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All the best,

London

“There’s almost a cinematic quality [in Beowulf],” Fred Burt exclaimed, his voice crackling with excitement across our international phone connection. “Grendel is swooping across the marshes, absolutely incandescent with rage against mankind. And then, the camera shifts.” His excited tone paused momentarily, then resumed with a chuckle. “A whole load of drunken Danes are swilling mead and thinking that the world is a great place. Then, again, it switches back to Grendel, as the monster gets closer and closer…”I found myself wanting Fred Burt to go on describing the scenes of impending confrontation.

This was not the typical interview on branding and creativity. But Fred Burt is not your typical managing director. Nor, for that matter, is Siegel+Gale, the strategic branding company for whom he works, a typical branding company. Burt, who holds a degree in English Literature from Oxford, passionately explains why he considers Beowulf not only one of his favorite literary works, but influential in his career. “We’re in the business of creating meaning for our clients…[and] here we are with the Beowulf poet, translating a language that was essentially just an oral language into its written form.”

Beowulf – the poem is a crucial bridge to the world we know now – a world in which symbols, letters and logos transmit meaning…

What resonated most deeply with him was the way in which Beowulf’s author conveyed meaning and built written language—in a world with few reference points for such an endeavor. “This is something we take for granted,” Burt remarked, noting that the poem is a crucial bridge to the world we know now—a world in which symbols, letters and logos transmit meaning, and, with that, preference and loyalty. Burt’s literary prowess and fascination with branding concepts melded into a very successful career.

“Simple is Smart”

Now, as managing director of Siegel+Gale’s London office, Burt focuses on the branding company’s unique philosophy of “Simple is Smart”. I asked him what simplifying brands entailed, and how he approached that with clients. He described that in a typical research and discovery phase with clients they make note of the ways in which the brand may be headed down an undesirable path. The group helps brands not only to clarify underlying goals, but also determine the necessary actions to correct course. Keeping consumers central to this process is a fundamental approach to the brand development process.

Keeping the brand simple makes it easier to be authentic with the customer

“For many clients, [at this point] they’re saying, ‘…We know what we can look like, but we’ve got to do a whole load of new stuff as well that needs to be done to make us credible and walk the walk, not just talk it,’” Burt observed. Keeping the brand simple makes it easier to be authentic with the consumer. “We say to our clients ‘…Let’s sit down and talk about the kind of products, the kind of services [and] interactions that you want to have with your customers… How does that all need to change in order to make this direction a reality?” Burt emphasized, “If it just lives in communications, it’s not actually a fundamental change.”

“Brand, in its simplest form, is a reason to choose”

All this conversation about simplifying a brand, however, begs the question, what is a brand, to begin with? When asked this, Burt replied without hesitation. “For me, a brand, in its simplest form, is a reason to choose.” More than just a logo or tag line, which are merely symbols, a brand, Burt believes, is what makes us reach for some products and ignore others. “It’s not easy to make choices on the actual product quality. You trust a brand to deliver a certain product quality.  It’s not the actual quality that drives that choice; it may be the perception… It’s our job as brand managers to understand how to treat a choice in terms of the types of rational and emotional cards we have to play.”

“All brands, at their heart, want to be trusted”

Trust plays an elemental role in creating this consumer choice. And here again, Burt suggests the concept of simplicity is crucial. “All brands, at their heart, want to be trusted,” he said. “The issue of simplicity, therefore, has become more and more relevant.” In markets growing more mature and competitive by the month, Burt stresses, the winning brands aren’t those that try the hardest to tout the newest feature or latest gimmick.

“Brands can achieve more when they reduce the space between themselves and their customers”

His passion for simplicity is firmly based on an ethical consideration for the consumer—belief that brands can achieve more when they reduce the space between themselves and their customers. Beowulf’s author may have worked to create meaning at the frontiers of the written page, but in an ever more complicated world, Siegel+Gale shows exactly how less is more.

If you found Part 1 of our series with Fred Burt engaging, you won’t want to miss Part 2. In the upcoming post, we’ll get a chance to discuss the role of social media in brand simplicity and working with clients who may have become too close to their current brand.

