Beautifully Sad

These ads from Refuge have been popping up in my feed over the last week or so, you would have thought this type of behaviour from men would have been a thing of the past, but sadly if anything it's on the increase :( but this is wonderful work from a creative perspective to the work they do in supporting women in abusive relationships. Very well written and art directed. #HatTip to work like this McCann Bristol.

Poor Marketing By Tiffany's

I saw this on my feed and it struck me as to why this object made me feel sad? It made me sad for the world we live in where 500,000 kids in the UK leave home for school without a breakfast or where 4.5 million kids are living below the poverty line in the UK, terrible statistics in the modern age. So what has that got to do with a silver can? For many people it's a daily struggle just to put food on the table, and I remember a stat when the country goes into a recession the biggest selling items are cans of beer and baked beans. This silver can reminded me of a baked bean can but this one is priced at 945 pounds. When I was an art student, a 20p can of beans went a long way, beans on toast, the next day, jacket potato and beans, it was and sure still is the stable diet for many students and working class families up and down the country. So for many this everyday object is an object of existing rather than seen as an object of luxury. People need to be reminded that even if they have wealth there's a lot of people who haven't and showing some form of empathy and compassion is required not rubbing their faces in it by wearing stuff like this. Peace and goodwill to you all, especially this time of year

Tech Jargon Flowchart :)

Creativity DeConstructed

Constructvism and disequilibrium I discovered this and I really thought it was gold and worth sharring in gaining undertsanding when it comes to the creative process or the journey we as creatives we have to go through. I agree withthe post in to get the best work you have to go as I call it; the 'dark zone' where there's confusion and unease. And if you look at the theory of learning in Constructvism, it's about experiences of what we have gone through that makes us who we are and how we decode things. I love this graph that shows the process and the feelings we feel duriing the creative process. Disequilibrim should be embraced no matter how uncomfortable it makes us feel.

Love this, sums it up.

Sharing Creativity and Thinking

As a Creative Director with over 25 year's experience 18 years of that in pure play digital agencies one thing has taught me is that we all need mentors or teachers, even after all these years you can never stop learning, that is why I took my teaching degree at Falmouth University recently, spending long nights for over 26 weeks including weekends, all of this was online and while I was doing my day job. It was extremely hard and I now have a real appreciation for students currently studying, they get a bad rap sometimes and for the most part unfairly. One thing that taking this course has taught me is that you need people to talk and share your thoughts, collaboration is key to any form of working relationship either in the office or in the student halls, you need that interaction. Even though the course was all online, the platform we had gave us the opportunity to talk via forums and through weekly Hangouts, I didn't feel isolated far from it. I did however have one mentor behind the scenes a colleague I had worked with when I first started in advertising, the lovely Gail Parameter she's now a lecturer herself and I relied on her a lot, especially when it got a bit wobbly, tight deadlines, papers to write and lead pitches in my day job. So all students out there young or old, a word of wisdom find your mentor(s) we all need them from time to time. Have a great weekend.

Creative Director Is More Than Just A Title

A student recently asked; 'what's it like to be a Creative Director?" While watching this it dawned on me; with looming deadlines hanging over you, this is seriously what it is like to be a Creative Director -fighting for a proper brief, getting that idea, fighting for it, selling it, fighting for it, delivering it. Once done. Repeat.

But what other factors contribute to the stress? Why tight timelimes? Sometimes it is a quick turn around, its the nature of the business, but some stressful timings and working conditions are self-inflicted by many agency folk. We all know the industry is transforming, with start-ups, consultants and agencies reinventing their offerings.It's now not unusual for pure digital agencies to be the 'lead agency' and to do TV spots and across the way, good old PR agencies creating digital experiences with all of them saying that they can create 'micro-moment' rich content in a day. No wonder there's confusion within the departments and even more confusing for our clients. One such client who has become a good friend over the years spoke to me recently with eyes rolling about another offering from her agency of record. She said something quite interesting in the next breath by saying; 'I nod and I always refer to the Creative Director, if you take away all the jargon it will always come back to the idea'. 'No idea no offering' and key factor is can that agency deliever that idea within the agreed timeframe? Is it going to make a difference within my sector in either brand equity or a strong KPI that has been agreed? All basic stuff nut gets missed time and time again. So why the rolling surf bearing down the neck of the Creative Director from the student who asked the original question? I thought about his question long and hard and it's quite simple really, most companies 'faff' and what I mean by that statement is we have too many people talking and not actually doing what they are been paid to do. I remember many moons ago, AMV London had a website that showcased all their work as a simple sketch on a post-it note. You got the purity and genius of the ideas, where all the other agencies at the time where into Flash sites as it looked 'cool' yes a bastard to load but hey; 'they'll love it' was the shout from the new business directors. Experienced CD's have a knack to cut-through quickly, most are as sharp as a razor in thinking and clarity, and there lies the problem, while all departments have been faffing beforehand many turn their attention in cretaing ideas as it deflects what they should be doing but when it comes to the crunch most come up short,so before you try to catch a wave focus on what you get paid to do then maybe the whole process could be less of a kick bollock scramble and the surf deadlines bearing down your/our neck wouldn't be common practise. Just maybe we could service our clients better, just a thought. Have great creative productive week, surfs up!