Hall & Partners' Liam Daley revels in New York

Why did you choose New York?
The secret we try to keep from tourists is that New York is not the cut-throat "Are you lookin' at me?" city that film and TV can portray. It is actually the opposite of London - friendly, inclusive and people love to talk to each other. They are often not saying nice things, but at least they talk. Oh, and I met my (American) wife practically as I got off the plane the first time I visited.

What's the media environment like?
Major newspapers are starting to abandon print, with even our beloved New York Times under great financial strain. This is balanced by the thriving blog culture. In addition, of course, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart is the Holy Grail for staying sane.

Agency/client relations
US clients can default to safety far more readily and it can be tough making them comfortable with integrated campaigns that amplify the message. The result is that agencies are often trying to convince their clients they can be more creative with media.

Where's digital at?
We just held an event where we got the brand and advertising community together to discuss where digital is going. The theme was "everything's different, but the rules are the same". Clients and agencies have a wealth of media channels to use, but that means the basic principles of communicating effectively need to be upheld to amplify the message.

Main differences?
National Public Radio keeps millions of Americans quietly informed; there are no shouting shock jocks. It is hugely overlooked as a channel because it accepts sponsorship and the audience is smart, affluent and intensely loyal.

One thing we can learn from New York
New York teaches you to assert your opinion quickly, succinctly and with the minimum of embellishment. This is a good rule of thumb for all media communications.

Have you relocated? Contact sonia.soltani@haymarket.com

This article was first published on Media Week