Luke Taylor is Joint Head, McCann Content Studios, McCann Manchester. We asked who his digital hero is.
Who is your digital hero?
My digital hero is Gareth Maguire, former agency partner at Meta.
What has he done to win hero status in your eyes?
Over four years, from my days as a Social Manager to becoming a Senior Director at McCann, Gareth was my biggest source of learning and someone I could constantly bounce ideas off. At a time when there were major new product innovations each month at Meta, Gareth introduced me to tonnes of new features, models and skills that helped me grow.
Gareth was always there, no matter the time of day; sharing upcoming insights before even LadBible got a sniff.
How has hi heroism helped drive digital?
Gareth led the brand and attribution product narratives across the UK and Ireland at Facebook, turning social media from a fluffy space for Likes and Comments in to a key commercial channel.
Working with Gareth, we showed the brands at McCann how social reaches key audiences as well as huge numbers of incremental audiences; how it’s typically the top place for brand discovery, how it complements paid search, and how it drives sales.
Since then, social investment from brands has exploded, making it the fastest-growing advertising channel. From 2016-2021, Social spend in the UK grew by 310% – 4x larger than Search or Display.
What are the biggest challenges in digital that we need another hero to solve?
The relentless pace of social media demands that brands stay ahead. However, the scaling back of agency support by platforms has shifted focus to media companies and the largest brands. Having a close connection between brands and platforms relies on agencies and agency partners working hand in hand.
What is your most heroic achievement so far in digital?
I’m proud to have progressed from a Social Executive on Day 1, to Head of Social in just over eight years, all while at (the incredible) McCann Manchester.
