Page 115 - AdNews magazine Mar-Apr-May 2023

Meet the Team
AISLING COLLEY•GENERAL MANAGER, BMF
What’s the biggest challenge in your role?
I’d say maintaining our famous culture. It’s literally the most
important thing to protect, but also the most challenging. Protecting
the culture of the agency is fundamentally protecting our
people and our values, so we’re consistently producing work
that’s world class. Culture can’t be set and forgotten. We’re keeping an eye on it daily...
are there good vibes flowing? Awesome, let’s find out why
and grab it by the horns. Are there weird vibes this week? Not so
awesome, let’s find out why and make
them go away.
What attracted you to BMF?
Everyone always talked about BMF: the work, the people,
and the fact it was hard to get into (mostly because nobody ever left?!). I had a lot of retail experience and back in 2012 a job popped up working as an Account Manager on ALDI. It was the perfect opportunity
to break in and I’ve been at
BMF ever since. There’s no way you can stay in a company for
11 years and not enjoy it. The work is brilliant, we have fun making it, and it’s effective - who wouldn’t want to be part of this agency when you’re constantly learning, challenged on the daily, and producing great work with brilliant people by your side?
What are you focused on for 2023?
Having been out last year on mat leave means I’m in an optimal position to provide a fresh perspective on what’s working well and what needs optimisation. This includes supporting my existing clients, one of them being ALDI – it’s been a relationship
I’ve been nurturing for 11 years out of our 21-year partnership
– so a big focus is to ensure our QA is of the highest standards across the board. And given long term partnerships are our BMF superpower, nurturing new client relationships will also form part of the plan for the year...all whilst making sure our lovely culture is protected and humming so we’re our best selves.
LINCOLN GRICE•HEAD OF ART & DESIGN
What attracted you to BMF?
I have been at BMF for almost 10 years, with a little hiatus in the middle. Asking what attracted me to BMF is probably less relevant than the question ‘what keeps me at BMF?’. I have never not enjoyed being here. There is a little term we use at BMF - it’s part lame, but mostly awesome - of
a BMF boomerang. We use it for ‘consummate BMFers’, who know where their bread is buttered, and so they return to BMF after leaving. I’m a proud boomerang. BMF is a place where you get treated like a human being first, you get backed to make the most creative work possible and get to be part of a truly vibrant and caring culture. It
is exactly what you want to make it. The harder you engage in the work and the culture, the more you get out of it.
What are you focused on for 2023?
2022 was very much a breakout year for the design and craft peeps of BMF. Having always excelled at this side of things, we had been building towards being recognised for it. Winning a branding, design & CX agency of the year award was both hugely exciting and largely unexpected. But the
truth is we had been working towards it for some years. 2023 is about consolidating that win as a platform to really hone in on more branding and design specific work.
What do you love most about your role?
To say ‘the people’ feels like the most boring answer I could give. But it’s so true. I never have to drag myself to work. I am always challenged and encouraged
by my mates at work. Getting people together to get the best results is highly rewarding. And seeing teams improve, progress, and succeed is actually pretty addictive. So, if that’s boring. I’ll take it any day.