Paula Marcantonio is creative director and partner at SUPERSONIC, a Leeds-based creative agency.
Founded in 2023 by Don McGrath, Ben Bateson, Cat Cronin and Brad Hill with over 60 years of industry experience between them, the agency has a clear focus on strategy, creative and production working with the likes of Stagecoach and online retailer Dusk.
From encounters with dead rats to a spot of Irish dancing around the office, Marcantonio shares a recent week in her life…
Monday
I start every day with a freezing cold shower. My husband tuts saying I’m mental, but I’m totally hooked on the health benefits of cold water. At the office we kick off the week with our morning WIP meeting, which includes debating the size of Cat’s baby – apparently he’s now the size of a penguin. The other week he was the size of a barn owl. Hopefully when he’s born he’ll turn into a human.
It’s a busy week – we’re creating a brand campaign for our biggest client, we need ideas for a fancy food truck for a hotel brand, and we have a pitch on the go. We will need quality snacks from the legendary SUPERSONIC snack drawer.
Working on ideas for a pitch this afternoon and got a bit stuck, but after a cuddle with Buddy and a Tunnock’s teacake I was back on track. Buddy* fell asleep with his head resting on my keyboard but I didn’t have the heart to move him. I just had to write words without a Q, A or a Z. *Buddy = dog.
Tuesday
Big strategy day. Gemma and I helped Brad run a brand workshop with 40 travel company clients, for two very posh yachting brands. Then I emptied the bins. Brad very kindly took them outside to the big bins, where he had an encounter with a dead rat. Brad thought a dead rat outside the office might put clients off us, so he covered it up with a traffic cone. Genius. Only problem is, now we’re all too scared to lift up the traffic cone.
On Tuesday afternoons we can see an Irish dancing class through the window at the Mabgate Mill dance studio. So we all have a jig. Irish dancing is knackering!
Some ace news came in at 6pm about a pitch win! I have our SUPERSONIC house Champagne chilled for this kind of occasion (Aldi’s Veuve Monsigny ) so we pop it open and do a bit more Irish dancing.
Wednesday
It’s a double-dog day in the office – yesssss! Mya is more cat than dog, sprawling herself around like a glamorous interiors accessory. Buddy is bouncy and loves you if you have food. Especially cheese.
Last minute creative brief came in, which, years ago when my kids were young would have stressed me out big time. But I called my teen daughter, asked her to make dinner, then me, Ben and Don smashed out the brief.
As it’s Wednesday we have to leave at 5.30 and finish work at home as a heavy metal band does rehearsals downstairs. It’s loud, and no amount of Tunnock’s teacakes will offset the anxiety of electric guitar vibrations coming up through the floorboards and rattling my skull. Yoga class after work.
Thursday
Exciting day in North Yorkshire with our Brass Monkey clients, presenting some new brand creative – I love presenting ideas to clients and getting them excited about how they can come to life.
Thursday is our SUPERSONIC team lunch day which we do every week without fail. It’s important to us as a small team to have that time to just be together, even if we’re dead busy. Today we popped to Mommy Thai – oof! We always go over the top on the prawn crackers and spring rolls, but our eyes are bigger than our bellies and we never learn.
Friday
We usually do a working from home day on a Friday, mainly so we can all put a wash on before the weekend and feel like we’re winning at life. But we’re mega busy so we’re all in the office.
Unintentionally became Head of IT after spending an hour on YouTube learning how to connect to the new printer. (Sarcastic side swipe to the team…at least I managed it!) Then Gemma taught me some new techy skills on my Mac – everyone needs a Gemma in their life.
The SUPERSONIC snack drawer came into its own at 3pm, fuelling us up for the last leg of the week. We have a TV shoot starting next week so still lots to sort out.
BREAKING NEWS: The dead rat has disappeared – phew, we’re still in business.
It’s been another busy week of thinking, snacking and Irish dancing. I love our agency! Time for my train home, beers at Friends of Ham and weekend family time 🙂
