Howie Cobb is a marketing consultant by trade, and as the owner and Creative Director of HCCommunications, he is a writer, designer, photographer, illustrator and builder of brands.

In his function as a father and husband, he is a writer, photographer, painter, homework helper, taxi-driver, mentor, tormentor, dancer to soul music, and builder – of things.

Graduating in Construction Management, Law & Economics, he first trained as a Draughtsman. He was sent along to the Graphic Design department one day, a skill of which he had never heard. He switched into the Graphic Studio to learn the ropes, and shortly after left to  set up his  own studio; which also meant he had become a businessman.

His interest in copywriting and advertising grew, and he was fortunate that a CAM course sent him into the hottest, ‘hotshops’ in the 1980s London ad scene. Working as a creative team, with his late best friend – Dominic, they produced concepts for the industry big names, like Dave Trott (the Vinny Jones of the ad world), at Gold, Greenlees & Trott. They took onboard the harsh criticisms and knockbacks from these ‘advertising gurus’, honing their writing and art direction. They  also worked at Grey’s Advertising; Doyle Dane Bernbach; Lowe Howard Spink; Collett Dickinson Pearce; and other great agencies with ridiculous names.

Before he knew it, Howie had his own agency – with staff, a smart office, and even smarter suits.

But the recession put paid to all that, and he hung up his suits, his house and business, and set off round the world – the oldest backpacker in Asia. And that is when life became especial. He recounted his trip in the book ‘Two Minute Noodle’, but wasn’t to know then, that his whole future would be intensely, and intricately entwined with South East Asia; something to which he is forever indebted.

Needless to say, on returning to ‘real life,’ graphic design, advertising and marketing had moved on, and he needed help even to use a ‘mouse’. On moving to North Devon, he set up a marketing consultancy, using his traditional skills alongside with the new ones he was learning.

“But at the back of my mind, there has always been a nagging thought that I could have written ‘Two Minute Noodle’ better; that it was incomplete, and that it needed an epilogue. So that’s what I am doing right now, and hope to have it republished in January 2013.”  Howie Cobb