CB Hot Suit Takes: Tom Ootes, Managing Director / Agency Principal, SAUCE.
CB Hot Suit Takes is our new Q&A series for extremely busy CEOs and senior leaders across the industry ~ covering careers, creativity, challenges and the song that sums it all up. Next in the hot seat is Tom Ootes, Managing Director / Agency Principal at SAUCE. The Creative Agency.
1. What made you get into advertising?
Growing up, I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do. I studied Journalism, Law and Commerce, drifted into marketing and eventually landed a national marketing manager role. The role wasn’t quite right for me and a few years in I saw a job ad at a creative agency looking for “interesting people” with no job description. I applied, got the job and fell in love with our industry. A decade later I bought that agency and now we’re SAUCE.
2. Which piece of work are you most proud of, and why?
Two straight away. Selfish Prick for SA Police. An anti drink-driving campaign that reduced DUI rates by 35% to their lowest in a decade. We also managed to get the Government to call people pricks, which still makes me grin.
The other is The Bloody Important Conversation for TABOO Period Products, where employees could anonymously get TABOO’s CEO to approach their employer about providing free period products in the workplace. Simple idea, genuine impact.
3. What’s the biggest challenge you face in your role right now?
Apart from AI and cashflow, probably imposter syndrome if I’m being honest. The gap between how confident I appear and how confident I actually feel is probably bigger than most people would guess. I’ve made a kind of internal competition out of it. Every good brief, every great campaign, every happy client is another point on the board.
4. What’s the most recent thing you’ve learned, professionally or personally?
Learning to regulate myself when things get tense. Having young kids forces that on you fast. But those same skills are helping professionally too. Staying calm when a situation is difficult, not reacting to the tension in the room. Turns out toddlers are pretty good teachers.
5. What song best sums up your career so far?
With a Little Help from My Friends by The Beatles. Every good thing SAUCE has made, there were brilliant people behind it.
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