Sharing Marketing Wisdom – featuring Nicholas Lancaster

Our Q&A with Nicholas Lancaster, Senior Manager: Brand and Campaigns at TSB.

The purpose of article series ‘Sharing The Wisdom’ is to feature, showcase and share knowledge, expert views and wisdom. Local. Authentic. Insightful.

Tony @ ADLIB: Could you please introduce yourself as well as your background?

My name is Nick and I lead the Brand and Campaigns team at TSB. Over the last 3 years we have planned, created and launched our Life Made More brand platform, positioning ourselves as the bank that helps customers be confident that they are making the most of their money, so that they can get the most out of life.

As part of this, we completely redesigned the brand identity to align with our new strategy and purpose and rolled it out across all our channels and touchpoints, from updated app designs to transformed branches.

The second instalment of our TV advertising starring David Schwimmer, demonstrating that with TSB your savings really can sneak up on you, is currently live.

My background is agency side. I started my career on the graduate scheme at M&C Saatchi and during my time there looked after the accounts for Direct Line, Virgin Holidays, and Change4Life amongst others. Following a pitch win for the Etihad Airways account I also set up a new office in Abu Dhabi.

Tony @ ADLIB: In an attempt to capture some of the Wisdom you’ve gained as a professional so far, what are 5 “stand-out things” you’ve learned that you’d like to pass on to your peers as well as the future generation of talent within your sector?

1. Surround yourself with fantastic people.
Everything else will follow. Hire brilliant, diverse people and empower and support them. Champion their successes and protect them when things go wrong.

You don’t have to be a manager to start doing this – be conscious of how you collaborate with other departments in virtual teams, how you choose and work with your suppliers and partners.

2. Be the voice of the customer.
Think of yourself as working for the customer rather than for your agency or brand. It will help you to focus on the best outcome for them and that will help you to create experiences which build your brand and achieve your broader objectives

3. Be bold.
It’s cliché but it’s true. If you are working in a risk adverse sector you might have to remind yourself and others of this more often than you think. Managing risk effectively does not mean that your ideas need to be safe or predictabl

4. Keep it simple.
‘Brutal Simplicity of Thought’ was hammered into me as an M&C Saatchi graduate. It’s a fact that simple ideas enter the brain quicker and stay there longer. Whatever message you are trying to convey always challenge yourself to make it the pithiest it can be

5. Embrace adversity.
Things will go wrong. When they do, don’t spend too long feeling sorry for yourself. Look for the opportunity, focus on the learnings, and create something new.

Tony @ ADLIB: What is your take on the importance of role models?

There are lots of opportunities to learn from those around you. However, if you are thinking just in terms of ‘I want to be like that person’ you could be missing a trick.

No one is perfect. So, model the behaviour you admire, not the person.

Try to be conscious of when their approach isn’t one that you would want to replicate.  Challenge yourself to think what you would have done differently – that’s just as valuable as mirroring the good behaviours.

And remember that you are a role model too, whatever your level.