I've helped launch new brands, helped shape global ones, led creative departments, mentored new talent, and partnered with exceptional people on both the agency- and client-side of the business.
Those experiences taught me a lot. But the biggest lesson wasn't about advertising—it was about change.
Media changes. Culture changes. Technology changes (looking at you, AI).
What doesn't change are the fundamentals.
After more than 30 years—and influenced by the evidence-backed thinking of Mark Ritson, Byron Sharp, Les Binet, Peter Field, Orlando Wood, James Hurman, Jenni Romaniuk and others—my approach comes down to four fundamentals:
Attention.
People lead big, busy lives. They don't care about our brands. They're not looking for our advertising. In an increasingly distracted, low-attention world, creative has to earn the right to be noticed. If it doesn't, nothing else matters.
People lead big, busy lives. They don't care about our brands. They're not looking for our advertising. In an increasingly distracted, low-attention world, creative has to earn the right to be noticed. If it doesn't, nothing else matters.
Credit.
Great creative should build the brand that paid for it. Distinctive assets and unmistakable ownership aren't details—they're the point. It serves no purpose for the work to be remembered if the brand doesn't get the credit.
Great creative should build the brand that paid for it. Distinctive assets and unmistakable ownership aren't details—they're the point. It serves no purpose for the work to be remembered if the brand doesn't get the credit.
Emotion.
People remember what they feel. And the surest way to create that emotional connection is through advertising creative people genuinely enjoy. As Orlando Wood puts it, "Entertain for commercial gain."
People remember what they feel. And the surest way to create that emotional connection is through advertising creative people genuinely enjoy. As Orlando Wood puts it, "Entertain for commercial gain."
Duration.
Brands don't happen overnight. They're built through the consistent accumulation of memories over time. The work that feels repetitive to us is often just becoming familiar to consumers.
Brands don't happen overnight. They're built through the consistent accumulation of memories over time. The work that feels repetitive to us is often just becoming familiar to consumers.
Timeless principles. Applied to and adapted for an ever-changing marketing landscape. That's the standard I hold myself--and my work--to. If that sounds like the kind of creative partner you're looking for, let's talk.
Thanks.