News

Hard work pays dividends

Posted by Andrew Grant on Sunday 25 Jul 2010, 17:26:00

I remember a taxi driver once saying to me, you'll never meet someone that works hard and doesn't have money. I'm not sure I agree totally. The evening standard is running a 'end poverty' campaign for London - and it seems there's plenty of people down here that get up at 4am to start work finishing their third job at 10pm just to make ends meet. Whenever I feel hard done by: perhaps an unrealistic target or a series of late nights to meet a deadline, I always think of those who have to work much harder and longer than me, and it puts things back into perspective.

But the taxi driver was right in the sense that you reap what you sew. Over the last ten months we've busted every nut we can to increase our pipeline, deliver projects with ever reducing budgets and increasing expectations, sign up new clients and evolve our business model.

This week saw a key number of Nation1 projects go live.

Glasgow's Style Mile i-phone app launched. The success was instant. Massive PR coverage around the globe and awesome feedback from users, partners, press and stakeholders.

Download the app for free here:


See what the press say here:


We launched the summer campaign for CityInn - a nifty wee site that helps city visitors discover the hidden gems as recommended by the locals.

Check out the website here:


We also launched the UK's best saver account with Bank of Baroda. This product offers the best interest rates in the UK and is available through moneysupermarket.com

And the future's bright too. With Style Mile already getting stuck in to phase2 of their i-phone app and an amazing new win for the London team thanks to Morston Assets (founded by Tom Harrison and Sir Tom Farmer) to property developer behind the Yours Networks concept which sets out to revolutionise the way we live, work and play. Watch this space.

Finally: we've started the planning for our annual and now legendary Halloween Ball. Theme again will be advertising legends and we're back at the same venue SWG3, however we've got bigger (much bigger) prizes, bigger (much bigger) sound and light and bigger (much bigger) capacity. Keep your eyes peeled for your 'money can't buy invite' or simply RSVP here:

when i grow up, i want to work in advertising...

Posted by Andrew Grant on Friday 02 Jul 2010, 22:05:00

End of another month. Its now July and I'm sure we are all left wondering where the hell 2010 is going...

I've taken on the project management of a select few clients: and I have to say I have new found respect for those that choose this career path. Its has also provided me with a great insight into what makes a good project manager and the importance of taking time to properly scope and price a project as well as manage your clients expectations.

Most of all its confirmed how vital the relationship between project manager and client is. For if you develop a great relationship, those inevitable tough calls are easier to make. The closer you are, the better you understand the pressures on the other side and the better the end results.

We are in the final stages of a project for Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, City Inn Hotel Group and Bank of Baroda and I have to applaud each client for their professional attitude and focus. Together we have delivered three first class digital projects I am proud to put the Nation1 name to.

Its also been another good week on the business development front. We have progressed to the final stages with an international airline, a bank, a property developer, a car brand, an uber cool private members club and an iconic british retail brand. Hard work and determination definitely pays off.

I've been out and about touting my new business idea to potential investors across the UK and had the privilege of meeting Jim McColl of Clyde Blowers when in Glasgow last week. When one of Scotland's most successful entrepreneurs tells you your idea is excellent and to remember him when you're a rich man (which I promise to do Jim!), it does give you a wee confidence boost. It was also fascinating to learn how Jim has grown a multi billion pound business from investing in Clyde Pumps 14 years ago, a business turning over £3m. He attributes his success to hard work, employing the right people and having the right model.

The return of the disgruntled employee

Posted by Andrew Grant on Wednesday 23 Jun 2010, 08:05:00

The shit's about to hit the fan, again....

So I figured let's get this out in the open, once and for all. Only this time I have a better understanding of how to deal with this menace.

I got this email yesterday:

"I now have a court order for the amount I am due. I waited to speak to you the other morning but you left while i was standing there.

I will be publicising this court order very shortly. If you would prefer the court order not to go public, i suggest you pay me what i am due - quickly. I trust with your new international clients that you will be able to pay me now.

There is another court order from another source ready to join my own in the public domain, and im sure more will follow.

I will allow 48 hours for you to respond. Yet again i am giving you the kind, easy first option to pay me and settle the matter - the way it should have been over a year ago.

Ramsay MacFarlane
DESIGN & CREATION"

Last time I avoided the facts. So let's start there this time. Ramsay Macfarlane was employed by Nation1 in December 2009 to help us complete the Powerleague website. Ramsay was recruited by Victor Brierley, my Managing Director in Glasgow at the time, who is also Ramsay's uncle.

At the end of Ramsay's month at Nation1 Victor informed me we had to agree what to pay him. With total astonishment I demanded to know why this hadn't been agreed BEFORE he started to work for us. There was no adequate response. Ramsay then demanded £4,500. I refused to pay this to a 23 year old guy with two years experience (its about the same take home pay as a 70k salary). I offered £1,750, which was duly paid to Ramsay.

Ramsay then took Nation1 to court for the full amount, where even the judge said he was unlikely to win and should consider accepting my offer of an additional £500. He didn't.

