Creative Week

Creativity lives. Creativity breathes. Creativity is everywhere. Join us in NYC for Creative Week. May 6th to the 10th, 2013. http://www.creativeweek.com/

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Registration is open! Plan your schedule today!

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70 days. Get your portfolios and business cards ready.

#creativeweek #art #newyork

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Another great read this week. 

#Travel #Explore

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One of the many articles we read recently. Support local businesses and young entrepreneurs in NYC

#foodie #art

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<100 days! Be excited.

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Update, Update, Update!

By TAICHI KOZAKI 

If you receive update notifications for your mobile apps, that means the one you have right now is old. Technologies advance every day, and we need to keep ourselves updated. 

The same thing can be said about our skills. 

The main difference? 

We don’t really get push notifications for them. 

When I started my college career at SCAD two years ago, no one was talking about HTML5, only half of my classmates were wired to Twitter, and there was no Instagram. 

But now, things have been changed. 

Not having a Twitter account is almost as bad as still using MySpace. If you are one of those people who upload hundreds of photos to their Facebook album named “Summer 2012” in September 2012, your friends might not appreciate your great photos as much as you think – because they have probably already seen similar photos.

On their other friend’s Instagram.

Two months ago. 

And as a designer in this digital age, knowing HTML5 is probably more useful than knowing Spanish or any other foreign language. 

Knowing what’s out there in the digital world and familiarizing ourselves with new apps, technologies and skills are some of the most basic – yet critical – daily tasks that we have to do.

AKQA hosts the Future Lions Competition (student competition) at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity every year. And there is only one thing on the brief:

Advertise a product from a global brand in a way that couldn’t have been done five years ago, to an audience of your choosing.

This very open-ended style of competition lets students from all over the world explore the new possibilities of advertising and encourages them to come up with innovative ideas. 

More than 1100 ideas were entered into the competition this year, and the five most innovative teams were awarded the Future Lions title. 

This year’s – and all of the past winners’ projects – can be seen here.

All of those winning projects demonstrate very smart thinking, and also gives me those, “Why didn’t I think of that?” moments. All of them use apps or other technologies that we are already very familiar with – but in a way that no one has ever tried before. 

The ability to be innovative and push the brands along with what’s trending in the digital world has become a very important skill. 

So if you are not trying to familiarize yourself with any of the upcoming apps – or trying to keep yourself updated with new digital trends – you might lose out on big opportunities to come up with something truly innovative. 

Like me, maybe you’ve stumbled upon a smart interactive campaign on the Internet and said, “Why didn’t I think that?” 

At this point, you are already very behind in the race.

Especially today – when the whole industry is eager to come up with new, innovative ways to connect brands with their target audience; especially as the targets are becoming more and more tech-savvy themselves. 

Being the first to produce the idea is crucial, as we all know that the public will bash a copycat.

So keep yourself updated. 

Because if you receive an update notification from someone, then you just became outdated.

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Making It: The Art of Excelleration

By BENNETT D. BENNETT

Dear ADspirants,

excelleration (n.) – The act of progressive achievement; the constant movement from great success to greater successes (taken from “excel” and “acceleration”). 

This is a real word. At least when it comes to my brand, it is. At the end of Creative Week, I was at The One Show. The One Show.You know, the award show where all the awards are pencils, and the winners are decked out in Nikes and the like. 

I was surrounded by talent, immersed in a gaggle of winners.

The best part?

I got to share this moment with my fellow Socialites Biannette Camilo and Gerardine Peralta (and I’m pretty sure I saw Doug Zanger’s hair). 

We worked hard over the semester, understanding what agencies are all about. To be there – knowing that it’ll be us in a few years if we play our cards right – was magical.

The bad news?

I’m impatient. 

And inexperienced. 

But I look at all that my personal brand has accomplished this year and I smile. 

3.1 GPA in my first semester at City College. Being elected president of my school’s AAF (American Advertising Federation) chapter. Meeting the giants of today’s Madison Avenue at different events.

Most importantly, this: 

I’m here – writing to you as a proud member of the Creative Week Social Club. 

