Interview with Charlie Hurst and Marcos Gemal

When did you realise you wanted to get into the creative industry?

Charlie: Probably secondary school. I remember seeing Star Wars and it blew my mind that people created that, as a job. My expectations tapered from Hollywood to advertising as I got older, but after that, there was no way I was ever going to be an accountant.

Marcos: I first realised that I was into creativity without knowing it was an industry that I could make a career out of. It all started when I was really young, following my father around a TV Studio where he still works today. All of that equipment felt like toys to me. I had this unusual opportunity to try and discover a bit of everything at a very young age.

How did you get started and what was the biggest hurdle you overcame?

Charlie: Getting a foot in the door. I left university during the biggest financial crisis in a generation. Unsurprisingly, people weren’t throwing jobs around. But a bit of graft, persistence and a sprinkling of luck won out in the end.

Marcos: Like most of us, it was a bit of trial and error. I didn’t plan properly where I was going to start or where I wanted to be. The beginning of my journey was in Motion Graphics, after that, I got into film production, I fell in love with it, and tried my hand at directing (mostly low-budget music videos). Advertising was the last place I landed, an invitation from a friend who needed a creative partner and told me that I was going to like it… He sold it to me pretty well.

What’s been your most successful way of getting clients?

Charlie: There’s no secret sauce. I believe honesty is absolutely key. For both parties. If you tell them what they want to hear and then do something completely different, you won’t gain trust over the long term and it’s that trust that leads clients to buy the good stuff.

Marcos: Honesty, enthusiasm and most importantly to really care about them (their brand) and their “problems”. It’s not exactly a rule, but a good starting point for a successful partnership.

How do you get clients to stay with you and use you for more work?

Charlie: The answer is above really. At JVM London we aim to build relationships with clients that last. That’s created through listening to each other and building trust to a point where the clients going elsewhere would just be a risk.

Marcos: Can’t do a better job than Charlie’s answer.

What does your typical workday look like?

Charlie: Ha. It starts with the school run which transforms into a commute to our Shoreditch office. From there it’s currently a balancing act between seeing work through in post-production, having new business meetings, interviewing potential hires and planning what the next quarter looks like for us as a business.

Marcos: Same as Charlie (again) we both have kids. But besides that, It’s all about having fun, creating a positive energy throughout the day, and making people feel good about what they are doing. It’s less about the routine or what we do, but how we do it. That’s probably my biggest daily challenge.

Any piece of advice/wisdom that you’d like to give the readers at This Design Life?

Charlie: Take more risks.

Marcos: Keep the energy up with your team, help each other, nurture good relationships they are key ingredients for great work.

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Charlie Hurst and Marcos Gemal

More strategies to boost your design career

Charlie: I’ve been lucky to have worked in some of London’s top creative agencies for over fifteen years. During this time, I’ve created award-winning work for some of the world’s biggest brands, such as Amazon, Twitter, Nike and Playstation, as well as some perhaps lesser-known, but equally brilliant ones, like Coors Light beer, Muller yoghurt and Taylor’s Coffee. My goal has always been to work with clients as partners and to create famous work that real people might talk about.

Marcos: I started my career at DDB in Brazil before moving to Ogilvy Singapore. Eventually, I found home in Mother London, where I worked for over six years, leading campaigns for Stella Artois IKEA, KFC, Zalando, and Miele. In 2022 I spent time at Weiden&Kennedy and Droga5 before leaving to help start JVM London. My work has been awarded at every major awards show including, Cannes and D&AD.

Interview published on: Jun 23, 2024

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