New York City – Soho

Parts 1 and 2 of our conversation with Tim Leake have taken us through the creative process itself, the role teaching can play in understanding it, and even tips the Saatchi & Saatchi Creative Director himself uses to maintain inspiration on a daily basis. This final part of the conversation will equip you with one last overarching recommendation and work to summarize the series’ creative takeaways.

Dessert dishes lay nearly bare on our table at Bar Pitti. Streaks of chocolate mousse, like little chocolate contrails, stuck to the bottom of the confectioner’s cups. As our conversation with Tim drew to a close on that summer afternoon on Sixth Avenue, I asked Tim if there were any last points he’d recommend in order to develop creativity in one’s life. He settled on a final conviction that had led him throughout his career.  “I recommend jumping at every single challenge that presents itself,” he said emphatically.

Tim strongly advocates being involved in a number of activities, responsibilities, and challenges, so that they can truly inform one’s creativity. “Back in college,” he noted, “I ran the school radio station. I was part of student government. I wrote for the paper. I joined clubs. Studied abroad. Directed a musical.” He candidly revealed that he felt the classroom was probably where he did the least amount of learning.

The same dynamic drive accompanied Tim’s beginnings in advertising as well. As an account assistant at Chiat/Day in Los Angeles, Tim made a point of fulfilling his job duties with a “creative bent.” That led to a chance to join the Chiat’s creative department as a Creative Assistant. “Which is not at all the same as being an actual creative,” Tim smiled. “In fact, it’s a job that leads absolutely nowhere unless you’re insanely proactive.”

Tim took night classes to develop his portfolio and seized the opportunity to work on any project with which he could get involved. This eventually led to selling real ads to clients, and ultimately in a promotion to be a real copywriter.

Performing with the Band at the Company Party

But focal to this idea is the notion of meeting challenges in areas beyond one’s core responsibilities. “Even beyond the ads,” he explained, “I volunteered for everything I could within the organization… I helped on new business pitches, taught internal classes, performed with the band at the Christmas party… Whatever. Embrace it all.”

Tim went on to suggest that this attitude applies to skill sets, too. “I don’t think creatives should only focus on being creative. The best creatives in the business are also insanely talented strategic thinkers. And likewise, the best planners are talented creative thinkers.”

Introducing “T-shaped” People

“There’s a term floating around the industry lately to describe the type of people agencies need to start hiring, called “T-shaped people.” The basic idea is that these people are deeply focused and skilled at one thing – the base of the T. But they also have great understanding and skills across a wide range of areas – the top of the T. Especially with all the changes agencies are going through lately, being good at lots of stuff has never been more necessary.”

Applying Creativity to the Whole Business

This exposure to other skills is not necessarily restricted to isolated agency departments or creative careers, for that matter. Innovators in any positions within agencies should solicit, collect, and evaluate ideas across disciplines. This is a creative approach not just to the work, but also to the business as a whole that we could all take to heart. As Tim recommended: Embrace it all.

Tim Leake’s 7 Lasting Creative Impressions

1. Advertising is about finding creative solutions to business challenges.
2. Creativity is a process, not a single solution. Always generate ideas and become more comfortable with altering, combining, or even killing ideas.
3. The act of teaching something is the best way to internalize and learn it.
4. Remaining creatively inspired takes work. Become disciplined about setting aside time regularly for ideation. Take a cue from Tim and schedule formal meetings with yourself, to signal the importance of this time to others, and thus avoid distraction.
5. If you’re not in the “right mood,” hang in there. If a creative block remains, don’t force it. Do something else, shift mental domains, and come back to your work later.
6. Keep It Simple, Stupid: Conceptually, and in consideration of your audience, don’t forget the beauty and impact that can come from simplicity.
7. Embrace it all. Seek out challenges within and outside of your position. This approach helps you see with greater perspective and problem-solve with improved creative scope.

My sincere thanks to Tim Leake for the opportunity to speak with him, to learn more about the role of creativity in his life, and even to benefit from his taste in Manhattan Italian bistros. For further details on Tim and his work, visit his website, www.timleake.com, as well as his agency’s website, www.saatchiny.com or the agency’s blog, www.hudsonhouston.com.

