What recent marketing trend has caught your attention?
The strategic pivot CPG brands are making in response to the UK’s new High in Fat, Sugar, Salt (HFSS) advertising regulations has been really interesting. It has forced a much-needed return to building brand equity and a move away from an over-reliance on performance marketing. A recent article by Mark Ritson described this as a “gift to marketers” – a perspective I find spot on.
But I think the real opportunity is for advertisers to go further by leveraging their most iconic brand assets, like colors or characters, to create a truly connected consumer journey. The most successful will be those that marry their top-of-funnel story with their retail media execution, ensuring a seamless and powerful brand experience from start to finish.
While the jury is out on whether such regulations fundamentally alter consumer habits or simply reshuffle their choices, the strategic mandate for marketers to adapt is undeniable.
What interesting client projects are you working on currently?
I’m working on a fascinating project that involves modeling recruitment marketing for one organization. It resonated with me because it takes real focus to move beyond typical commercial KPIs and fully internalize a client’s unique strategic objective.
In this project, success isn’t measured by efficiency alone. Using marketing mix modeling (MMM), we provide recommendations that help hit critical recruitment thresholds in very specific disciplines, where strategic necessity rightly outweighs pure cost-effectiveness.
When it comes to recruitment at Gain Theory, working with junior starters is something you’re passionate about. Why do you enjoy this and how do you help them?
I find immense satisfaction in nurturing the next generation of talent and it’s something that’s becoming even more critical in today’s complex work environment. The shift to remote working has largely diluted the natural ‘information osmosis’ junior staff once benefited from, while the rise of AI presents a new challenge.
While it’s a powerful tool, AI requires a layer of critical thinking that only experience provides; a junior colleague might accept an output at face value, whereas a senior leader is more likely to interrogate the ‘why’ behind it.
To counter these shifts, my approach is to co-develop a personalized progression plan from day one. This starts with building trust through open, honest dialogue, where regular, constructive feedback is understood as a tool purely for growth.
A core part of my philosophy is also knowing when to step back. It’s tempting to course-correct early, but the most powerful lessons are often learned from mistakes you’ve been allowed to make in a safe environment.
What are you passionate about outside of work?
After years as a competitive club runner, I’ve transitioned to cycling and now enjoy everything from the daily commute to virtual racing. This evolution mirrors a broader shift in my life, particularly since becoming a parent. It has taught me a profound lesson about navigating what I call the ‘parent-professional paradox’: the pressure to work as if you don’t have children, and to parent as if you don’t have a job.
I’ve learned to be ruthless in protecting my time and to seize opportunities when they arise, whether that’s for a block of uninterrupted deep work or a cycling session in a diary gap.
I also encourage my team to set boundaries and flex their schedules to fit their lives. This creates a culture where we are all more focused, energized, and ultimately deliver sharper insights when it matters most.
Contact Fergal to discuss any of the issues raised in this Q&A.