The last thing you need is another marketing person droning on and on about themselves, so I’ll keep this short and sweet.

I run a words-based virtual full service marketing agency.

Two terms need examining here:

“Words-based”

I  strongly believe the marketing industry has abandoned words. When I wrote the strapline for the launch of Emirates, it was ‘Even Time Flies On Emirates’. The current line is ‘Emirates. Fly Better’.

I rest my case.

I could cite hundreds of other incidences where brands have abandoned quality original writing (and thinking) for generic statements.

Words matter. I grew up in big international agecies where great writing was the Holy Grail. (Yup, that does age me a bit. My pronouns are Thee and Thou.)

And AI has diluted the quality of writing still further. I was recently asked to write for a tomato sauce brand. For fun, I thought I’d ask AI what gems it would come up with.

‘ELEVATE YOUR KETCHUP GAME’ was typical of what came out. No one talks like that!

The late great David Abbott, probably the best English language ad writer of all time, gave me some advice when I was trying to get into Adland: ‘Write like you’re talking to a mate’. It was the best advice ever. I’ve never heard anyone say to their mate, ‘Bro, elevate your ketchup game!’

AI gets better every day, but it is years away from coming up with great writing – or any kind of original brand thinking.

“Virtual”

I didn’t set out to create a virtual agency. Covid did it for me. I had my own clients and had abandoned the office in London.

In the bizarre new reality, I assembled a wonderful gang from around the world. A web developer of genius (and fluent English) in Dhaka. An award-winning print designer on a clifftop in Cornwall. Google & Meta ad experts in Spain (although the team are Brits and Scans!) And more. I’ve worked with these great people for several years now and we’ve developed some great work together.

Our clients get the work they want, on budget, on time.

A question you might ask would be: what it would it be like to work with Larry’s virtual agency.

Very simple. You have one point of contact. Moi. I coordinate the team. You get a weekly status update that shows exactly where the project is. I don’t ‘sell’ you the work. I share it with you, and if you don’t love it, we go again. Until you’re happy. And then I’m happy – as happy as Larry, in fact.

My agency is in the cloud. And you may imagine that since we’re virtual, I’m somewhere exotic: a beach house in the Grenadines, or perhaps a mountainside chalet in Gstaad.

I’m actually just the wrong side of Battersea Bridge in the centre of London! I wouldn’t say I’m available 24/7 but I am very easy to get hold of.

And so what can our words-based virtual agency help you with?

In my career, I’ve been called ‘Copywriter’, ‘Creative Director’ (plus several other things that are unrepeatable) but also – while at the listed Chime Communications – ‘Brand Strategist’.

I can help you refine your brand strategy, whether you’re bring a new idea to market, or refining an existing offering.

I’m oddly adept at being able to ‘find the gap’, not a tube train warning but an ability to see a gap in the market that no one has touched on before.

One of the processes I really enjoy is to create ten or fifteen potential strategies for a brand, but with each expressed as a classic advertising creative strapline. It shows you the potential of various routes in a way to no formal planner/researcher’s words ever could.

BRANDING

From compelling and memorable logos to straplines that glue themselves to customers’ brains, we can help you with every element of branding. Whether it’s coming up with a new brand voice or rejuvenating a tired one.

We’ll write the core words to define your brand going forward, and then create the design elements that carry them. We’ll help you manifest the brand’s total visual and verbal identity right down to the last detail, ready for every medium.

WEB DEVELOPMENT

We build and develop websites that are unique to your brand, every element custom made.

Yes you can build a functional site with Wix, Squarespace or AI, but who wants functional?

Our use of words powers our websites in a way that is rare. You are experiencing it now.

SOCIAL & TRADITIONAL ADVERTISING

Advertising direct to consumer via social ads is brutal. You run an ad and the results are crystal clear.

On Google and Meta, there is no hiding place as in the AdLand of old. You either sell or you don’t. The data doesn’t lie.

We create original words-driven social campaigns, a mix of traditional word wizardry, simple and elegant design, and targeted data management. We are prepared to stand by our ROAS. (Not a silky Uruguayan midfielder but Return On Advertising Spend.)

We can also work with you to upgrade your Shopify or other e-commerce website to reach its full potential.

In terms of traditional advertising – print, outdoor, radio, TV and all the rest – well that’s where I come from, so just let me see the brief!