Mike Weir is head of behavioural science at digital marketing agency Impression.
Formerly of Endless Gain and Jaywing, Michael Weir joined the agency in 2023 as Impression launched its third office in Manchester.
With experience collaborating with brands such as PrettyLittleThing, Fragrance Direct, Studio and Autotrader, part of his role includes building on Impression’s Digital Experience offering and to understand the commercial challenges that businesses face, plus the solutions to those challenges.
Here, he shares an insight into his life and career journey so far plus some words of advice…
How did you first get into your industry?
My love of design and psychology initially drove me towards working in advertising. After completing high school and sixth form, I pursued an undergraduate degree in Advertising and Brand Management at Manchester Metropolitan University. I followed my passion further by studying International Creative Advertising, which further enhanced my love of creative and digital.
Something that I noticed whilst working in-house for a large international fashion retailer, was that I was increasingly drawn to analysing why creative design decisions were being made and the potential impact on audiences.
Moving towards an agency was something that I aimed towards as it would give me the scope to work across multiple brands and challenges. Plus, I thrive in the fast-paced environment that agencies offer.
What do you love about your job?
I love people. Understanding why people do what they do is interesting, and trying to shape what they do is even more fascinating.
Who – or what – has inspired you in your career?
There have been loads of people who have helped me in my career and deserve a shout-out. But here are some standout examples:
Peter Holden, former chairman of Holden and Sons and creative director at Royds, is sadly no longer with us. He inspired me to pursue a career in advertising at an agency. I fondly remember being sat in Art Direction on Tuesdays, scribbling down ideas whilst regaled by tales of advertising from a bygone era. Peter fundamentally recognised and lived the value of good storytelling.
Neil McKay and Garrat Cunningham of Endless Gain: helping me sharpen my presenting and client communication skills. Both agency veterans gave me a lot of their time, feedback, and agency know-how when I was very junior, which I put to good use to this day.
What are the biggest challenges about your job?
My biggest challenge is balancing my full-time agency career with my part-time PhD studies. THIS IS A HUGE CHALLENGE. You have to learn when to push yourself to do more and when to be kind to yourself and give yourself breathing space. It’s okay to take time off.
What skills have been the most crucial to you succeeding in your career so far?
- As a subject matter expert, you must learn the hard skills in the trade you are trying to apply.
- A commercial mindset is necessary for those wishing to progress in an agency.
- Most importantly, it’s soft skills like communication and giving feedback, leadership and coaching as all skills that will advance your career. This area becomes increasingly important as you progress through your career.
What was your first salary and what could someone getting into the industry expect to earn nowadays?
£16k working in-house as the only creative designer. Salaries vary greatly from agency to agency. It’s well worth doing your research. Also, consider finding your niche of specialism as this will help to bolster your salary.
What education or training would be most useful for someone looking to follow your career path?
Developing skills in psychology. Although these don’t have to be academic, it does help to have some formal training. I hold the belief that marketing is psychology. Marketing is all about getting someone to take action so a solid understanding of people will help you do that. Research skills, in general, are incredibly useful as it will help you to use data to solve problems.
What advice would you have for someone looking to follow your path?
- Resilience: A certain amount of resilience is going to be required throughout life. Your career will be full of ups and downs and challenges you must overcome. When the industry gives you lemons, figure out what you can learn from that situation and move forward.
- Learning: Learning and self-development are the keys to sustained success. Continuous development will set you apart from other graduates and candidates applying for senior roles. It will also make you better at your job.
- Play to your strengths: We all have strengths and weaknesses, and whilst it is practical to try to strengthen and grow in areas outside of our comfort zones, there will be areas, skills and nuisances in which you are likely to be stronger and develop faster. Spot in your environment the gap in which to apply your strengths and you’ll be rewarded for doing so. At the same time to be afraid to ask for help in areas where you might not be as strong.
