Umar Ghumman
Digital Strategist
Crafting Narratives, Fuelling Conversations
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- SummaryAdvertising is the art and science of persuasion, it’s Bernbach’s Creativity, Reeve’s USP, Chiat‘s Risks, Leo Burnett’s Simplicity, Ogilvy’s Selling and King & Pollitt’s Creative Tweaking. Even more importantly, advertising is an integral part of culture, and I enjoy being the one who shapes and reshapes it.
My learnings and experiences have allowed my thinking to be channel agnostic, inherently social, rooted in insights and always tied to universal human needs.
As a Digital Strategist, I merge relevant research, social media listenings, trends, best practices and my innate intuitive ability to craft strategic planning documents and POVs to answer business problems
For me, each day is an opportunity to learn, create, impact, challenge and make a difference. If you're working on challenging projects that could use some strategic push, give me a shout. I'm always interested in taking on different adventures.Specialties: Interactive Planning Digital & Social Media Strategy Insight mining/Discovery Mobile Strategy Social Media Monitoring & Analysis Community Development Content Strategy Email Programs/eCRM InnovationExperience- Jul 2010 - PresentSr. Manager, Creative Strategy / henderson bas kohnhenderson bas kohn is part of the MDC Partners Network and Canada's most awarded digital agency that combines remarkable creative and powerful strategy for exceptional results. Currently co-leading the Digital strategy on Coca Cola, The Weather Network, Mercedes-Benz, Kraft and Nestle. I help merge relevant research, latent trends, best practices and intuition to aide in the creation of ideas and strategy, I craft unique point-of-views on different communication channels with a focus on digital. Other client experience includes:Tim Hortons, LG Canada, Ally Bank, McCormick, LCBO, Nintendo, CAA, Capital One, Dr. Oetker, Porter Airlines & Maple Leaf Foods. I have also crafted presentations for workshops and conferences including the IAB Canada's Social Media Course, Sympatico.ca, FCPC (Food & Consumer Products of Canada) and RGD Ontario.
- Jan 2010 - May 2010Consultant, Online Marketing / GoldMinD TV | Haim GoldenbergDigital Strategy including a complete SEM campaign for Gemini nominated and host of TV's hit show 'Goldmind', Haim Goldenberg
- Nov 2008 - Mar 2009Operations / TRAFFIKGroupClients: Diageo, Canada Dry, 3M, Microsoft/Xbox and GE Contract position - Co-ordinated the inner workings and functions of a Toronto based integrated ad agency
- Dec 2005 - Oct 2008Partner, e-Business / Einek IncHow often does someone get a chance to craft something of their own, watch it evolve in the hands of artisans and then get admiration for it? Precisely what I got, designed a line of laptop bags and gadget covers, made from organic cotton canvas and leather, and then sold them through 3 online stores based out of Montreal. Learnt, developed and strengthened skills in product design, sourcing, customer service and digital marketing including SEO, SEM, Web development, UX, e-commerce, and yes, Social Media.
- May 2005 - Sept 2005Strategic Planning / JWTClients: Pepsi, Shell, Unilever (Lux, Sunsilk), Nokia JWT Pakistan - Learnt the inner working of a traditional ad agency with a focus on Account Planning/Strategy
Education-
2011 - 2011University of TorontoInformation Architecture
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2010 - 2010University of TorontoCertificate in Web Marketing
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2004 - 2006Lahore School of EconomicsMBA in Marketing
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2001 - 2004Lahore School of EconomicsB. Sc.(Hons) Double Major in Economics & Finance
Activities: Teaching Assistant: Intro to Micro & Macro Economics Social Services Society Dramatics Society -
1996 - 2001University of Cambridge ExaminationsGCSE O & A-Levels
Additional Information-
Websites:
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Honors:Program Scholarship - MBA Program Scholarship - B. Sc
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Tweets
- Patio @ henderson bas kohn http://t.co/75f6k1JA
- Design & Thinking Official Trailer: http://t.co/J50NPSez via @youtube
- Your Company Has Social Media Nailed. Now What? http://t.co/quUqsGBk
- Trust is Down Everywhere, Except Among Friends http://t.co/1iSuV2QO
- Smartphones top computers for U.S. Facebook time http://t.co/fVVPzZES
- Tumblr Boasts Rapid Growth and New Advertising Opportunities http://t.co/8fmhQPD4
- Bombay nights! (@ Hard Rock Cafe Toronto w/ 2 others) http://t.co/74Ud09CF
- Video: Caine’s Arcade. A touching story of how social media helped make a 9 year-old boy’s day. http://t.co/UeY1KUnR
- @Wunderlist What's with the lag? It's taking forever!Apr 24, 12 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- vitaminwater canada http://t.co/GFLT5LRj
- I'm at Toronto Don Valley Hotel (Toronto, ON) w/ 3 others http://t.co/0mOCEqxb
- The British GQ Comedy Special! http://t.co/6ptPQF2VApr 01, 12 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- I'm at House of Lords (Toronto, ON) http://t.co/lolJaOcf
- I'm at Marben Restaurant (Toronto, ON) http://t.co/XNlP6mmH
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Posts
- Everthing is a Remix: Part 4“Our system of law doesn’t acknowledge the derivative nature of creativity. Instead, ideas are regarded as property, as unique and original lots with distinct boundaries. But ideas aren’t so tidy. They’re layered, they’re interwoven, they’re tangled. And when the system conflicts with the reality… the system starts to fail.”
