01/18/2007 08:43:00 AM 
Here's the result.
1. Can you briefly describe Innocent and your role in the company?
innocent is a company that was started by 3 college friends in 1999. We make smoothies and other healthy drinks, and we've grown a lot in the last seven years. My role is Head of Creative, which covers things like copywriting, design, adverts, web stuff and generally making sure that we look, sound and feel just right.
2. What do you believe are the secrets to Innocent's success?
We stick to what we know. We know lots about fruit, we know where to get the best fruit and we know how to mix it all up so it tastes nice. And we never add weird artificial stuff to our smoothies. If we remember to do all of this, our drinks will always taste great and so there's a better chance that people will buy them again.
3. As the years go by and the company gets bigger, how to you make sure you stay true to the brand's DNA?
We hire people who are smarter than us and who we'd like to be friends with. We're getting close to employing our 200th person, and so we are on a mission to make sure that Mr/Ms 200 is as in love with what we do as the founders are.
4. Any product (line-extensions) or communication ideas that you can talk about that you "killed" because they weren't on brand?
Clam juice smoothies. They don't work. And onion juice is pretty foul too. As far as communications goes, we once drew a poster featuring one of our drinks doing ballet and wearing a tutu. Can't remember why, but we didn't do it again.
5. What advice would you give to big corporations who want to be more "human"?
Speak human. Don't speak business. And always remember that your business is not the most important thing in your consumers' lives. The most important thing in their lives are their family, their health and maybe their new red sports car. You don't even register.
6. Can you tell us when Innocent will be seen in the US?
We don't know when. We keep thinking it would be a good idea but then we hear that clearing immigration is pretty tricky these days. Seriously, we'd love to sell our drinks in the USA, but at the moment we?re concentrating on Europe. We have offices in London, Dublin, Manchester, Paris, Amsterdam, Copenhagen and one opening in Germany in a few weeks time. It's getting busier.
7. What's inspiring you at the moment- music, film, books, art, blogs- etc?
I have a 9 month old daughter, so opportunities for consuming art and culture are pretty limited at the moment. She's my main inspiration, along with my wife. As for music, my iTunes tells me that I have been listening to a lot of Todd Rundgren, Super Furry Animals, Dungen and Field Music. I read lots of blogs and I check these ones religiously - Russell Davies , Paul Colman , Noisy Decent Graphics . And I contribute to the blogosphere by churning out stuff at the innocent blog and at my place too.
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