I am a strategist, teacher and writer. I’ve had three careers: advertising, tech’ innovation and teaching.I have also published many articles. ( a “top 5” selection is on this blog)
Advertising 1980-2002: Strategy Director at Ogilvy, Head of Strategy at McCann-Erickson London (then the UK’s biggest agency), European Strategy Director at red cell and Chief Executive Officer of red cell advertising, a WPP agency in London dedicated to challenger brands. Our clients included Bank of Scotland, Alfa Romeo, Visit Wales, CNN, Nikon, Sky and South African Breweries.
Sabbatical 2002/3:After four years as CEO of red cell, I took a sabbatical to research and write a textbook for The Account Planning Group on the revolutionary impact of digital technology and new practices in developing campaigns (“The Communications Challenge” APG 2004. ISBN 1-904623-06-9).
In 2004 I co-founded The Joined Up Company– a strategy and learning consultancy in partnership with Janet Grimes, former Head of Strategy at Ogilvy.
Good Technology 2004-06-a digital creative agency. We set up strategy development processes, methods and learning programs. I was also a Non-Executive Director and worked on key projects such as the BBC Digital account. Good Technology was Revolution Agency of the Year 2006.
Unilever Marketing Academy: 2005-08 We co-designed and delivered a global learning program that brought together marketers and their agencies in local markets. Our objective was to inspire fresh thinking about effectiveness and help Unilever to profit from a rapidly changing media landscape brought about by digital technology.
Central Office of information. 2008-11. We designed and ran The Big Thinkers learning program which was focussed on applying behaviour science to societal behaviour change. This work (and other work at COI) was published as – “Communications and behaviour change” – a joint Government Communication Network and Central Office of information (Crown Copyright 2009 3011153).
Google: 2015-17. I helped develop methodologies and worked on client projects in an Innovation unit at Google called The Zoo. Our role was defined as “a think tank for brands and their agencies”. During my two years at Google I worked on the development and launch of new YouTube channels for global brand owners (Unilever and Pedigree)
Training and Learning: Over the past 20 years, I have delivered many lectures and seminars for brand owners and creative agencies on every continent in the world, except Antarctica. After the pandemic I stopped international work. I continue to deliver learning programs through UK trade bodies, notably:
The Diploma in Insight, Creativity and Communications for AIA. I designed this course 12 years ago and it is widely regarded as the best introduction to creative agency life and work.
Essentials (since 2016) in partnership with Phil Barden author of Decoded -a day long course for APG on the application of Behaviour Science to marketing and communications effectiveness.
In 2025 I developed and a new seminar called Behaviour Science can change your life. It shows how “Nudge” methods are being used in many ways to influence our behaviour and how it is also a tool you can use in your daily life.
I am a backer (seed investor) in Chimnie , which was set up by fellow former employees of Google. Our mission is to revolutionise the property market. I sit on the advisory board . I am delighted to report that Chimnie has recently won awards: Insurance Post Technology launch of the year and Insurance times Best insurance start up .
Below is Jonathan Francis receiving the Insurance post award
joinedupthink 