The other night’s APG awards ceremony was the biannual UK event that recognises outstanding strategic thinking. Stuart’s paper on the thinking behind the Honda diesel campaign won gold in the main consumer brands category and also won the Big One – the overall Grand Prix. Trevor Beattie, who presented the award, said ‘It’s the finest piece of thinking I’ve seen in 20 years.’ He also commented, ‘Anyone who can call their submission “Why hate doesn’t always suck ass” is a fucking genius in my book.’

We’ve always known that Stuart Smith was a genius but it’s nice to have it confirmed in this way.

Becca Van Dyck joined our table. She was over briefly from Portland helping out on an international Nike project. She was a bit worried that she didn’t have a smart enough outfit to attend an awards do. But that was until she saw the sea of corduroy and facial hair that constitutes a gathering of stategic planners.

Speaking of corduroy and facial hair, the event was chaired in inimitable style by our erstwhile Head of Planning, Russell Davies.

Getting the call to go over to head office in Portland, Oregon and help out on a project meant one long fun-filled weekend for Matt Boffey, Stuart Harkness and Shay Reading.  Taxis to the airport on Saturday morning at 4am, flying to Amsterdam, then to Frankfurt, then finally on to Portland. 

Working on the plane.

Work, work and more work. 

An encouraging fortune cookie.

Then straight back home. Tired but happy. Or just tired.

Let’s hope the fortune cookie’s right.