Creativity Is a Process – Tim Leake Interview Part 2 of 3

Dedicated to Dan Higgins @adscientist Medical Officer US Army deployed Monday, Aug. 23rd to Afghanistan and will be reading Part 2 – Tim Leake blog on the plane.

Part 1 of my interview with Tim Leake looked at the insight gained by teaching the creative process; in this part, we discuss the roles solitude, discipline and simplicity play in giving him the mental space to work.

Ah, high school: close friends, spirit-filled gymnasiums and what seemed like innumerable essays. But, in addition to the ups and downs of adolescent life, high school often brings out talents and skills that are the first kernel of our professional careers. This certainly seems to be the case for Saatchi & Saatchi Creative Director Tim Leake, who realized this thanks to a classmate.

Relishing a Creative Challenge

“One of my favorite compliments ever was back in high school, in computer science class,“ he recalls. “Only myself and one other kid were any good at programming, and one day that kid looked at how I solved a particular coding problem. He was really impressed, because he said he’d never have thought of doing it the way I did…I’ve always loved the challenge of solving problems through creativity.”

This is fundamentally linked to his belief about the true role of the advertising profession. Tim believes, and many probably would agree, that, “Advertising is about providing creative solutions to business problems.”

Inspiration Comes from Balance & Discipline

On the surface, creativity seems to be something that “hits” someone via the influence of a muse, a daydream or a eureka moment. But, in a profession that demands production level creativity on a daily basis, how does Tim manage to seek inspiration? “It was easier as a kid,” he says, “because I had so much time to devote to it…as I get older, I have to be much more disciplined in order to act on it.”

As responsibilities mount and attention becomes more fragmented, Tim acknowledges that what once came easily takes more deliberate focus. “One definitely has to work to retain creativity. Life is really good at letting other stuff get in the way,” he admits. So, in what ways can the idea of discipline serve creative inspiration?

First, Tim believes in the importance of solitude: “You need time alone, free from distractions, in order to get anything done. It’s really easy, actually, to think of clever ideas. The hard part is making them a reality.” Tim takes this seriously and treats the discipline in a way that others can understand its importance. “I schedule meetings with myself. I reserve a meeting room and go there to work. People have a habit of thinking I’m goofing off if I’m sitting on the couch with a notebook – [it’s] sad, but true. They also don’t mind interrupting me. But somehow, meetings are inviolate. If I’m in a meeting, nobody even thinks of bugging me.”

Balancing being a father and a creative director poses exciting new challenges for Tim as well. However, anyone who’s spent time with children knows that there’s as much inspiration in the time spent with them as there is challenge. With the idea of creative challenges in mind, I asked Tim what he did in cases of “writer’s block,” during the time he carves out for solitude. He responded with candor: “I’m often not in ‘the mood’. But you have to try anyway. Sometimes that gets better once I get started, and sometimes it doesn’t. If it doesn’t, I’ll go do something else. Then try again later. Other than that, just remember it’s a process. You can’t force yourself to think of a brilliant idea.”

Importance of Simplicity

A final  key aspect of Tim’s work and observations that is à propos of refining creative habits is the importance of simplicity. Tim noted that the search for simplicity has always been a passion of his:  “Communication is like throwing a ball to someone. If I throw you one ball, you’re likely to catch it. But if I throw you five at once, you likely won’t catch any of them. I like to joke that one of life’s great ironies is how complicated the Wikipedia page for Occam’s Razor is.” When it comes to messaging, visuals and creative concepts, we shouldn’t stray from the beauty that simplicity can instill.

Well, now to distill a complicated discussion into clear takeaways. Remember that creativity is a process, and one that can’t be forced. Habits such as making regular time for personal solitude and remembering the value of simplicity can work significantly to preserve inspiration in an otherwise chaotic life. As Tim remarks, advertising is about providing creative solutions to a business problem. The best place to start this process however, is by making sure you’re practicing habits that ensure that can happen.

