FIRTH AND CUNLIFFE ARE MAMMALS
Former Loud, Sydney creative director Andy Firth (left), who left the agency back in November, has gone into business with his old art director Gary Cunliffe from their Saatchi & Saatchi, O&M, Leo’s days to form Mammal.
Firth told CB: “Cunliffe has been a director with Plump Films for the last six years (and still is). So, by becoming a creative team again we are able to write, shoot and produce commercials all in-house, start to finish (we’ll do the same with print etc as well).
“The logic is, in these tough times, we can work more efficiently without a cumbersome bigger agency structure, cut out agency mark ups and ensure clients see more of their budget on screen or on in print. We picked up our first sizeable client on Friday.
“We’re called Mammal, because that’s what outlived the dinosaurs.”
Mammal can be contacted on: 02 9009 4555 or 0404 883 706
Email Andy Firth
33 Comments
Aren’t Mammal a rock band from Perth?
All the best lads. (No pic of Gaz? I thought he was the good-looking one?)
A very artistic crop
Go firth and conquer.
Please, no more fricking trendy company names.
Hang on, Nauseous would be good.
good name
I always liked the name ‘The Oi Boys’.
Good luck, lads.
Don’t look very furry to me.
This is really cool. Love all these start-ups like Disciple and Mammal….I think Southpaw are another. It’s great for the industry because it cuts out suits and exposes the shortcomings of underperforming dinosaur agencies like Singos and McCanns charging clients through the nose for spellbindingly naff creative.
More clients will see the benefits (besides cost) of going with smaller shops and let go of their FEAR-based beliefs that says ‘our ad agency must be a multi-national’.
Lynchy, hope to read a feature about the rise of these start-ups in CB soon.
Good stuff. Will there be a tank in reception? Or perhaps and archery range?
like the colour grade.
Anyone want to set up an agency called Cockroach, they will outlast everything.
Nice plug 12.59. You don’t happen to work for Southpaw?
Very clever 1pm…
That’s a rad name
No I don’t 3:28pm. But I did meet one of the blokes when he was working at a big agency in the city…..as a really nice chap it’s little he felt he didn’t belong at a big agency.
It’s not surprising how many creatives with big, network agency backgrounds reach a point where they turn against the inefficient, uninspiring shareholder focussed machine that once gave birth to them. Not only are the dinosaurs ripping off clients, they’re suffocating the big, brave ideas that inspired most of us to join the industry in the first place. Nice one Andy.
Well bully for you old boy. Good luck.
Last Chance Graphics is a good name I always think.
LOUD quiet over start up.
Bloody brilliant. The old team back together again. Congrats fellas. Let’s do beer.
Mumble Grunt, a Melbourne outfit in the 70s, was one of the best agency names.
With their distinctive northern accents ‘Undy’ & ‘Gurry’s’ pronunciation of Mammal is more likely to sound like ‘Mummal’, which should cause plenty of mirth and confusion.
Nevertheless, I wish them well.
Not bad blokes for blokes
Watch out dude, there’s a pencil sneaking up on your ear!
It’s great to see all these young chaps doing something as old fashioned as setting up a creative consultancy. Mo, Jo, Lionel, Gordon, Ron, Jack and all before them must be flattered.
quite right 3:36 long before there was Host, Mammal, Glue there was Mumble Grunt and countless more just like them. But you try and tell that to the young kids of today and they won’t believe you. [with apologies to Monty Python].
Is Mr Squiggle a silent third partner in the business?
Just wondered.
What’s that behind his ear?
Is that a pencil?
Oh my God, he’s gonna slay Dinosaurs with a Dinosaurs computer!
Genius.
So March 11 2009 at 1.29pm,
You reach for your computer to do your ideas then?
What programme do you use – Microsoft Concept? I hear it’s great, and the latest update gives you all the work in a hilariously-ironic 1970s style.
Sorry 1.54. Your put-down is so powerful. You must be a copywriter.
Dear 3.25,
Nah – I’m just not a goose. What WAS your point about the dinosaurs again?
x
Hey 4.23, if you’re gonna comment on a blog you should read the press release it refers to.
See you for a beer and a larf later.
So the Art Director does most of the work then. No change there eh Firth.
One of Andy’s former Art Directors