So I normally hate writing things like this about myself, it’s nearly as bad as having to write a dating app bio! But hey I’m Dan, the new Head of PPC here at BBD and I have a GSOH. Back to the blog though and since there is another Dan working here and therefore has the OG status I’ve been given the nickname of Strugsy. Feel free to call me Strugs, Struggers or The Strugmeister General (David Brent inspired) I will respond to almost anything. I do have a weird obsession with Ricky Gervais so a lot of my humour comes from him.

A little about me…

I’ve always lived here in Bournemouth so I’m not the most adventurous type but why would you not want to live somewhere with a gorgeous beach on your doorstep and the new forest just a short drive away? I love my sports, especially football and I am a keen Arsenal fan. My love for the game spurs me on, even when they make me fall in and out of love with the beautiful game on a near weekly basis. 

Making history

So I haven’t always been a PPC-obsessed nerd, much like a lot of young boys, my ambition was to become a professional footballer. I was very fortunate to realise this dream and play for Bournemouth from the age of 12-20. I even managed to make a 1st team appearance in league 1 against Rochdale which to this day is still the proudest moment of my life and I have the shirt framed on my wall. 

When I got to the age of 21 and realised that I wasn’t going to make it, I had to take a step back and look at what new career options I could take. Leaving school at the age of 16 and playing football full-time until you’re 20 leaves you with very minimal qualifications and unless you want to stay in the game, you have to be realistic about your next steps.

I have always been very analytical and love working with numbers (i’m a sucker for a sudoku) so I opted to go down the digital marketing route and have never looked back since. I didn’t go to university but instead went down the apprenticeship route and that got my foot in the door to this fantastic, fast-paced industry.

Why BBD?

I’d been working at 2 other PPC specialist agencies over a span of 8 years and I felt like I needed a change. The opportunity of joining an agency with in-house creative capabilities for content creation was very enticing as I feel paid advertising is definitely heading down more of a visual path. 

I was pretty nervous coming in for the interview but I was blown away from the office as soon as I stepped foot in the gorgeous space. It’s always a bit nerve-wracking starting somewhere new but I have been so impressed. From the little things to the bigger picture, BBD make a great first impression with a welcome pack, a box of Ferrero Rochers and a card signed by team members which is a real nice touch. I felt that I had found my home.

I’ve been here for a little while now and what’s my opinion? BBD looks to be an agency that hire great people, look after their staff but also provide some of the best collaborative, strategic thinking that I have experienced. You can tell BBD have spent years building a great working environment and culture with a real family feel and social team bonding sessions. It is also very refreshing seeing how transparent the company are with the commercials and general company updates.

It’s crazy how quick the first few months have gone but here’s to many more!

Dan Strugnell
Head of PPC