@JackHally
So I’m ‘the yellow guy’, the one who loves a troy deeney gif.
I studied design at the London College of Communication, followed by Southampton Solent University. Probably not the best student, was having too much of a good time for the most part! But I worked hard and took on a lot of unpaid positions to ‘gain experience’ and finally land a proper industry role.
I’ve been working as a senior graphic designer at a B2B marketing agency for the last 7 years, working on projects for some of the world’s biggest technology companies, as well as clients in healthcare, leisure, and sport. Before that I worked as an in-house designer for a nightclub and bar chain, as well as various other jobs including call centres and warehouses!
The thing is, working in an agency you are obviously bound to working on the same projects and clients the majority of the time. OMB unties the shackles of my B2B world, allowing me to create ads for companies/causes that I would never ever go anywhere near otherwise. It is also very satisfying to be able to raise awareness for so many great causes through OMB, such campaigns as ‘Plant the seed’ for Ecologi and others for the WWF or the NHS. On top of this, just by entering OMB as much as possible, I have been able to build up a portfolio of great ads that are really removed from B2B tech, and help showcase more of what I am capable of than I would ever have been able to show through just my 9–5 work.
OMB came into my daily life about 3 years ago, when a copywriter at work showed me he’d won something on twitter… Curiously I checked it out, and since then it has not only become an addiction, but also a real source of pride and inspiration for me. Proudly, I am a part of the OMB board, and strive to help out as much as I can, with the aim of helping grow our community, and supporting as many creatives as possible along the way. I even signed up as a mentor through the father Critmas campaign, and really enjoyed meeting and supporting my matched creative!
The Community as a whole are without a doubt the most supportive, creative and talented community on twitter. I could go on about the amazing Ombles forever and a day and it will be nothing that has never been said before.
OMB has given me so much, on so many levels, that I cannot really express how deeply passionate I am about it. It may sound a little overkill to anyone who is new to OMB or has not been involved before, but having been through hell and questioned every aspect of my own life, be that my mental health, my job, my relationships, and my goals; I can honestly say that the people I have bonded with through OMB have made such a difference.
One example being, that during some of the darkest days of my life, during which I lost my father to a prolonged cancer battle, followed by my grandmother just a few weeks later, just having something to focus on for ‘a minute’ a day was a release and a distraction that, when I look back, really helped get me through them. Being supported and inspired by like-minded, creative, brilliant individuals every day is something you can’t put a price on.
Too often in the industry people try and knock others down, whether for their own gain or not. I think this is a nationwide issue that is found in all walks of life, in all industries and sectors. It’s a part of our culture I really cannot abide. Anyone who follows me knows I am a huge socialist, and thoroughly believe we should be building each other up and not bringing each other down, and that is something I think the OMB community is outstanding at.
Fortunately, I have also won some incredible prize briefs, for companies like KFC, Papa Johns and Ecologi to name a few. It really is something special to gain recognition for creative ideas when sometimes it can feel like recognition in real life is hard to come by.
As creatives, we can all sometimes suffer from imposter syndrome, and over-think, and worry and burnout. IT HAPPENS TO ALL OF US! But the best remedy? Submit an OMB… engage with others, you’ll feel refreshed quicker than you realise.
Another highlight was attending an OMBLIVE event, to then find out I had been named as the Newcomer of the year, a total surprise and a really humbling experience. Also, plucking up the courage to take on the Live OMB tournament and being a semi-finalist was so much fun! It was also great to get to see some of the faces behind the twitter profiles in person, and my trophy is proudly on display on the shelf as a reminder that even on days where I do not feel an ounce of creativity exists in me, I can do it – We all can, especially when we support each other in the trademark OMB way.
OMB has revived my passion for thinking creatively, given me confidence in my own abilities, and renewed optimism for the future.
Would I recommend OMB?
DO IT. It only takes a minute, right?