We’re doing something that can make a difference

Aug 13 2008 by Alistair Houghton, Liverpool Daily Post

Alistair Houghton meets STUART JACKSON, chief executive of communications agency ICE

IT MAY be hard to see why Stuart Jackson would give up his office at ICE, which boasts a view of the Mersey so good that it was broadcast live on the internet during the Tall Ships’ visit.

But Jackson, chief executive of the Birkenhead marketing and communications agency, is already planning his departure, even though he only turns 40 this month.

ICE specialises in “social marketing” – working with companies and government departments using marketing techniques to help change people’s behaviour for the better.

That has included working with Spar to curb under-age drinking or with Government departments to deliver the National Healthy Schools Programme.

Jackson, ICE’s chief executive, is already looking at succession planning and bringing new faces onto the board. He says he does not want to stay in his role for too long when a new face at the helm could bring in new ideas to help the firm grow still further.

“I’m 40 this month and I don’t want to be CEO in five years’ time,” he said.

“I’m paranoid that I could start damaging the organisation. I don’t want to walk away from the business, but I want it to have what it needs to grow and succeed.

“We’ve created this wonderful thing in ICE, all 34 of us. I can choose to keep it and possess it or, like the good parable says, if you love something set it free.

“As a board, that’s what we’re looking to do in the next three or four years – set ICE free. We don’t want it to be limited by our inabilities.

“I’m a shareholder, but that’s a very different role from managing director or chief executive.”

ICE aims to offer marketing support from the creation of the first concept through to finished product, whether that includes PR, design, social marketing or even business planning. Jackson says he wants to avoid relying on sub-contracting and instead carry out all work in-house.

ICE emerged from Jackson’s father Colin’s photography company CJ Studios, which was founded in 1968.

Stuart studied for a photography degree, and after he joined the family firm he started doing more photo retouching and montage work. That, in turn, led to more product design and point-of-sale work, with clients including Sharp and Rimmel Cosmetics.

CJ’s success led to it being bought out by listed company CQR, formerly Channel Holdings, in 1997.

Jackson and his colleagues wanted to give the business a new name – and after toying with the name Opus, came up with the ICE brand.

“The spark was creative excellence – that was what we wanted to do,” said Jackson.

“One of us said ‘why don’t we stick an I in front? Another said ‘we’ll be innovative in our approach – why don’t we call it ICE?’”