Tim Bell, latterly Lord Bell, one of the giant figures of adland in an era where there were many contenders, has died aged 77. Bell founded the Bell Pottinger PR firm with Piers Pottinger – which imploded many years later ...
Read More »Now Bell Pottinger faces industry sanction over alleged dirty dealings in South Africa
When your (highly paid) job is to work behind the scenes it’s usually commercial suicide to become the story. This is exactly what is happening to London PR firm Bell Pottinger – whether or not it amounts to commercial suicide ...
Read More »Paul Simons: a timely blast from the past from Tim Bell
Tim Bell was one of a long line of politics commentators talking to BBC News from College Green the other evening. He was on around 7.30, live, approximately 90 minutes after the Chablis is normally opened in the office. I ...
Read More »Lord Bell’s memoir ‘Right or Wrong’ – is Tim Bell really Roald Dahl’s ‘Fantastic Mr Fox?’
The Fantastic Mr Fox, you may recall, is a Roald Dahl story about a fox, a much-decried species in the English countryside, who triumphs over his adversaries (boorish humans) through a mixture of cunning, wit and charm. And, it has ...
Read More »Will the real Charles Saatchi please stand up?
Those of us who knew Charles Saatchi (or Charlie before he became important) in a previous life to a greater or lesser degree (lesser, in my case) must be completely mystified by the latest turn of events – Charlie on ...
Read More »Would you take on the Labour Party’s election advertising or is it the brief from hell?
The next UK General Election is still the best part of two years away – assuming the coalition government between Tories and Lib Dems lasts that long – but Campaign reports that the Labour Party (still the likeliest next government ...
Read More »Now Charles Saatchi faces trial by 24/7 media
It’s been quite a few days for adland and the media world’s finest: BBH’s Nigel Bogle gets a knighthood (good), Rupert Murdoch is divorcing Wendi Deng (depends on your point of view) with all sorts of colourful rumours flying about ...
Read More »Advertising takes one of its periodic trips into the spotlight – but does it really matter that much?
With a new series of Mad Men on our screens and the death of Margaret Thatcher (indelibly attached to the UK adland of the 1980s), advertising has made one of its periodic trips over the wire; entering mainstream debate as ...
Read More »Why former prime minister Margaret Thatcher was UK adland’s greatest patron
One doesn’t want to be parochial about these events – we’re reminded of issues of far more moment than the fortunes of adland by the death this morning of former UK prime minister Margaret Thatcher – but the one-time celebrated ...
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