2014 in Review with... Tom Ewart

In the past year The Corner London has moved offices and now sits as a 50-strong company across four floors in the heart of Soho. One of London’s fastest-growing ventures, it has built a culture of open creativity and promotes the idea of everyone working on the same level, pitching in to provide a unique output of work for its clients regardless of the platform.

Below, Ewart reflects on the past year for his agency as well as commenting on the creative performance of the industry as a whole in the first of our 2014 review pieces.

How would you describe 2014 for the industry, creatively speaking?

All the usual stuff rang true: originality, simplicity, relevance, and I have a sneaky suspicion that some of us have accepted that this data stuff is here to stay, and started to mix it up with creativity well. Keep an eye on those Innovation Lions.

And what about your own creative performance in the last 12 months?

I think we got it right putting technology at the heart of The Corner right from the start. It’s not an easy bedfellow with creativity, and there have been teething problems along the way, but we persevered and it’s starting to pay dividends, both in our work but more importantly our culture.

What do you think your own best personal achievement has been in the past year?

Letting go a bit - creating a culture based on trust, bravery and self-expression. I always said I wanted to hire great talent at The Corner and give that talent autonomy. Easier said than done, after years working in traditional autocratic culture’s, but this year I think I’ve made progress. The work has flourished and really exciting things are happening all around, with and without me.

What are you most excited about for 2015, workwise or other?

Seeing what these 50+ people at The Corner can do next. We’re hitting our fourth year at pace, with ambitious new hires, ambitious new clients and ambitious new ideas. Bring it.

And what are your predictions for the industry in general in 2015?

Innovation. Data. Service. Product. Dumb Ways To Die 2.

Which campaign or piece of work will you remember from this year?

Van on those vans.

 And a neat little YouTube thing for The Voice Brazil.

Have you worked on any seasonal campaigns this year and what are your thoughts on the Christmas campaigns this year?

The Boots one, about the nurse, did it for me. Life is imperfect. Perfect.

What’s your new year’s resolution, workwise or other?

Keep on running.

And if you had a piece of advice for the creative industry to learn from this year and take into next, what would you say?

Keep on running.

You can read more about Ewart and The Corner in the upcoming issue of shots magazine, issue 154, out next week.