I thought about all of this – every move I’ve made, every success upon success upon greater success. It’s like gorging a Baconator Double from Wendy’s: 

A lot to take in, but so much enjoyment once you’re finished.

I’m not finished. For now, I’m resting. I’m taking a break to really relax and see the crops of my hustle. I can remember Neisha Tweed, senior copywriter at Publicis Modem, telling me months ago when I was applying to MAIP (Multicultural Advertising Intern Program) exactly how I should approach it:

“By any means necessary.” 

Her words were in reference to finding a way to wow with my application in ways that my grades couldn’t. I took it to heart, those four words, and I’ve pushed beyond what I thought were my limits. I built my brand out of it: 

Aspiring for the greatest success, connecting with beneficial people and opportunities, and not just excelling, but excellerating. 

It’s about the next big thing. 

Actually, in the creative world, it’s always about the next big thing. 

Ad people always say that you’re looked at for your last campaign. I’m sure that in the fashion, media and most other creative industries at large, staying current is your livelihood. 

We mirror and shape culture. Might as well make things better for ourselves, yes?

But success is never just about one person. 

So before I conclude this letter, I’d like to shout-out everyone involved in the first rungs up the ladder of my climb to the top of the advertising industry. It’s said that revenge is a dish best served cold. We’re in the success game, however, and I believe that it’s best shared amongst those out there winning with you.

My friends Geri and Bibi for being on this grind with me.

My fellow Creative Week Socialites for keeping me inspired.

The members of my school’s AAF chapter for giving me a sense of leadership and purpose.

My MAIP friends for reminding me that I’ll be on your level soon.

The One Club and the 4As for giving me something high to aim for.

Every mentor that I’ve secretly claimed. In the words of Johnny Carson, “I’m learning, I’m learning!”

Most importantly, I have to shower you, the reader, with thanks. 

I drive to the basket because you’re driving, too. I want to see us all at the winner’s circle – Indy 500-style – with our milk bottles and trophies and portfolios and cheering crowds. 

I know it’s hard sometimes, but take these six words of advice:

“Keep calm and make it happen.”

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Ideas vs. People: The Chicken vs. The Egg

By ANGELA MARTIN As Creative Week 2012 rolled along, the creative community became hooked to the panels, the shows, and the parties. Whatever piqued each person’s interest did not fail to deliver. While Creative Week presented insight after insight after insight, two main themes emerged and wove their way through the entire week: 1). Big Ideas 2). Great People In order to be successful in this industry – in order to be current and innovative – you must have big ideas and great people. Yet during The Creative Suite: Presented By Adobe, featuring the Chief Creative Officers of six companies, an interesting discussion ensued.  “Ideas are useless,” Dave Clemans, ECD, TAXI, declared.  At that statement, Jimmy Smith, Chairman/CEO/CCO, Amusement Park Entertainment, bounced from being seated next to Clemans and across the stage.  “You can’t start anything without a good idea,” Smith strongly opposed.  Clemans elaborated that ideas are useless until you make them happen; the only way that ideas have power is to have the people that can make it happen. In order for an acorn to grow into a mighty tree, Clemans says that you need “Make It Happen” people. The type of people who are forward-thinking, nimble, and equipped to overcome obstacles, by Clemans’ definition.   So, which are more important – big ideas or great people?  Which came first – the chicken or the egg?  Questions like these lend themselves to never-ending debate. How about a few points to help you argue either side:

Without big ideas, great people won’t have anything to create content against.

Without great people, all those big ideas simply won’t get produced. 

You need the great people to come up with the big ideas.

Enjoy where this takes your mind.  And let Creative Week know which you think is more important: The Big Ideas or The Great People.

