How Graham Dodridge got ahead in marketing
“Having the chance to spend time with smart and fun people and doing exactly what I love everyday. It doesnt get better than this. Long may it continue. ”
Name: Graham Dodridge
Company: Silver Worldwide
Job title: Creative Director
What made you want to get into brands/advertising/media/marketing?
I always loved drawing and advertising as a child and designed ads at school for fun. It was a natural choice.
How did you get into the industry (including relevant qualifications and professional training)?
With four years at Gloucester and Plymouth art schools and an OND and HND in graphic design under my belt, I got a job working for a one man band called John Walsh in West Street, just off Cambridge Circus. I was John’s runner / assistant and shadowed him at all his meetings. Within six months I was running some of the meetings.
What was good and bad about your first job?
Great location, great experience. Bad money. After a year I had to drop to four days a week and take on freelance projects on Fridays. It was a short step to setting up my first company; Dumbleton Design in 1987.
List your jobs to date
Following a couple of years running Dumbleton, I set up the design department of Graphic Impressions, who were one of my clients. Two years after that I left and founded Gyro in 1991, now Gyro International. I set up Silver in 2006.
What were the best and worst, and why?
They’ve all been great. Owning your own business and making all the key decisions about your own future is exhilarating.
Who has been your biggest inspiration?
My wife Trish and I have been together throughout my whole career and she has been a constant advisor, supporter and confidante.
Who in the industry do you most admire?
I’ve worked with many very talented creatives along the way – Two stand out for their natural ability; Balwant Ahira, now Art Director for Elle Decoration and Max Lucci now Creative Director of ReCreate.
What is your biggest achievement to date?
Setting up a worldwide communications group has to be it. I’m very proud of Gyro and wish it continued success. I am also extremely thrilled to be involved with my new team at Silver who are doing some tremendous brand and communications works ¬– They have great energy and tons of exciting ideas.
On what do you base your success so far?
Having the chance to spend time with smart and fun people and doing exactly what I love everyday. It doesn’t get better than this. Long may it continue.
What are your ambitions?
I am enjoying the journey with Silver and I am delighted to play my part in nurturing new talent, supporting great customers and growing the business. I am writing a screenplay and exhibiting my photographs in a local gallery. I keep thinking of new ambitions – The sky’s the limit!
Change one thing about your job
I would love everyone to like the music I play and I’d love to play it at full whack. You can’t always have it all your own way!
Change one thing about your industry
More free award competitions to embrace a broader cross section of talent.
Change one thing about the world
Invent supercars that have zero impact on the environment. Oh, and all the usual: world peace, no hunger etc.
What is your favourite brand?
I love my company Silver branded Mini and my iTunes on my iPod. What is the next big brand in your view?: Silver is involved in the early stage development of a new mobile phone brand, which have the potential to make some considerable noise.
List your “media diet”
Design Week, Marketing Week, Precision Marketing, any car magazine, particularly those featuring Continuation GT40s, Bike Magazine and of course the invaluable feral press: The Independent and Cooper Brown!
