Mike Florence, Chief Strategy Officer, PHD UK
The winner stood out as an “exceptional” and “very strong” media planner, according to the judges. They singled out Mike Florence’s media thinking and his reorganisation of PHD’s planning team around the twin pillars of brand and performance advertising.
Chief strategy officer Florence introduced rhythms planning – what one judge called “a game-changing methodology” – in 2017 that helps brands to plan their media “in rhythm” with business trends and cultural events in the calendar. The rhythms team, which went on to win Agency Team of the Year at the Campaign Media Awards in spring 2018, is credited with helping to win and retain a string of clients.
“Rhythms” work for Sainsbury’s in the run-up to Valentine’s Day identified that men buy later and spend 50% more than women, and a resulting shift in strategy drove an increase in sales.
The judges were impressed by Florence’s “robust”, “detailed” and “flexible” thinking, which he combines with an ability to distil complex ideas in simple and comprehensible terms.
Karen Stacey, chief executive of Digital Cinema Media, said in a testimonial: “Mike’s skill of demystifying the seemingly complex and reminding us that our job is to move people and make them think or do something different is why PHD remains a company of great thinking and results.”
Read the original article in full on Campaign.
