"If you work in media and marketing and you don't think it is exciting then get out" - not my words but rather the words of Paul Hayes from News International at the recent Changing Media summit that we attended and I have to say I couldn't agree more. We set Gravity up a few years ago to do something different, to try and challenge the norm and ultimately to deliver better work to our Clients that produced the results that we felt that agencies were not offering or indeed Clients were not demanding. I have to say it has been a rocky road starting up in a recession but we have kept true to our principles and this has helped grow the agency despite the economic challenges and most of this has been driven by a curiosity and excitement about the huge changes in the industry over the last few years. There are however 3 principles that spring to mind that are perfectly summed up in one of my favourite songs - "All these things that I have done" by the Killers - namely the phrase "Time, truth and hearts". I know these are guiding principles that ultimately define any display of greatness but i think they are also great principles for anyone running an agency in the "second decade".

TIME: As anyone knows success doesn't happen overnight - it takes time build a quality agency with great staff, put the processes in place to do great work and ultimately sell this to new Clients. On top of this the times are moving and you need to stay on top of the hugely fast moving environment out there and not get left behind - offer Clients the next new (but relevant) solutions and stay ahead of the pack.

TRUTH: Principle are tested everyday but the overidingly you have to stay true to your self and your ambitions and do the right thing for your Clients and yourself and stick to what you believe in. For us this has meant the development of a close network of partners who can offer the very latest in technology and thinking as this simply can't all live under one roof and any agency that tries to tell Clients that is not being truthful.

HEARTS: Words like passion, dedication and commitment are easily used but not so easily demonstrated and shared and this is at the core of any agency - as Troy Young from SAY MEDIA said at the CMS - you need to have a commitment and goal and try and take everyone with you on that journey and most of all believe in it. I think that concept of curiosity best demonstrates this and it one of the guiding principles of Gravity.

Interestingly Nike used the Killers song the phrase came from in one of their commercials recently focusing on the other great line "I've got soul but I am not a soldier" - their supporting line was "everything you need is already inside" - which I guess says it all !