- Guardian's Three Little PigsBrilliant work for The Guardian by BBH London
- If you talked to people...“We love cheese cake. Do you love cheese cake? Tell us about it.” Seriously?!
- The Power of Curosity
<p><a href=”http://vimeo.com/34853044“>The Future Belongs to the Curious</a> from Skillshare on <a href=”http://vimeo.com“>Vimeo</a>.</p>
- Product Design + Visual Culture OnlineThese are two fantastic micro documentaries from PBS Arts as part of their Off Book Series. The first one looks at the world of product design and the second one talks about the online visual culture. Product Design
Visual Culture Online
- Hegarty on Advertising
I like biographies but since most of them are too dry or too dramatized I tend not to read them (Also I have toned down reading marketing books, most of them say the same thing just from a different angle, especially the new social media/influence/WOM types, plus if everybody is reading the same stuff, they end up with similari-ish ideas - that is just my POV). I finished reading John Hegarty’s Hegarty on Advertising and I can truly say that the book was a breath of fresh air, I didn’t have too many expectations and that is why I liked it even more. The book’s two part approach, documenting the journey to creating a great agency and a how-to advice approach for people connected to the advertising industry makes it very interesting.
Hegarty covers it all, Tissue meetings, creative directors, technology, storytelling, culture and more but the part that stands out the most for me is his belief on having a philosophy for the agency. He talks about how his agency was the first one to have a no-creative-presentation-in-the-pitch approach (Yes, everybody says that now) and that is what made it different, standing by something you believe in (and not working with any client that want’s to pay for you to slap logos on).
The most memorable takeaway would be the constant belief in narrative.
(BTW there were three typos in the book)
Image source: Advertolog
- Dancing Paper Stop Motion
<p>FRICTIONS from BURAYAN on <a href=”http://vimeo.com“>Vimeo</a>.</p>
- Why The Guardian is SucceedingThe Guardian is becoming quite a force in journalism and a truly social media organisation, they have broken down their approach in five simple steps which any organization can use to become social.1. Commission, write, edit, and curate with the web in mind.2. Anticipate and plan for likely interaction. Is this a conversation? How would you like people to respond? Sometimes you need to invite particular kinds of contribution. If you think your content has the potential to get heated, tell the moderators in advance and keep an eye on it yourself.3. Participate and encourage participation. Keep an eye on conversations you start and get involved where relevant and possible. Invite particular perspectives and tease out interesting kernels into new ideas and conversations.4. Recognize and reward quality contributions. Give attention and praise to things that are constructive or interesting. Don’t reward negative behaviour with attention.5. Keep it up! Try and build some digital engagement activity into your daily routine, even if it’s just running Twitter in the background and reading/responding to comments once in a while.The complete interview with Meg Pichard, Head of Digital Engagement can be found at Google’s Think Quarterly.The following is a detailed interview with Alan Rusbridger, Guardian’s Editor, who talks about how the newspaper changed course four years ago and become a digital organization, including working round the clock, not sticking to old business models, being open, aggregating, linking and becoming part of the web instead of just being on the web. (Skip to 18:50 to read about Guardian’s approach)
- Fashion of Artists by PBS ArtsThe Fashion of Artists, the latest episode of the ongoing PBS Arts web documentary series Off Book, talks with six artists about how fashion influences their work and what it means to them.
- Google + FashionThe spot is from W+K Japan for Google, promoting the image search function.<p><a href=”http://vimeo.com/17203320“>Fashion Show with Google</a> from <a href=”http://vimeo.com/robbinwaldemar“>Robbin Waldemar</a> on <a href=”http://vimeo.com“>Vimeo</a>.</p>
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Photos
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Checkins
- Hard Rock Cafe Toronto279 Yonge St
- Toronto Don Valley Hotel1250 Eglinton Avenue East
- House of Lords639 Yonge St
- Marben Restaurant488 Wellington St W
- Rosewater19 Toronto St. 2nd Floor
- Nestle Tower25 Sheppard Ave West
- Nestle Tower25 Sheppard Ave West
- Bar Wellington520 Wellington St. W
- Kraft Foods95 Moatfield Drive
- Pamier Kabob119 Spadina Ave.
- Cool Hand Luc545 King St. W
- Pamier Kabob119 Spadina Ave.
- Khao San Road326 Adelaide St. W
- Khao San Road326 Adelaide St. W
- Starbucks65 Dundas St. W, Unit 303
- The One That Got Away581 King Street West
- Quotes Bar & Grill220 King St. W.
- Café Crêpe246 Queen St W
- Coco Rice669 King St W
- King's Palace820 Church St.
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