If you found the methods for keeping creativity vibrant fascinating in Part 2, then you’ll surely want to check out the final installation of our conversation with Tim Leake. In Part 3, we will delve into an overarching piece of advice that has served Tim well and we will deliver a set of takeaways with which you will be able to approach creativity in your career, personal life and the overlap in between.

Bar Pitti’s sliding glass doors were open, and our table peered onto the busy Sixth Avenue sidewalk. Just past the restaurant’s awnings rose a New York cacophony: rapid footsteps, the honking of Yellow Cabs and at least three languages entwined in discussion. The smell of fresh bread and olive oil pleasantly surrounded us. Inside, amidst the clinking of silverware and murmur of lunch hour, a waitress could be heard recommending the daily special to patrons. At this, Cheryl and Mark Burgess (Blue Focus Marketing founders) and I sent a chorus of “What do you recommend?” in Tim’s direction. We had met for lunch on a summer Friday afternoon to chat with Tim Leake, a Creative Director for Saatchi & Saatchi about the role of creativity in his personal and professional lives.

The conversation with Tim covered everything from his personal path as a creative assistant working his way into the ad world to the various tactics he uses to bring creative discipline and serenity to a busy life. A particularly interesting discussion focused on the role teaching plays in developing one’s own skills, including a deeper understanding of the creative process.

“Teaching anything is the best way to internalize any subject matter. I love teaching, because selfishly, it makes me better at whatever I teach,” he admitted. Tim has taught advertising concepts as an adjunct professor at Pepperdine University, and is currently a speaker in Hyper Island’s Master Classes in New York.

Not surprisingly, he jumps at the chance to teach whenever he can. At his first agency job, for Chiat/Day in Los Angeles, he was actually requested to teach a basic Japanese course to other staffers. His collegiate studies and corresponding travels to Japan had equipped him with sufficient knowledge, and he ventured that the prospect of teaching it to others would help him realize new depths of understanding. This “jump at it” attitude is a trademark of Tim’s that I’ll discuss even more later.

His examples were not only confined to teaching, however. Tim mentioned that “simply having conversations like this helps me think about things in different ways than I usually do.”

When I asked how the Advertising Creative Concepts class he taught informed his perspective on creativity, he replied, “Those classes made me realize that the creative process is just that – a process.” He recalled taking that specific class himself, in which he completed his assignment to produce an ad and simply received his grade.

“It doesn’t really work like that, though. As a creative in advertising, you never think of one idea and that’s it. You think of hundreds of ideas for every assignment. And lots of the ideas suck. But even the ones that suck are part of the process,” he explained. When the time came for Tim to be in the professor’s role, he vowed to offer his students a more accurate picture of creativity and of advertising.  The grading he followed sought to isolate the process, not the product. Students could obtain an A for the course by producing five approved campaigns, but achieving this meant continual idea generation, assessment and revision. “Nobody should ever feel bad for having an idea killed,” he said. “Failure is a vital part of the path to success, and a classroom situation has to take that into account.”

I was reminded of a quote by National Geographic photographer DeWitt Jones. The award-winning photographer once remarked that no matter how perfect you believe a photograph is, you simply have to continue the search for “the next perfect picture.” This unyielding search is key to the creative process. According to Tim, “Sure, there’s a degree of talent involved in being a creative person. But it’s equally, if not more, important to understand and be skilled at the process. To learn to keep pushing forward, and think of more ideas even when you have some you already like.”

Summing up, Tim continued, “My most cherished insights and growth as a creative person have come from either conversations with smart folks like you, or from teaching others. Sharing ideas and learning – that’s what it’s all about.”

Now, Tim’s creative skill is without question. A brief review of his work makes this quite apparent. Yet, as we’ve come to learn, this skill is built not only on an understanding of this process that feeds it; but, also a realization of how the act of teaching further informs even the brightest in the advertising industry.

If you enjoyed Part 1 of our conversation with Tim Leake, then Parts 2 and 3 won’t disappoint! In Part 2 we’ll touch on Tim’s his influences, his path to advertising and habits to retain inspiration. Part 3 will go even further, focusing on a recommendation that Tim makes to those honing their creativity and summarizing his key creative insights.

