you went a touch too far but do they not get how they have come across with their actions? Hope normality has prevailed and lessons have been learnt on both sides. I sound like George now don’t I 🙂
Morning ladies and gentlemen,
Comment by Seb November 13, 2007 @ 7:45 amplease make your vote: http://woweewow.blogspot.com/2007/11/preparing-to-move-part-1-hail-to.html
Oh, how rude, congratulations Fred and Bazza. Brilliant news.
Comment by Seb November 13, 2007 @ 7:46 amcongratulations fred!! (and bazza, but that will come later) – now i do hope that you’ll continue to pop in and say hey. one thing I’m slightly concerned about – do they know about your love of toto.. and have they agreed to accommodate it?
Comment by lauren November 13, 2007 @ 7:55 amill make my vote later seb though why you hated my cliched prejudiced suggestions is beyond me. no fucking sense of humour there krauts 🙂
id like to add to petes comment about the attempted shit someone has tried to put rob under over the last few days but theyre not fucking worth it and should have just rung campbell up and called him a twat like i do every fucking day.
and fred?
well you might be a mild swedish creepy fucker, but youre an alright bloke and i know campbell will miss you because we all know youre the man who really did the work that made him famous so now hell just have to get used to being anonomous and mediocre.
as for baz, ill be nice to him when he spends some of his impending millions on me or at least gives me a new fucking powerbook every year because until then, im going to treat him like a sack of shit 🙂
Comment by andy@cynic November 13, 2007 @ 8:15 amBehave Andy! [and Pete] 🙂
Lauren, that is a very good point – thank god he’s off to work on Singapore Airlines or his Toto obsession might of been a deal-breaker, whereas as it happens, it probably made him even more of an ideal hire! Ha!
Comment by Rob November 13, 2007 @ 8:40 amGood luck Freddie, you will be sadly missed but I know we’ll all be together again soon so I’ll save my congratulations for then 😉
Comment by George November 13, 2007 @ 9:02 amWTF! Who is going to man the “Oprah Davies” alarm in asia now? You selfish bastard Fred, you didn’t even warn me.
Comment by Billy Whizz November 13, 2007 @ 9:06 amSticks and stones Andy 🙂
Congratulations Fred. TBWA eh? So will we be working together? Maybe I can make it happen by giving you all of cynic’s Apple business? Not that I would, well not till at least April 2008 🙂
What’s that about treating me like a sack of shit Andy? 🙂
Comment by Bazza November 13, 2007 @ 9:10 amyou want sticks and stones do you baz? what about fists and kicks? well miss you you little fuck.
Comment by andy@cynic November 13, 2007 @ 9:13 amCongratulations Fredrik, have fun and relax in the knowledge you’ll no longer be guilty by association 🙂
Comment by Jemma King November 13, 2007 @ 9:52 amJx
Can we all stop being nice to Mr Ikea … he’s late for work and I don’t care that it’s his last day, ha!
Comment by Rob November 13, 2007 @ 9:59 amBest of luck Freddie.
And oh, before any of you get the wrong idea, this doesn’t mean Rob is actually going to do any work, well not till I leave at least.
Comment by Hari November 13, 2007 @ 10:43 amIt’s awesome news Bazza. I am so going to creep up to you now, just like Rob, not for a silly free powerbook though but something a lot more important. Best of luck.
Comment by Hari November 13, 2007 @ 10:44 amGlad you understand how corporate life really works Hari!
Comment by Rob November 13, 2007 @ 10:48 amBest wishes for your new adventure, Fredrik! Looking forward to keeping in touch
Mark
Comment by Mark November 13, 2007 @ 11:53 amI never liked the man.
Comment by Marcus November 13, 2007 @ 2:40 pmThanks Rob and everyone [and I mean everyone] for the kind words and wishes. The last two and a half years have been an incommunicable mix of challenges, emotions, successes and, of course, plenty of hard work. When I walk out the door in a few hours, I’ll bring a bag full of stories, experiences, learnings [and a few minor embarrassments] knowing I’ll have made friends for life in this place.
It’s been bloody great working with you Rob, which I hope will happen again at some point [don’t know where…don’t know how]. Thank you so much for everything mate.
Bazza, let’s talk in April of 2008. Until then, congrats to you [I hear that fruit company pay quite well]! Well done Bazza and all the best to you!
Billy, don’t worry! I’ll continue to shoulder the responsibility of manning the “Oprah Davies” alarm across Asia. Don’t think that just because I’m leaving this agency, I’m going to disappear from this blog for all time. In case of an emergency, I’ll sound the OD Alarm within seconds. The risk level as of this moment is only at ‘yellow’ as there’s seemingly no imminent threat facing the blogshpere. Stay tuned for updates.