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Stop Doing Advertising

By NATHAN ARCHAMBAULT   Stop it. Just stop.   If you’re reading this, you’re probably paid to be in advertising. You probably come up with ideas and execute them for a living.   And you need to stop it.   I don’t mean quit your job. I mean change your state of mind. Stop living and breathing advertising. Stop the daily visits to AdCritic and AdFreak and AdAge and AgencySpy. Stop hanging out with your coworkers who talk all about about ads – and nothing but ads. Stop blogging about advertising, tweeting about advertising or going to events about advertising.   Instead, when you’re off the clock, get into something else. Physics. Robots. Medicine. Anthropology. Diving. Technology. Psychology.    And then figure out how you can combine your new hobby with your day job.   Look at it this way: There’s a conference going on – like Creative Week – and you have the choice between a panel called The Idea Matters…Still – put on by your peers – or one called Success On Broadway: The Un-Broadway Way – put on by a bunch of people who live and breathe theater.   Now ask yourself: Which of these panels will cover stuff you already know and reinforce stuff you already believe?   Which one will take you out of your comfort zone and force you to think about things in a new way?   I thought so.   I have no interest in making it on Broadway, but I'm interested in alternative and unexpected approaches to solving problems. At the Broadway session, they talked about establishing an emotional connection when you write, appreciating the difference between an idea and an activity, and collaboration as the act of talking things into existence.   These topics may only be indirectly related to the advertising industry, but they're directly related to what we do in advertising. The advice of people who have made it on Broadway can help us think about our jobs in new ways.   Another example: At SXSW, the best talk I saw was by Cyborg Anthropologist Amber Case. I didn’t know such a profession existed. But the points she made went beyond her profession – they touched on human truths. Like how human behavior and technology have become intertwined to the point of no return. So thinking of people and technology as separate entities is the wrong way of looking at things.   Again: It's a topic that’s indirectly related to the advertising industry. But directly related to what we do in advertising.   The truth is, all ideas are a combination of previously existing ideas. You don’t invent a “Big Idea” out of thin air – you discover one. Like Kirby Ferguson says, everything is a remix. When you stop living and breathing advertising, you find inspiration in more interesting places. You bring a fresh perspective to projects. You solve problems in more unexpected ways. You discover more interesting ideas. When you learn how other industries solve problems, you make better advertising. And that is what being in advertising is all about.

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7 Top Recommendations For Creative Students

By ANGELA MARTIN

Undergraduate and portfolio school students attended Creative Week 2012 in noticeable numbers. At an event like Creative Week (or Advertising Week, which is in a few months, hint, hint.), advice is shared and contacts are made – both things being extremely valuable to students trying to get into the industry.  

As not only the previous Creative Manager of a well-known ad agency, but also now a certified coach and consultant for creatives and their agencies, here are my seven top recommendations for creative students from Creative Week 2012:

1). Understand your audience.

When you understand the audience you are trying to reach with the pieces in your portfolio, you will be able to figure out how to reach them most effectively. Understand who they are, how they function, and what they care about. Then cater your work to these insights. Employers notice smart work that represents its audience well.    

2). Make a decision.

During The Creative Suite: Presented By Adobe at Creative Week 2012, Jeff Benjamin, CCO of JWT, stated, “People take too long to decide on the idea. Decide on an idea, so you’ll have time to blow it.” Once you make a decision on what “the big idea” or the key consumer insight is, only then can you begin to see how to make your work relevant, innovative and fully-developed.   

3). Create a personal project.

After The 91st Annual Art Directors Club Awards, this advice was given to an undergraduate advertising student, “Do a personal project outside of your portfolio.” That advice was given by none other than Benjamin Palmer, the current president of the Art Directors Club and CEO/CCO of The Barbarian Group. Having a personal project outside of your student work – or outside of your portfolio at any level – shows what you care about, makes you more interesting, and sets you apart. 

4). Talk to people. 

It’s not about wowing an Executive Creative Director or landing your dream job with one conversation with a recruiter. It is about connecting with people. Who cares about the titles? Who cares about the prestige? No matter who you are discussing the industry with, he or she is simply a person who wants to have an interesting conversation. It also helps to know your audience. (See No. 1 above. Understand your audience.) If you can learn something more than what the title of the person you are talking to is, relate to that. Maybe they are from another country. Maybe they have a family. Maybe they love video games. If you haven’t a clue what this “something more” might be, treat your interaction with this person like an investigation. What can you connect with them through – other than the industry? And remember, they used to be where you are now – just starting out.  