This past Friday, I had the chance to ask exactly these questions in an interview with the founding partner of Ludvik+Partners, Epirot Ludvik Nekaj. In this, the first of a two-part reflection on this interview, I hope to shed light on how Epirot came to recognize his own creative inclination. I’ll also share how he shaped his creative beginnings into a career in advertising and on what habits he depends in order to remain creatively exhilarated.

Ludvik+Partners is itself an innovative agency from the ground up. With entrepreneurial zeal (a characteristic notable of creatives), Epirot made sure to distinguish L+P from the rest of the agency world by leveraging a crowd-sourced business model. So where did his creative drive come from? Epirot recalls that as a child, creativity was not simply a hobby, but a memorable and motivating force. He credits his musical upbringing and classical cello training for helping to ”inform him on different levels.” He feels that there is an underlying creativity that people can identify as children but maintains that ultimately those early passions can develop into any number of different forms.

In light of these musical beginnings, I inquired about how he ended up pursuing a career in advertising of all places. His answer: ”Where do you feel you can go work for 24 hours and not really feel tired?” I thought for a moment, but was delighted when he followed up his question by revealing, ”That’s what I found when I first started working in marketing and advertising. It all changed. It changed for me because it’s an industry that’s always evolving, always changing and there are always new developments. So it’s never boring!”

So, is a certain unease a requisite feature of those who are particularly creative? It appears that might be exactly the case. As the creative mind thirsts for new perspectives and influences, Epirot contends that advertising offers a constantly evolving landscape that moves with the same velocity as he does.  In light of this, I had to ask how he manages to keep himself creatively lithe in this ever-changing landscape he described. He cites two key sources of inspiration that serve him well: one’s surroundings and the skill of listening. These surfaced thematically in my conversation with Epirot, and they appear pivotal not just in personal inspiration but also as tenets for leading a creative organization. The remarkable common thread here is that these are tied to a unifying skill of observation ”Inspiration…is your surroundings and who you’re surrounded with,” he mentioned. ”As you walk on the streets of New York or by the Hudson River, all of that is [what constitutes] being aware of your surroundings. That is where your creativity can be inspired.”

How does listening fit into the picture then? When I prompted Epirot with the question, “Do you have consistent people or sources that you depend on?” He responded by saying that he is in contact with numerous partners and clients, all of whom help to inform his creativity. “To grow and to start something is to listen to people and what they have to say…listening is key to everything.” Now, I’m sure we’ve all heard about the importance of listening before, but how well do we actually practice it? Do we come to the table with some conclusions already made? Have we prescribed the medication before even hearing the patient’s account of the symptoms?

Epirot made it very clear though that to use creativity to deliver real value, you have to be confident that you’ve spent all the time necessary hearing your client’s needs. Listening is of special importance in Ludvik+Partners’ agency model. With partners working sometimes thousands of miles away, it is critical that all working on the project know, “What are you looking for? What’s the ultimate goal?” The skill of listening, whether to creative inspiration, clients or colleagues is no different than the skill required to play the cello. It requires practice. And though clichéd, practice does make perfect. Take it from someone who’s passion has not only led him to advertising, but also to ask more of the profession by following his entrepreneurial spirit and innovatively leading his own agency.

Part 2 of the conversation promises to touch on specifics tools and innovation in the changing advertising market. How has Epirot positioned Ludvik+Partners on focal areas of the market? What projects is the agency excited about pursuing? Stay tuned!

So, there has been significant “talk time” surrounding the iPhone 4 release and the highly-publicized antenna issue. Yet, a new feature of the phone, FaceTime, received substantial press not two months ago only to be drowned-out in recent weeks. That is until the new airing of FaceTime-specific advertisements appeared on TV. It’s the newest installation in Apple’s history adroitly understanding their products’ emotional significance to consumers. This most recent set of work by TBWA/Media Arts Lab has indeed has me singing the praises of Apple and its agency. These praises are as much for understanding how to approach consumers authentically as they are of the actual deliverables themselves.

Now, I realize that this is a band-wagon that is very full and if you’ve had enough of Apple and it’s brand cult(ure), I can understand. Fair warning now, though, since this post is focused on that topic. If you need to click over to something else, I won’t be offended.