Eight months later, he called me up to threaten me with the 'pay now, or regret it' chat. And we all know what happened next.

During this time I had accepted an investor in the business and in order to ensure the most tax efficient method of investing my accountants proposed to shut down Futurecomm International Ltd and set up Nation1 Group Ltd where the new investment would be placed (the new company would have no value and no assets, thus avoiding CGI). Nation1 Group UK Ltd then set up and owns Nation1 Glasgow Ltd and Nation1 London Ltd. Providing me with a structure to attract top talent and offer options in local offices.

I never bothered to incur the further costs of a lawyer to defend Ramsay's court action, given the plans to shut down Futurecomm (which is not yet liquidated fully).

Shortly after the Ramsay incident I terminated Victor Brierley’s contract.

Trading conditions over the last 18 months have been harsh for our industry in Scotland and I have been grateful to everyone that has supported me: from my competitors who have said I dealt with the Ramsay issue well, to clients that have stood by me and above all the loyal staff that work at Nation1.

I don't think the employee in question realizss what he is doing to his own reputation as well as mine, however the fact he has enough time on his hands to continue with his attacks, threats and blackmail suggest to me he's got spare time on his hands.

I have learnt a lot during this experience and I recognise that ultimately people are the most important asset. This could all have been avoided if my MD at the time had done what he was employed to do, instead of leaving me to now carry the can.

I'm not flawless, I've made mistakes and I have regrets but I continue to learn and accept when I'm wrong.

Have I dealt with this the right way? Who knows? Will Ramsay grow up and go away, I doubt it. Will Nation1 survive and grow, there is no doubt.

weare where we are.....

Posted by Andrew Grant on Thursday 03 Jun 2010, 19:10:00

The best thing about reaching the bottom is you can enjoy the journey back up.

Here we are and it’s June. How the hell did that happen?

Great news for the Nation1 team, all our hard efforts have paid off and we have a raft of new clients wins under our belt. Bank of Baroda have returned for a second year in a row and tasked Nation1 with developing a digital campaign to promote their new saver products. The campaign will focus heavily on affiliates (comparethemarket.com and moneysupermarket.com), as well as display, online PR and buzz marketing and a sprinkling of offline stuff around London. Watch this space for some bold new creative that positions India’s fourth largest bank as a real contender in the UK retail savings market.

We’ve also been appointed by City Inn the multi award winning UK hotel chain with developing an online summer marketing campaign to encourage people to take a city break and stay in one of their trendy city centre hotels (having stayed at the Westminster one myself many times whilst setting up Nation1 London) I can assure you not only do they have the best product on offer but their breakfast is second to none. The campaign revolves around the theme; “Go to town this summer” with a website that promotes all the stuff you can do in cities where there is a City Inn. The site also encourages users to post their own content and hidden gems as well as rate stuff posted by other users. Special offers and discounts are given as incentives to those who help populate the site with content.

CitizenM who open their first hotel outside of Holland in Glasgow this summer have appointed us to develop and distribute a viral campaign to promote their brand with the objective of developing a massive database of followers for their Facebook and Twitter accounts. Given their HQ is in Amsterdam, we are only too happy to have client meetings at their office.

We also have our two seminars this month – both of which have been phenomenally popular. We’ve teamed up with The Marketing Industry Network and The Drum Magazine to promote these with one taking place in London and one in Glasgow. Harvard Business review/Forrester Research as well as Brodies LLP and Outlaw.com are all on the bill as we help delegates understand the dangers of social media and how best to prepare a battle plan to tackle unwanted or negative online chat. Check out www.nation1.co.uk/events to book your place (15th and 16th June Glasgow/London).

Kingsbarns and LA Bartenders websites launched and Millionaires Choice website entered the final stages of production. The next step is for Nation1 to create a 3 minute flash presentation for Directors of the worlds leading brands showcasing the benefits and features of the website for the mega rich.

I was also flown off to Hong Kong at the end of May in my capacity as Board Director of EO a London based member organisation for entrepreneurs. It was typhoon season so no short sleeves or burnt shoulders however it was great to see this phenomenal city. Our hotel was on the bay looking onto Hong Kong Island and the highlight was sipping cocktails one night from the Philippe Stark Skybar in the Peninsula Hotel whilst watching the worlds largest light show. A ‘must see’ for anyone going to HK.

Added to all of that the team have been getting ready for our office move (into an old disused railway arch) in August. So all in all its been a busy but very productive month.

Personally im looking forward to Rock Ness on the 9th June as it serves as a mile stone and reminder from when things started to go downhill last year. As I stood in the dance tent at 11pm 8th June 2009 I was unable to really relax and enjoy myself as just about every client we had was pulling back on spending and the costs kept rolling on, and when you run your own business, you never really escape these things. This year Rock Ness is going to be a much more positive event, that’s not to say whilst im dancing away – im not going to be thinking it could all go downhill again.

Lets hope that we avoid the dreaded double dip and that people continue to accept “we are where we are, as that’s where we need to be” and work together to get out of this fine mess and remember: marketing is the one sure way to build a brand and drive sales

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