5). Ask for what you want.  

To make the most out of your time at any event, decide on what you want before you get there. What would the best possible outcome(s) be for you?  Do you want to collect all the business cards you can so that you can begin building relationships after the event? (Note: this works best for those who feel they are better through e-mail and online platforms than they are in-person.) Are you hoping to meet someone who can connect you to a specific company? Is your main objective to get someone to critique your book (typically after the event)? Regardless of what your goals for the event are, set those goals and then be brave enough to ask the people you meet to help you achieve them. (See: No. 4 above. Talk to people.) To be blunt: if you don’t ask for what you want, how do you expect to get it?  

6). Own that you are the fountain of youth. 

Consider being young an advantage. Savannah College of Art and Design advertising student Taichi Kozaki learned this during his time at Creative Week 2012. “We are the first generation that is truly interactive, truly digital. Because we grew up using the Internet, we have a lot of insights to put on the discussion table.” In addition to thinking in the interactive space exceptionally well, agencies know that fresh-out-of-school employees bring enthusiasm to their projects – and an energy to the company that simply can’t be fabricated.    

And last – but far from least:

7). Follow up. Follow up. Follow up.  

Two weeks after an event – no matter how brilliant you were – you will be forgotten. It’s a hard truth. Before the two-week mark – when the memory of your engaging discussion gets moved into the “To be deleted” file in your new contact’s brain – remind them of who you are. Send a short e-mail. Make a quick call. Deliver a handwritten note.  Simply reconnect. Then, every four to eight weeks, connect again. Sometimes you may want to show them the progress you’ve made on a project. Other times, you may want to ask how their campaigns are coming along. Often, you can take the advice of Ron Faris, Director of Brand Marketing for Virgin Mobile USA, given during the Social’s New Starting Point session at Creative Week 2012 and simply, “Curate the funny.” Following up often enough – but not too often (again, every four to eight weeks) – will allow you to maintain relationships with the contacts you met.      

Take these seven recommendations and implement them before, during and after your next creative event.  

They will dramatically increase your chances of success in your industry. 

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I Need An Inspiration

By TAICHI KOZAKI

Sometimes, simply talking to another person can be the most powerful inspiration source. I believe many of us experienced that during Creative Week. 

As a design student, seeking inspiration is a part of my daily life. 

I use Pinterst to organize things I find online, and I use my mobile phone camera to capture things offline. These sorts of inspirations often help me develop visual styles in my design work. But they don’t necessary help me when I am trying to come up with ideas to solve advertising problems. 

And I assume many of us share that same problem.

I attended the CREATION STORIES: FINDING THE INSPIRATION TO MAKE NEW THINGS session where four of the most interesting senior creatives in marketing and design discussed where to find inspiration. 

During the session, all of the panelists mentioned that “people” are a very powerful inspiration source. Rob Trostle, Design Director of Mother New York, said that organic process is very important. Having a group conversation can be a more effective way to seek an answer than going to an online search engine. When you are looking for something on Google, search is very convenient; if your job is to be creative, you have to be careful about using them. 

This is a very un-organic and streamlined tool; the answer to the question is already prepared – and that can limit the inspiration or even the process of creation itself.

I strongly agree with his point of view. 

If we are all looking at the same things and using them as an inspiration, many people are probably going to end up making something very similar. And of course, the new things won’t come out from it if you are looking at something that already exists. 

Another problem is that the Internet doesn’t have the answer to all of the questions that we have anyway. Joe Stewart, Global Creative Director and Partner at HUGE, said it is difficult to look for digital inspiration – because it’s new, and we are the first generation in the digital era. He said that human behavior can be a very powerful inspiration source. 

Just by having a conversation with somebody, you will learn a lot about things you didn’t know. 

When I receive an assignment brief, I often go out and do some research. Simply going to the supermarket and observing what kinds of people are going to buy the product that I am working on sometimes gives me a better understanding of what kind of advertising problem it is that I am trying to solve. 