Comment by fredrik sarnblad November 13, 2007 @ 2:54 pmErrrrrm, can someone tell me who this Fred bloke is?
Comment by Robert November 13, 2007 @ 4:13 pmRobert, could you confirm if Fred is looking a bit gay today please?
Comment by Marcus Brown November 13, 2007 @ 4:47 pmI don’t know who you are but you probably had something to do with my brand so best of luck in your new role, continue making SIA successful just slightly less successful than VA please.
Comment by Lee Hill November 13, 2007 @ 4:53 pmTo be fair, the photo I’ve used is a very old one, taken in Northern Thailand when we were on abit of a client expedition. I have to say rather than ‘gay’, I think he looks very German-perversion however if it’s gay you’re after, can I remind you of this site …
http://www.doesfredlookgaytoday.wordpress.com/
Comment by Rob November 13, 2007 @ 5:02 pmActually, the photo that best shows Fred as a “gay” is here …
http://www.doesfredlookgaytoday.wordpress.com/2007/08/28/yes-no-or-maybe/
Comment by Rob November 13, 2007 @ 5:04 pmThanks Lee….and Rob for bringing that website up again! Who would have guessed I’d be best remembered from a ‘gay’ website. Talk about leaving a mark!
Comment by fredrik sarnblad November 13, 2007 @ 5:16 pmYou left a love mark.
Comment by Marcus Brown November 13, 2007 @ 5:17 pmDon’t get carried away Brown.
Comment by fredrik sarnblad November 13, 2007 @ 5:19 pmBet you do at your leaving party at the sauna!
Comment by John November 13, 2007 @ 5:20 pmActually it’s in the IKEA cafeteria!
Comment by Rob November 13, 2007 @ 5:35 pmwhy the fuck is anyone bothered about fred going? not only is he a “planner” but he fucking looks like campbell. its connie and mihika im fucked off about going and if you lot have any sense, youll feel the same way too. its way to fucking early so im going back to bed.
Comment by andy@cynic November 13, 2007 @ 5:44 pmfuck off fuckety fuck fucks.
🙂 thats for you mrs c. sorry.
Comment by andy@cynic November 13, 2007 @ 5:44 pmYou raise a great point there Andy but my focus is more on why/how you are up at this time of day!
Sorry Fred, you might of been a mate who is clever and lovely, but Connie and Mihika are also those things and they look stunningly gorgeous so I couldn’t give a toss about you anymore.
Bye Swedeknobend, never liked you much!
Comment by Rob November 13, 2007 @ 5:48 pmGood Luck Fred!
Comment by Rob Mortimer November 13, 2007 @ 5:50 pmIm sure you’ll do great.
Fred, all my warmest wishes for success and satisfaction in your new job. It was lovely seeing you at Robert and Jill’s wedding and, you never know, we might meet again. All the very best. Fiorella x
Comment by Fiorella Campbell November 13, 2007 @ 5:57 pmAnd that ladies and gentlemen is why my Mum is so bloody great!
Hello Mum … hope you’re OK, will give you a buzz later. Love you, Rx
Comment by Rob November 13, 2007 @ 5:59 pmOk Fred, you left a stain. Happy now?
Comment by Marcus Brown November 13, 2007 @ 6:09 pmDear Fred,
Comment by Jill November 13, 2007 @ 6:55 pmHope the new job is great…. I’m sure we’ll see you really soon, probably over a piping hot miso cod at CL, which suits me just fine!!!!!!! Jx
Congratulations Fred! That is fabulous news and no doubt well deserved. (Take me with you)
Comment by Angus November 13, 2007 @ 8:49 pmWell played Fred. Here’s to the nicest planner I’ve never met yet feel I sort of know.
You get double marks for being a slaphead like me.
Comment by NP November 14, 2007 @ 4:27 pmLook at all these people who’ve come out of the woodwork. Thanks again everyone: Mrs. Campbell, Jill, Angus and NP et al.
See…it’s ‘the day after’ today and I’m still here. “You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave” [guitar solo].
Comment by fredrik sarnblad November 14, 2007 @ 5:35 pm“On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my….” – see that was just a bad choice of song Fred – one day away and already your powers of reasoning are fading. :O)
Comment by John November 14, 2007 @ 6:07 pmI love the Eagles. LOVE them.
Comment by Angus November 14, 2007 @ 9:34 pm