PHD is celebrating 25 years in 2015, so M&M Global caught up with worldwide CEO Mike Cooper to find out the secret behind the agency’s longevity and its plans for the future.

It’s PHD’s 25th birthday and looking back at the last quarter of a century Mike Cooper, global chief executive at PHD believes that the world has “moved closer” to the agency.

In our meeting at PHD’s London headquarters, Cooper described how he believes the agency is more future-focused than any other and that clients are finding a much greater need for this kind of attitude in order to keep up with the massive proliferation of media channels.

It would be hard to argue with Cooper’s confidence when behind him is a bookcase crammed full of industry awards from the likes of Cannes Lions and, of course, our very own Festival of Media gongs.

He explained: “Clients are finding a need for a much stronger planning based product, which provides them with the opportunity to spend their money across all of these different platforms.”

The importance of growing global client relationships cannot be underestimated, and PHD has certainly excelled in this area with the likes of Unilever, GSK, SC Johnson and SAP among its impressive international client roster.

“Developing a global client portfolio has been a major change for us – and that’s been a lot of fun over the past 25 years,” said Cooper.

Creative technologists

So how has PHD managed to position itself where it is today? I asked this question literally as the whole office launched into applause and cheers as it had retained the multi-million Sainsbury’s client.

“We’re very lucky with the kind of people we have. I think there’s something about PHD that attracts smart talent – there’s a certain type of person attracted to it because it’s a challenger brand.”

And in a society, and particularly an industry, where a new trend seems to appear on a weekly basis, it’s no surprise that this challenger brand mentality from an agency is attracting talent that is passionate about technology both in and out of work.

“I don’t think any client can have a complete grasp on everything that’s going on at one moment. Every week there is something happening – it’s all changing so rapidly. And in that world of confusion and doubt they are looking for someone to lead them through it,” said Cooper.

“If you have an agency that is staffed by young people who are really savvy about today’s media and all of the changes – then I think that’s a great opportunity.”

However, it’s not just about finding people who are interested in new technology, they have to have a creative edge, or as Cooper reveals, be ‘creative technologists.’

“The biggest threat is not finding enough of this type of talent. We certainly don’t want to exhaust the supply, particularly as all agencies are now after the same type of person.”

“Having that bank of talent makes an amazing difference and it’s why we win all of these awards. Dove Real Beauty Sketches, the Lego campaign, Kan Khajura Tesan India – those campaigns were developed by really smart planning people. These people reallythink about brands from the ground up and organise the best communications strategy for them.”

To an outsider, pitching to a global client like Unilever, or those mentioned previously, may seem nerve-wracking, but Cooper described it as a ‘joy’ to work on.

“We wanted it so much and we put so much of ourselves into it. The actual pitch is the easy bit, it’s all the development work that goes into it which is the hard work, along with motivating people and getting everyone around the world to work together. We had such an amazing group of talent in the room that day that it was just a joy to watch.

“I think the most difficult pitches are when you’re selling something that people don’t really want. Not every client wants an agency which is planning based – some want a ‘just buy my media’ sort of approach. On occasions we have got it wrong and pitched for clients like that.”

Global territories

Discussing global territories, it comes as no surprise that Cooper says that Asia has seen the biggest growth in media for the agency over the past 25 years.

“I’m slightly biased because I was based there for a long time, but I love what’s happening in Asia. It’s always been fast-growing and a bit quirky, but now it’s really scaled. There are three big markets, India, China, and Australia, driving the region.”

However, he has a note of caution that fast-growing markets come with many more challenges.

“Trying to stay on top of what’s happening in these markets is a real challenge. In China and India you have some of the savviest consumers you’ll find anywhere in the world. They are value obsessed and they want the latest product.

“It’s a challenge to deal with when managing the communication strategy to reach them – you really have to stay on top of what’s happening in the market.”

The digitalisation of media

Another key game-changer in the last 25 years has been the digitalisation of media with Cooper citing Tim-Berners Lee – the inventor of the web – as a clear influencer in where PHD, and the industry as a whole stands today.

“Consumers today are so well informed and are talking to each other about various goods and services,” explained Cooper.

He references the automotive and mobile phone categories as two sectors that have really taken media to the next level, explaining that one of the reasons why these products have shorter lifecycles today is because consumers now have access to online platforms such as forums and social media sites where they can discuss the latest products.

“The level of noise and the speed in which that information travels is just incredible. Whereas you used to have a seven year cycle for brands in certain categories, today everybody is asking ‘what’s next, what’s next,” added Cooper.

Don’t get complacent

A quarter of a century is a long time, but it’s not hard to see how PHD’s attitude to its clients, and the industry as a whole has made it the successful business that it is today – but what are its biggest threats to continued success?

“If we start taking what we do for granted,” said Cooper. “Other media agencies don’t win this number of awards – I worry that people think it’s normal. One of my biggest fears is getting complacent.”

As part of the birthday celebrations, PHD has been inviting those that have worked for and with the agency, past and present, to leave a message on its specially created microsite. You can leave your own message here.