Little Black Book and MCA Announce Launch of Creative Intelligence

Today Little Black Book (LBB) and Murphy Cobb Associates (MCA) have announced the launch of Creative Intelligence, a unique global solution that supports a streamlined direct-to-client creative approach.

In a constantly shifting and disruptive market, brands and businesses are seeking new ways of working, particularly when it comes to the execution of their creative communication and marketing.

Simple, solution-neutral, and cost efficient, Creative Intelligence harnesses the extraordinary expertise and reach of both LBB and MCA to assist agencies and brands to supercharge their creative output.

Shunning the ‘one size fits all’ approach, Creative Intelligence offers tailor-made solutions, and the education, support, connections and insight needed to navigate the changing landscape. Supplying more than top talent and creative partnerships, Creative Intelligence promises to re-educate marketers in the entire creative advertising process, empowering teams to make more effective marketing decisions.

As a major creative news platform, LBB boasts an international team that is connected to top industry leaders, up-and-coming talent, specialists and upstarts around the world, and has an unrivalled insight into the whole marketing ecosystem.

Already a powerful resource for the global creative community, LBB brings together end clients, agencies, creative tech labs, production, VFX, innovation and music companies around the world. That means it’s uniquely positioned to tap into global creative talent and trends.

Production consultancy MCA has been helping advertisers around the world maximise the efficiency of their communications production investments for over ten years. They audit, benchmark, review, strategise, advise and project manage some of the world’s largest marketing spenders, ensuring efficiencies and optimising investments across the production process.

By combining MCA’s global client reach and production knowledge with LBB’s global creative insight, community and online platform, Creative Intelligence can offer an ‘out of the box’ solution to accessing and working with the world’s best creative and production talent – ensuring that more of the client’s budget is in the final creative output.

Matt Cooper, founder and CEO of Little Black Book believes there is no better time to launch the service. “This is the most exciting time ever to be in the business but there has been a lot of change and for many this has meant a lack of resources and time. Time to find the right partners and suppliers to create the brilliant work the industry needs in 2017.

“Helping agencies and suppliers connect online, through the site, and increasingly putting these people together to form real partnerships, has become part of LBB’s core skill. It’s what we do best. We come from the industry and understand how to quickly and sensibly help many through this process.”

Pat Murphy, Founder and Owner of MCA, comments: “Although for many years we have been helping clients to partner with the right creative suppliers, this collaboration with LBB will allow us to offer the whole global landscape, without agendas or vested interests. We have only one thing in mind – the work. By combining MCA’s process and best practice with LBB’s creative insights, we can offer clients an alternative way to achieve optimal creative execution at best value. Whether it’s a digital producer in Sri Lanka, or a table top photographer in Iceland, Creative Intelligence will be able to get it done.”

On LBB and MCA’s relationship, Cooper adds: “‘I have known Pat for almost 20 years and during that time we have worked together on lots of game-changing propositions, not least when I was at a post-house and he was head of TV. I have always believed that Pat has a vision for the business that is ahead of the curve and we relish the idea of working closer with Pat and the team to help the whole industry.

“It is of huge importance to us that we can help put best-quality partners in front of whoever may need them, be it client or agency. LBB has found itself in a unique position in the industry and we have over 1000 creative clients from agency and production companies to music and post. We know the people who run these companies and understand their core skills. If using our expertise means we can help make the end work better, faster, smoother and put the best brains in the business together, who wouldn’t benefit?”

Murphy adds: “There are no limits on the recommendations we can make, and this unbiased neutral approach is the only way to ensure you are finding the best partner for the job. We aren’t in the business of only recommending people that are paying for a service or ‘on the books’, and we are tapped into so much more than just agencies – we can connect you to any type of company within the industry. The reason I am excited about this partnership is twofold. We get to work with Matt Cooper, one of the most passionate creative champions in the business, and secondly, this shifts allows us to assist our clients make every pound, dollar, euro of an ever-fragmenting budget be even more impactful than ever. 2017 is a time for clients to be bold and we want to be there help them build their businesses through better production decision making.”