Regardless, be sure to keep an eye on the blog, since I have recently been doing some great things with some phenomenal figures in marketing/advertising (to soon be revealed) that will provide some of the best content this blog has seen. Of course, that’s just my humble opinion. Alas, I digress.

These FaceTime ads craftily snuck up on me. On the surface, we simply see a series of vignettes showcasing Apple’s newest gadgetry, each storyline followed quickly thereon by a fadeout to both Apple and AT&T’s logos. A lasting final phrase is uttered in each ad as the logos appear, searing the emotions indelibly into your mind even as less capable ads begin quickly on its heels. At first, I hadn’t realized the potency of this campaign. I managed to catch the last half of Haircut amidst the multimedia chatter of a busy evening. Intrigued enough, however I looked up the series the following day for more focused exposure to the spots.

Now, I am not a sap; nor, do I get choked up over TV dramas or sports teams (Well, maybe Notre Dame football, but, then there’s been more than enough to cry about the last five seasons.) Yet, these spots in varying degrees achieved exactly that. Short, poignant and immediately accessible, the humanity upon which these ads were constructed was impeccably fashioned. The FaceTime feature itself certainly allows for a strong rational appeal to be made to consumers. Yet, Apple and TBWA/Media Arts Lab remained entirely concerned with developing an emotional appeal, a mark among technology manufacturers that only Apple has truly mastered.

These ads draw exquisitely on the fact that we, as humans, learn, empathize and recall information when it’s delivered to us in the form of a story. This is what helped early civilization pass survival information to successive generations and helps us to teach social customs and behavioral norms. Storytelling has undergone a resurgence in marketing circles of late, due predominantly to the more highly socialized marketplace and widespread use of word-of-mouth techniques for shared media and content. Whether it’s the conversation between an expectant wife and her husband, or the whimsy of a conversation about braces between a father and his self-conscious daughter, these micro-plots concisely draw you into a human story.

It may sound terribly trite, but we live in a world of advertising that can frequently still completely miss the point. Based on the neurological marketing studies in branding expert Martin Lindstrom’s Buyology, I was recently reminded how humans benefit significantly from marketing that allows them to access a co-experienced story. These narratives give us a framework into which we inject ourselves. According to the concept of mirror-neurons and fMRI-measured brain activity, we literally imagine experiencing the situation ourselves whether we realize it or not. Ever seen a bloopers video and cringed instinctively in nearly perceptible pain? Ever leaned during a turn while watching a car chase? These are the mirror neurons. They make us feel we can look nearly as good as models in retail surroundings and in this case, make us feel the pride of seeing a grandchild for the first time.

It’s all about pulling on the emotional appeal, since we all have relatable markers of our own about similar experiences. This is why we buy Apple. They, of course have great design and wonderful UX, but we appreciate that they don’t hit us over the head when it comes to marketing. Apple shows that they know the emotional undercurrents that play into why we need to communicate, rather than strictly our purchasing behavior. Whether that’s strictly a profit-driven motive, which would be a shame, or not…appearance is everything. And they pull it off. And that’s the intangible brand equity premium that demands (and receives) a higher dollar value out of so many of our pockets.

Enjoy and be moved.

FaceTime Ad Series (TBWA/Media Arts Lab)

In a sense, it seems that much of this repartee between advertisers and consumers is a type of cognitive jiu jitsu. Adept agencies understand what the vast majority of the market is offering and how they can leverage consumers heuristics to get at least a few more moments of consideration for their client’s goods. In television especially, it seems there was a crescendo reached in the 90′s, in which the combination of creative, messaging and placement reached an apex. While strong economic conditions supported massive consumer marketing spends, generation-X messaging got louder, flashier and more in-your-face than ever. Yet, there came a point at which it made more sense to be known characteristically as one who didn’t contribute to the hubbub. There came a point at which standing out meant turning your messaging’s volume down.

