LBi London

LBi introduces learning initiative for clients and staff


Posted by Calvin Lau August 24th, 2011

London: LBi taps Hyper Island to explore collaboration during Master Class

LBi, the global marketing and technology agency, has announced today it will embark on a learning initiative in collaboration with a selection of its big-brand clients and their roster agencies to develop the group’s ideas around digital innovation and organisational change.

Hyper Island is collaborating with LBi to explore blending, hosting a Master Class

LBi has long believed in blending insight, creativity, media and technical expertise to produce the best and most innovative work possible. This approach lies at the heart of the agency’s strategic partnerships with clients such as Coca-Cola, Johnson & Johnson and Virgin Atlantic Airways.

LBi has enlisted Hyper Island – the world leader in the field of education for interactive communication, change management and leadership through collaboration – to host an intensive three-day Master Class in Karlskrona, Sweden, which will be attended by a blended team of clients, roster agencies and LBi staff.  During the Master Class, taking place between 30^th September and 2^nd October, LBi will explore and experiment with its approach to blending and collaboration.

Later this year, LBi will share the outcomes of the experience with the wider marketing and advertising community via a series of articles, seminars and workshops.

“We believe this initiative comes at a crucial time as CMOs are being asked to stretch themselves into new uncomfortable territory, ” said Chris Clarke, Chief Creative Officer of LBi.  “Marketing no longer stands alone, but sits at the intersection of product, technology and communication. This means our clients and their agencies desperately need new ways of working.”

“It’s all about the people. Media and communication technologies have converged, and the industry needs talent that is collaborative, unbound by disciplines, and able to thrive in a rapidly changing environment,” said Christina Andersson, Director of Short Term Courses for Hyper Island. “Hyper Island has worked with various organizations since 1995 to develop more creative and efficient coworker teams and more profitable workplaces, and we are proud to be part of this journey for LBi.”

Tags: blending, client relationships, clients, collaboration, digital agencies, hyper island, training

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IPA launches new Digital Business Group, co-chaired by LBi UK CEO Anil Pillai

Posted by Calvin Lau July 18th, 2011

London: The IPA has launched a new Digital Business Group, to be co-chaired by Anil Pillai, CEO of LBi UK and Chris Thurling, Managing Director of 3Sixty, and supported by new IPA Digital Business Consultant Brian Hoadley.

The Group will represent and promote a holistic approach to the provision of digital services spanning design and build, data and technology platforms, and marketing communications. It will also champion the awareness, professionalism and profitability of this sector via a programme of dedicated qualifications, collaborative marketing for talent, and educating clients and their procurement teams.

Additional members of the Group will include: Anna Watkins, Managing Director, Grand Union; Caroline Margolis, Head of New Business, VML; Charlie Wolcott, Human Resources Director, Syzygy Group; Susanne Jones, Managing Director, Critical Mass; William Makower, Managing Director, Panlogic; and Lee Woodard, Director of Client Services, Sapient Nitro.

Says Anil Pillai: “As the digital industry continues to go from strength-to-strength now is the perfect time for the IPA to be launching the Digital Business Group to address the issues arising from the sector’s on-going growth. I’m looking forward to the challenge of helping to bring new-found rigour to this dynamic and fast moving industry — in particular setting creative benchmarks for design & build agencies and implementing new standards for user-experience.  As Co-Chairman I will also ensure that the Digital Business Group tackles the common issues faced across our businesses and supports initiatives to bring fresh talent in to the sector.”

Says Chris Thurling: “I am delighted to become the Co-Chairman of the new Digital Business Group. I think it’s a great opportunity for me to contribute to this new initiative from the perspective of the smaller, independent digital agency sector. Digital is rapidly re-defining what it means to be involved in the advertising business. It’s broadening the talent pool from which we need to draw and blurring the boundaries with other disciplines. In founding the DBG I think the IPA is showing its commitment to staying relevant in an industry that is going to look very different five years from now. As well as contributing to the wider debate about the impact of technology on advertising, I hope that the DBG can help raise professional standards within what is still a relatively fledging sector and contribute to attracting new talent from a diverse range of backgrounds into the industry.”

Says Brian Hoadley: “With the ubiquitous nature of digital, the IPA’s launch of the new Digital Business Group comes at an exciting time. Initially focussing on User Experience and Project Management, I believe the IPA can act as a focal point in the facilitation and provision of industry support and in driving up professional standards. We intend to work with our membership in a drive to attract new talent, create innovative training courses, and create a new set of professional digital policies and standards. I look forward to working with the dedicated and experienced group of professionals at the IPA and our digital agency membership.”

Biographies:

Anil Pillai
Anil joined LBi in 1996 and is now UK CEO, responsible for the day to day running of the agency with a single-minded focus on top-line growth, client development, new business success and LBi’s external brand profile. He is Client Sponsor on the Lloyds Banking Group account, is one of the longest standing members of the Galaxy Board, providing strategy and advice across their £120M year digital change programmes, and continues to provide executive leadership to key client engagements such as BT and Ericsson. Last year Anil oversaw the company’s new business wins, including Virgin Atlantic, Compare the Market, E-ON and Coca Cola.  Anil also sits on the European Ad:Tech advisory board and is a consultant to the IPA for digital effectiveness and agency development.

