We'll be right back after this short break

“Breathe the sweetness that hovers in August,” wrote the British-American poet Denise Levertov. This newsletter will be doing just that until September although, much like the warm food counter at an all-night garage, the Creative Salon platform never shuts and will continue to serve up the best commercial creativity.

With large swathes of the industry enjoying les grandes vacances and the opportunity to have a break from what has been a tiring, and hopefully rewarding, 2022, we hope that you have time to reflect on your achievements and reenergise for Q4.

On that note, it was a pleasure to sit down with the Bettys and Taylors of Harrogate marketing director Dom Dwight and Goodstuff's Sam Drake who talked about their enduring partnership, with Goodstuff having worked with the brand for over a decade. While the warmth between them was apparent, they both had some useful tips on what makes a successful partnership work.

Obviously, it’s crucial to get the fundamentals right but as Dom points out, agencies need to build their relationships with clients beyond the pitch or briefing process. For his part, Sam acknowledges that agencies should maintain the behaviours that won them the business in the first place. But, most crucially, both agree that mutual respect is critical – it was evident between them and it shows in their work.

Elsewhere, we take a look at the rise of virtual production, which can allow creatives to compose entire shots in pre-production and make changes on the fly. Given that Reckitt Benckiser has recently announced that it plans to move the majority of its production projects to virtual production, the technique is only going to rise in popularity. It’s not without its critics, of course, but the technology could open up creative opportunities and allow clients to get more bang for their bucks.

Making money go further is likely to be at the back of many people’s minds, even as they hit the sun lounger. While figures from the Advertising Association/Warc suggest that ad spend is set to grow by 10.9 per cent this year to £35.4 billion, inflation means this will diminish to a 1.8 per cent rise. We all know that pressure will continue next year so ensuring your client relationships are buttoned down is essential.

But for now, it’s time to enjoy the sweetness. À la rentrée!