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?’”

ICE became independent in 1999.

“The plc was being bought out and they didn’t really want an in-house communications and design department,” said Jackson.

“We became ICE on December 6, 1999. We had 11 days to get out and find an office.”

The new ICE started out with £8,000 in capital and just one existing contract – for Kodak.

But it soon won a contract with Merseyside Fire Service and began its growth.

ICE’s turnover is this year set to reach around £2.8m, but Jackson expects the business to grow threefold in the time before he plans to leave the top job.

“We’re planning a very aggressive growth strategy,” he said. “We’d like to see ourselves in five years’ time as a company with turnover somewhere around £10m, and with 150 to 200 team members.

“We believe the market is coming towards us as a change and social marketing specialist.

“We’re focusing on the market that can best use our services and we’ll be a lot less scattergun.”

Jackson says ICE is well set to continue its growth as its public sector focus – up to 70% of its work – makes it more resilient to the credit crunch.

He said: “Even more significantly, we are now a leading, recognised organisation in terms of social change and communications management around that change – social marketing.

“Regardless of the economic conditions, the agendas are set for at least the next three years by central and regional government.

“Our order book is looking good. Our growth strategy is working. We will continue with something in the region of 8-10% financial growth this year. Our profitability will have increased this year as well, as we’re taking on more consultancy-based work.”

Jackson’s father, now 74 and retired, left the business when it became ICE. Jackson modestly insists he was not as good a photographer as his “fantastically good” parent.

He shows similar modesty when it comes to his business. Jackson wants his business to be the best, but is not keen on arrogantly shouting from the rooftops or dismissing his rivals.

“We’re deadly serious that we want to be first among equals,” he said. “We see our peers as very important to our credibility.

“I’m a believer in choice. Choice is like oxygen. I’m not afraid of our competition.

“We don’t want to be like Jose Mourinho, saying ‘I’m the Special One’. There’s some good communications companies out there. But we’re also a good – even great – communications company.”

ICE will soon be employing two nurses offering alcohol advice to support its campaigning work – a first for the business.

Having grown up in the design world, Jackson says he relishes the way he is now using his skills to make a difference in the community.

“We’re working with Spar supporting their campaign against under-age alcoholism,” he said. “That’s supporting social change in a private business.

“It’s bizarre how it can extrapolate when you start to think about it. It involves marketing, psychology, anthropology and creative outputs as well.

“I get up in the morning and do what I like doing, which for me is communications.

“Yes, we’re getting paid for it. But, more than that, we’re doing something that makes a difference to people’s lives. That’s a great position to be in.”

alistairhoughton