Chris Thurling
Chris Thurling is the Managing Director and founding partner of 3Sixty, a 15-year-old independent digital agency based in Bristol. 3Sixty specialises in the travel and financial services sectors with clients including Deutsche Bahn, High Speed One, three major UK Airports, AXA plc and Cofunds (part of L & G). Chris is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a member of the IPA Digital Creative Group, the board member with responsibility for digital at Bristol Media and an occasional lecturer at Bristol University on digital marketing.

Brian Hoadley
Brian is a senior-level User Experience Strategist with 23 years experience in the digital and telecommunications industries, 11 years of which involve senior and board level management, consultancy, and thought leadership delivering to private and public sector clients. His previous positions have included: Senior Business Architect at Syzygy UK, Founder and Managing Director of phunQube, Head of Innovation & Product Design at Directgov, User Experience Advisor at the COI/Cabinet Office, andHead of User Experience at BBC DMI. He is currently consulting at BSkyB as a UX Strategy Consultant for Sky Creative.

In addition to the IPA Digital Business Group the IPA also runs the IPA Digital Media Group and the Digital Creative Forum. The IPA Digital Media Group’s remit is to raise the digital standard, share knowledge among members of the IPA about digital issues, and to represent the agency perspective in the digital media arena. The IPA Digital Creative Forum seeks to raise the digital standard most notably by improving the creativity, accountability and integration of interactive advertising.

The first meeting of the IPA Digital Business Group will take place on 4th August.

Visit the IPA website at http://www.ipa.co.uk.

Tags: Anil Pillai, digital business group, digital services, ipa, marketing communications, technology platforms

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LBi celebrates people power

Posted by mobraga February 4th, 2011

At LBi we’re incredibly proud of the people we have working within our company. And the merger with Bigmouthmedia just goes to show how serious we are at creating a sustainable business model that blends with our clients’ needs.

As such, we engage in a lot of learning and development based activity, which helps us to continually strive for excellence. We set high standards of ourselves, and demand nothing short of amazing quality. To support this, our membership with the IPA (Institute of Practitioners in Advertising) means we have to make annual submissions highlighting how we engage in a range of CPD (Continuous Professional Development) activity.

This year, we’ve decided to make this information openly available to everyone. After all, we’re proud of what we do, and we don’t just want the IPA to know that, we want everyone to know. So have a look at the CPD blog we’ve created – www.lbicpd.tumblr.com, and let us know what you think.

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LBi is #1 in the UK’s Top 100 Marketing Agencies league table

Posted by Imogen Thacker October 21st, 2010

LBi has topped the NMA Top 100 Interactive Marketing Agencies 2010 guide to become the UK’s NUMBER ONE DIGITAL MARKETING AGENCY second year running www.lbi.co.uk.

Founded in 1995 LBi currently employs almost 500 digital specialists in the UK and provides marketing and technology solutions to a range of quality clients including BT, M&S, Virgin Atlantic, Electrolux, Etihad, Unilever, Lloyds Banking Group, Barclays and E.on.

This year, LBi has expanded its media offering by merging with leading search specialist, bigmouthmedia, to make LBi the largest digital marketing and technology agency in Europe. Bigmouthmedia clients include BT, British Airways, Europcar, Fujitsu and Radisson.

Highlights for LBi in the past 12 months include winning some amazing accounts including E.ON , the UK’s leading power and gas companies, Virgin Atlantic, Ericsson and Comparethemarket.com.  Bigmouthmedia wins include Standard Life, Littlewoods Europe, Habitat , Dyson, and Radisson.

LBi has also made several key hires during the past year including Andrew Pinkess as Director of Strategy, Glenn Jones, as Client Partner and Phil Gripton, as UK MD of bigmouthmedia.   And the infamous industry event of the year, the ‘LBi Rave’, is set to have its second succession mash at the LBi London Brick Lane offices, on Thursday 2^nd December.

Anil Pillai, MD, LBi UK says: “2010 has exceeded all of our expectations.  The agency has more self-belief, creative energy and breadth of skills. As a result, we have enjoyed greater new business success and strengthened our existing client relationships. 2011 is set to be a promising year as we see our work bearing fruit and continue to move the agency forwards”.

Ewen Sturgeon, CEO, LBi UK says: “Our work is more blended than ever before which sets LBi up to enter 2011 with great promise. The integration of CRM, Social Media, and Analytics into more traditional marketing disciplines will be the foundations for LBi’s work going forward”.

Lyndsay Menzies, CEO, BMM UK says, “Its testament to a great team that in 2010 not only have we combined the two business but have continued to see strong performance whilst now engaging with clients right across the digital spectrum. 2011 looks set to be another successful year for the company”.

Tags: Anil Pillai, bigmouthmedia, Ewen Sturgeon, LBi London, LBi Rave, LBi UK, NMA

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