Now, I realize this use of negative space, whether visual or auditory, may not be an earth-shattering concept. Even so, I was delightfully reminded of this compositional shift last night when I tuned into a television series online. In only a few short years, with the advent of sites like Hulu.com and Casttv.com, we’ve begun to see a slightly more rapid (and, of course, interactive) evolution of advertising content. It started with static banners, Flash and audio. Now, our surfing and viewing is met with interstitials and regular ad breaks during streaming programs.

I’ve gotten used to hopping up from my seat at regular intervals of The Daily Show or whatever streaming show I might be enjoying. However, last night I turned around abruptly when I heard nothing but silence emanate from my computer at the designated “commercial break.” It literally prompted me to spin on my heels. My initial thought was that my Mac might have frozen (Banish even the thought!) Instead though, Saatchi & Saatchi’s interactive Toyota Avalon ads had managed to shock me by what they had strategically omitted.

Nearly all the 30s spots had a puzzle or game meant to briefly entice the viewer. They also shared the same “Comfort is Back” tagline as the rest of the integrated campaign. While the content was especially interactive, these itermittent spots made an even deeper appeal to my senses. “Comfort” really was back for brief 30s segments. While I may not be the ideal Avalon target consumer, I was impressed by the ads and their honesty. Toyota was literally “putting their money where there mouth is” or more brashly “in their mouth,” preventing the usual audible marketing chatter. As part of the comfortable Avalon experience, agency and client had produced an interactive campaign worthy of a bit of respect. Not only did the soundless spots turn my head, they also turned my typically imperceptible habits on end. Negative space really has some positive features!

Can you recall any similar advertisements? Do you have a different perspective on this negative space approach? Drop me a comment. I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Of course the bottom-line matters, and don’t mistake my message: There are no babies being thrown out with the bathwater. Yet, the depth of effect and sway that advertising can achieve past the typical product launch or branding campaign is more evident everyday. With the countless platforms now present with which to move messages and converse about issues, more can be known and understood, much less achieved.

Facebook’s COO, Sheryl Sandberg made a thought-provoking and very relevant comment at Nielsen’s Consumer 360 conference June 15th:

“Economics and economists talk a lot about the invisible victim…if six million children die every year in this world of unclean water and malaria and tuberculosis…the sheer numbers makes it hard for us to relate to them on a one-to-one basis. But when those invisible victims become visible, that is when people are moved to act.”

This is where PSA’s like Ogilvy Johannesburg’s recent spot for the Topsy Foundation gives necessary visibility to a cause and engenders a true, actionable response of accountability. And, oh, how it achieves this. With remarkably creative use of both chronology and musical accompaniment, this makes the invisible visible.

Ogilvy Johannesburg’s “Selina”

“Selina has AIDS. She agreed to be filmed everyday for 90 days, so that her story might help others,” we read as the spot sets the scene. The ad begins with a seemingly health African woman reclining into bed. A slow progression of video segments begins to reveal a gruesome story. Each successive shot yields a more emaciated and sickly figure than the one preceding it. Paired with choreographed movement naturally linking each splice, Selina gently outstretches her arm to the camera, looking deeply into the lens and slowly drops her arm to the bed sheets below. This technique alone would make the ad notable, yes. But it’s the fact that the first shot is adorned with the title “Day 90″ and the last with “Day 1″ that pivots the entire message on its end.

It is termed the Lazarus effect. This is, in fact, not a gruesome spot about the painful present and short future of this AIDS victim; but rather, one receding in time. It is hopeful, it is powerful and it is happening now. Selina’s drastic improvement is thanks primarily to the successful ARV treatment program. This is what the Topsy Foundation does: provide medical care and social support to rural communities in Southern Mpumalanga.

The message’s meaning runs not just through the unique timeline, but also the music accompanying the 90s spot. “It was dark when I found you,” the first verse begins.  ”Don’t be scared of the night, ’cause I’ll fix you upright…because everyone needs somebody sometime.” The gentle tones of the lullaby speak in parallel with what we see unfolding before us. As much as we’re staggered by the appearance at Day 1, we understand at the close of the advertisement when we’re told “The effects of AIDS can be reversed. Help us provide treatment that can provide someone a second chance.” The guitar reverb echoes as a call-to-action appears on-screen for Topsy. Chances are at this point, there’s a lot more than simply musical notes echoing in your mind. It seems Ogilvy and Topsy have made the invisible victim quite visible indeed.

