MarComm’s Star Parade is a series where we shine the spotlight on some of the global stars from the Marketing and Communications industry, and Jake Mason, CEO and Founder, 0120 is precisely that.
Q) Give us a brief insight into your career so far?
My career has been wonderfully varied, from playing as a session musician, to working on the launch of the iMac, to working on start-ups as well as established businesses. I have been lucky to work across a variety of sectors and many territories. A constantly changing daily routine has been a luxury of my life. Working with so many great people and in so many boardrooms through the years has led to a great understanding of what makes a business great.
Q) What according to you is the strongest tool in your skill set?
I’ve been told – and it resonates well with me – that I have an ability to cut through the noise and the b*llsh*t to get clearly to the point of something, and then simplify it down into something very useable. I have also been fortunate to have gained a lot of business experience over the years, so being able to add the commercial understanding to what we do is very powerful.
Q) What is your favourite piece of work that you have created? Or a favourite project that you were a part of?
I don’t think I’ve done it yet, but we have a current project that launches in 2022 that I think is an epic reinvention of something that was great but has lost its sparkle. I have the pleasure of working with an incredible team at 0120 and with them, more often than not what we are currently working on rapidly becomes my favourite piece of work.
But to give an example of our work so far, I would say that the work we did for Robin Gill at Darby’s. While not obviously revolutionary once you understand Robin you would see that he is indeed a visionary man.
Q) What is your favourite piece of work you wish you had done?
I have always loved John West’s ‘nothing but fish’ campaign from 2000. So brilliantly simple.
Q) Who (if anyone) has been the greatest influence in your career?
I think every company and every piece of work and every person has had an influence but my time at Siegel and Gale straight after Apple taught me everything that a great brand and a great agency should be about.
The former President and CEO of Siegel and Gale, Scott Lermen, taught me that people are more important than companies and if you can get the right people together then you are unstoppable.
Q) What would you change about the industry, if you could?
Where to start…?! There’s a revolution coming, we love the wake-up calls and they are coming quicker than even we thought. Covid has accelerated our beliefs but in reality nothing will be like the wakeup call that we will get from global warming.
It’s time for change, there is a better way, I firmly believe that. I thrive on the start-up mentality, and it’s time to leave the dinosaurs in the dust. Toys R Us, Tower Records, Blockbuster, Compaq, General Motors, all of these companies failed to react to changes in the world, technology and customer’s needs. Some have been reborn but others have died for good. Standing still is not an option. Have a vision and start today.
Q) Tell us something that people wouldn’t necessarily know about you?
My only formal training is in music, sailing and cooking! I also have a deep passion for working on new start up brands. My life has always been about the hustle, looking for opportunity and creating businesses around them.
Q) Where would you ideally like to be in your career in the next five-years?
I have a very clear plan for the next 5 years and it’s to take a completely different approach to the traditional agency model. I can’t say too much but the idea is to really sit at the top of the food chain.
It’s deeply engrained in me to search out a better way, a new way and to not pause or stop. Our industry has become very servient over the years when in reality we should be at the very start of every new venture.
Jake Mason is CEO and Founder at 0120
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