Once I find the human truth that is hidden in the product, coming up with ideas becomes easier. 

During the last few days, I have spoken with many people. It didn’t matter if they were creatives, planners, students, or anything else – they all inspired me tremendously. Now I am back in my room writing this. To be honest, this is my first time writing more than 140 characters in awhile. 

I usually don’t like writing at all; after Creative Week, I actually wanted to share my thoughts with others. 

Talking to someone leads to inspiration. 

Inspiration leads to motivation.

Motivation leads to an action.

And an action leads to an unexpected outcome. 

After all:

We are in the industry of people – not the industry of “I am going to sit in front of a computer and make cool stuff”. 

So the next time you need an inspiration, step away from the desk and go take a walk. 

Because the computer doesn’t make the creative person.

It’s the person who returns to the keyboard, inspired by the people out in the world.

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Making It: Thick Skin Required

By BENNETT D. BENNETT 

Dear ADspirants,

Creative Week is real.

Real, like, the ish in rap songs. The events that I’ve attended, the people that I’ve met, the things that I can see myself doing...it’s all great. That being said, a very large, “Thank you!” goes out to Tiffany Edwards and Chavonne Hodges-Brown of The One Club. I helped them out on Monday’s Portfolio Reviews, and stopped by to watch the panel discussion based off of the new advertising book, My First Time by Phil Growick.

It’s moments like Monday and Tuesday that made me want to change course with this letter to you.

I saw a lot over the past two days. 

Beautiful, eye-catching, effective ads made by students. Successful, young, hip, whimsical creatives. When these two forces collided for the reviews, it wasn’t the best. There were the aggressive portfolio kids, who’d take five, maybe six reviews at a time. Then there were the ones who tried playing by the rules and succeeded in making an impression with professionals.

Finally – and I really hope to not end up in this category when I make my portfolio – I saw those that suffered. Not by the physical fatigue of waiting for their appointed time. But by the emotional drain of traveling long-distance, waiting for hours for an agency recruiter to check out their books – traditional and virtual – and possibly offer them an interview.

Better still: 

A position as a copywriter, art director, designer, or on the creative team.

My heart went out to those that had to wait until the end to have their spec ads seen, especially since there was legitimate talent and wonderful personalities to go with it. I hope you know, if you read this, that I want y’all to make it. 

The industry needs that. 

Keep pushing.

In other news, as real as the talent was, there was rejection even more real: 

The fear, the process, and the aftermath of it. 

Let me tell you a story for each.

1). The Ambitious Designer: She was on edge for hours. 

Traditional portfolio in a briefcase, high resolution packaging designs, speculative (fake) ads, and other works of graphic design. We had chopped it up for a bit, and she was legitimately scared. She had a skill set in graphic design. She was studying graphic design at Temple’s Tyler School of Art. Sweetheart, I tell you. She pushed her glasses up a little bit and told me that she wasn’t sure what to expect. 

Someone had stolen her appointed time slot with a recruiter.

She hadn’t had an appointment before then.

The review session was almost over.

And she was stuck with me trying to calm her down.

She wanted to make it. Her graduation is merely weeks away. Her dreams were as vast as the ideas in her book. One day, she’ll have her agency. Her sister was already a copywriter, so why not chase that dream?

Her fears were just as big. 

She didn’t know if advertising was the it in her life. She left for 20 minutes to have her portfolio reviewed, and I walked around. You could see the optimism and frustration shuffle around the floor of Eyebeam in Chelsea. Some were satisfied with meeting dope designers to shape their copy. Others – the ones who felt rear-ended by the whole experienced – looked at me, spoke their minds, and kept it moving.

That’s me in a year.

She came back. Proud that she got through this first review, but torn between wanting to try another review and heading back to campus. I suggested a second opinion. It wouldn’t hurt. Athletes do it. The kids from the Circus, the Brandcenter, Texas Creative...they do this all the time. They’re trained to be rejected. We all need to be. And if I felt she was good enough (and still do – wait, my opinion shouldn’t count for anything!), so someone out there would hopefully would see the same thing – and if not, simply deliver some constructive criticism. 

