Tim Trapp, MD of the newly launched Waggledance, discusses the plans for the new entity, where the Manchester ad agency begins life and what it aims to achieve.

Why Waggledance?

If you know what a waggledance is then you’d probably know what we’re going to say, and why we think it’s a great name for an ad agency. A waggle dance is a special jig that bees do to tell other bees where to find the nectar - which depending on how you look at it, is either a very simple form of advertising or a remarkably complex one. As a name it also helps convey a sense of fun that will be present in our creative work as well as an important part of the agencies culture. Most importantly of our clients and potential Clients seem to really like it!  

As some people may know there’s a beer with the name and we also know John Griffiths who started a movement of strategists around the world called waggledancers.

What is going to happen with the original new company Dambusters then?

Yes well spotted, a company called Dambusters does exist but we’ll be announcing our plans for that company at a later date.

A lot of people will no doubt have a cynical view of this and ask why do it at all if not neccessary? How would you answer that?

I’m not so sure what there is to be cynical about? As has been well documented, Pravda had had a difficult couple of years due to its clients not spending. The investor we brought in wanted a completely fresh vehicle for what we were planning to do together. And since we were talking to a completely different set of clients by that stage and were faced with hiring new staff, there didn’t seem to be much left to build on - just an appetite for a fresh start.  

Where does Waggledance begin? Clients? Staff?

We have three directors, 10 staff and Clients include Pork Farms Pies, The North Face, Daxon Home Shopping, Hardy and Lornamead.

How does it differ from Pravda?

Pravda was set up a long time ago by a very different team and culture. Pravda’s focus was on ways of including clients in the creative process whereas Waggledance will be focussed on overcoming the disjoint between planning and creative. 

Waggledance has completely different clients, different staff, different board make-up, a different business model and an entirely different way of working so as you can see it differs quite a lot. . . some of the staff worked at Pravda, that's it.