What do you observe about the ad’s ability to connect seemingly isolated worlds? What examples can you recall where a greater social purpose is achieved in agency projects, whether PSA or otherwise? I invite the opportunity to chat about the ways agencies successfully produce a whole other strata of messaging.

]]> http://brianfslattery.com/2010/06/17/clear-visibility/feed/ 0 brianslatts Topsy http://brianfslattery.com/2010/06/06/where-creativity-lives/ http://brianfslattery.com/2010/06/06/where-creativity-lives/#comments Sun, 06 Jun 2010 18:57:59 +0000 BrianSlatts http://brianfslattery.wordpress.com/?p=121 ]]> Consider what comes to mind when you hear the word “solitude.” You’ve probably got some vivid sensations and adjectives that bubble to the surface almost immediately. While associations of such a state may conjure up feelings of cleansing, rejuvenation and even meditation, the practice of achieving such a state, ironically, takes more work than ever. The practice has built what was once a cottage industry to a multi-million dollar sector whose sole purpose is to “relax,” “center” and “repair” our frayed psyches. Globally, individuals exist in an increasingly interconnected and pervasive society. This equates to a renaissance of industry efficiencies and a business day whose beginning and end are blurred by email incessantly appearing on iPhones. Don’t get me wrong: I embrace the rapidly developing information-age society that we shape each and every day. Yet, especially in light of the speed of cultural transformation, marketers need to remind themselves what fuels that change: Creativity.

What then, fuels creativity? You guessed it: Solitude. This whole reflection was catalyzed by an article suggested to me by a respected marketing friend, Cheryl Burgess. In the piece, “The No. 1 Habit of Highly Creative People,” Leo Babauta solicits input from influential people in various creative fields. The most common response that he received was this need for solitude. “With quiet, you can hear your thoughts, you can reach deep within yourself, you can focus,” Babauta offers. While this may not be quite the epiphany you sought, but for which you might have been looking, there remains an insight that we seem to neglect on a larger scale. Creativity may be spontaneous, but providing an environment for it to flourish should not be. When it comes to effectively cultivating creative thought from these moments of solitude, Discipline is non-negotiable.

While pursuing my undergrad art degree, often the best thing I could do was simply sit in the studio. There I’d be, appearing to ignore my canvas or simply staring at my materials. I’m sure anyone who happened by probably wondered how any fine furniture would get built or drawings sketched. However, instead of trying to chase my frenetic thoughts around my brain, sitting and forcing myself to listen slowed things down to a pace at which I could mold them, test them and challenge them. Similarly, while pursuing my MBA, I spent countless hours alone in breakout rooms and standing at partially filled whiteboards. Routinely, my marketing communications and advertising strategy assignments were best met initially by sequestering myself away in hopes of solitude. I even found running late at night, when the distractions of the city were tucked away, to offer me a time to be alone in my thoughts. I was able to connect domains that hours earlier a caffeine buzz, vibrating phone or full schedule would have made me miss.

The reward of deliberate solitude reminds me of a creative concept, “Flow,” that Mihaly Csikszentmihaly establishes in his book, Creativity: Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention. “The flow experience was described in almost identical terms regardless of the activity that produced it. Athletes, artists, religious mystics, scientists and ordinary working people described their most rewarding experiences with very similar words.” He goes on to reveal that from thousands of interviews he conducted, that flow was nearly always described by a few key characteristics. “Distractions are excluded from consciousness,” there is “No worry of failure” and one’s “Sense of time becomes distorted.” In my experience, there are few better descriptors of solitude than these very examples. With discipline, I know for a fact that this flow experience becomes less elusive. And though it may appear oddly devoid of productivity at first, the watershed moments of creativity lie just around the corner. You simply have to take the risk to slow down and listen…regularly.

So, if solitude is so key to creativity, how do you make space for it in your career? In your personal life? Is there a more fundamental element needed to feed creativity? Let me know! I’d love to hear about it. I’m listening…trust me, I making a habit of it.