The Work That Made Me: Tim Harvey
Tim Harvey runs un-held, the Unholding Co. Working with independent creative businesses across the world to help them scale, without a sale.
LBB> The ad/music video from my childhood that stays with me…
It has so much to it: music, mental health (suicide), travel, and for some...an ad for the National Express!
It's as deep as you want to go, and then some.
Catchy as anything, with a rollercoaster tune and narrative.
LBB> The ad/music video/game/web platform that made me want to get into the industry…
Tim> Nike Hacky Sack.
It was so simple, entertaining, and different.
Imagine getting to make work like that.
Well, it turned out it was in between takes at a differently scripted shoot.
Viral before viral was a thing.
I fell in love with Nike, and then Wiedens, and then the industry.
True story, I've never gone for a job at Wiedens in case it became the end of the dream.
LBB> The creative work (film/album/game/ad/album/book/poem etc) that I keep revisiting…
Tim> A little poster BBH did for Levi's in the 80's with a little black sheep.
I visited it everyday for nearly 10 years, and I've revisited it in my approach to life and business everyday since.
When the worlds zig, zag.
LBB> My first professional project…
Tim> Look, technically it was for a six sheet KitKat McFlurry but only just beating a masterpiece for a McDonald's 2 for 1 Cinema Promotion.
A pastiche of a load of famous movie scenes with the punchline being "You had me at 2 for 1 cinema ticket".
I remember watching it with my parents during an X Factor ad break. I was so bloody proud.
Still am, despite probably having just written endless contact reports for the project.
LBB> The piece of work (ad/music video/ platform…) that made me so angry that I vowed to never make anything like *that*…
Tim> Any ad that endorses Donald Trump for President.
LBB> The piece of work (ad/music video/ platform…) that still makes me jealous…
Tim> It doesn't make me jealous (I've always found that odd), but I've always loved VW Singing in the rain.
It was a perfectly executed and articulated product analogy:
"The original, updated."
LBB> The creative project that changed my career…
Tim> It was probably my 18th McFlurry Six sheet project.
I loved Maccas (still do) but seeing a client thrive and an agency simply maintain its current trajectory made me realise I wanted to better understand and drive impact in our business.
It was the catalyst for making the jump to a biz dev role.
LBB> The work that I’m proudest of…
Tim> Google Black Owned Friday.
It changed the fortunes of many businesses directly, and indirectly, ours.
It was a proactive idea to a reactive moment in time, that became an enduring platform.
LBB> I was involved in this and it makes me cringe…
Tim> See above McDonald's 2 for 1 Cinema Promotion but it's a GOOD cringe.
LBB> The recent project I was involved in that excited me the most…
Tim> Max Your Business.
It's not the world's biggest creative idea, but it's the most important one to me right now.
Max is the son of some friends. He is two years old but sadly suffers from Alexander disease, a very rare, usually fatal, neurological disorder.
There is no cure for this disease but there is hope via a multitude of research projects. But these require funding and therefore constant fundraising.
MAX YOUR BUSINESS is simple. Many leaders have something to offer by way of advice and yet often it's out of reach for many. So, rather than simply giving away goodwill, MAX YOUR BUSINESS let's people get access to amazing insight and council, in return for a donation to the End Alexander's Disease charity. The idea being, it becomes a mechanic many leaders use when giving away goodwill.