She’s got great ideas.

All in all, I can say this: 

People drop money to have their stuff checked out by the best of the best. 

Make it worth it. 

2). Generational Top Dogs –Everyone has a first time.

Jimmy Smith, CEO and CCO of Amusement Park Entertainment 

David Baldwin, Lead Guitar at Baldwin& 

Greg DiNoto, CCO at Deutsch 

Ted Royer, ECD at Droga5

Rob Rasmussen, CCO at Tribal DDB

They started at our level. They made it. And they maintained it – to the point that they now run it.

Each of these “mad men” spoke on their first ads, failures, successes, and lessons learned.

Most of these men started out in the late 70s or early 80s. Who knows rejection better than they do? For example, Jimmy Smith, one of the top black executives in the industry, recounted his first job at Burrell – and his journey to get his commercial for McDonalds aired. Leo Burnett got wind of it, and criticized it for being targeted for a general audience. When asked how they could make it “black”, he replied:

“A black man wrote the ad.” 

Amid the laughter in the crowd, there was that uneasy feeling in my gut: Is it still difficult for blacks, not only as consumers, but as professionals in the industry?

On rejecting others, Ted Royer recounted his travel to Miami Ad School to teach for a week. He ripped a hole in one student’s work, only to get a call from her once he returned. 

“I’ll prove you wrong!” was her reaction. 

Turns out, she’s a respected associate creative director now.

Two notes to take into consideration: 

David Baldwin admitting that if younger him was trying to make it today, it’d be difficult with all the portfolios out there. DiNoto and Smith chimed in that portfolio school books tend to end up cookie-cutter.

Smith added: 

“I never graduated college. I was a few credits short.” 

Didn’t stop him from making impact. 

“Non-portfolio students have that advantage of not being drawn into making what everyone else makes.”

Pros and cons, pros and cons.

3). The Teammate –I’m not the only writer that I know that wants to make it. 

A classmate – a good buddy of mine and a truly prolific wordsmith – told me that she admires my drive.

I laughed it off. 

“I’m not there yet.”

“But you know what you want. All I wanna do is write.”

“And that’s not what I wanna do?”

“True,” she said. She sat up on the maroon and pine couch that we sat on. “But you have that plan. You know what you want to do and you’re going out to do it.”

“But I’m not there yet.” 

It’s that truth that has me writing to you. All of you. We’re not portfolio kids. We’d just been telling stories for years. She’d been surrounded by customers who work in the industry, but didn’t know how to work up enough chutzpah to talk to them. I came off as friendly – approachable, even – knowing enough of how to handle myself.

Mind you, I have no phone – and limited access to social media. 

Sidenote: 

I apologize for missing your texts.

I’m here, though, aren’t I? And my struggle is hers. And the shared struggle of my classmates’, and those non-portfolio kids (I need a fancier name for them, by the way). We have jobs, families, struggles, and fears that we won’t make it because we don’t have that edge.

Guess what? 

We do have an edge. 

We have our stories – not just the written ones that my classmate and I pour out on Tumblr. We’ve been students of the game from the first time the news went to commercial, the first time we turned the page to a high-concept fashion ad. 

We breathe it. 

No, better:

We drown in it. 

And our goal is to be life rafts for society. 

No, not even: 

We wanna sell life rafts to society. 

Make them “have it their way”.

Make them feel as smart, as informed, and as savvy as we want them to be.

First, we have to get over our fears – and do what it takes while keeping what it is that makes us great. I’m not the best out there, but my ambition may get me far enough to get people at events to remember my name.

Then again, my name just sticks out.

But I want it. 

And I’m willing to do what it takes. 

You need to as well. 

Rejection will come – and the pain that comes with it is inevitable. It’s up to us to shake it all off and keep moving.

I’ll end it with this quote by one William Bernbach: 

“The men who are going to be in business tomorrow are the men who understand that the future, as always, belongs to the brave.”

Let’s make it happen.

[creativeweeknyc]

What Is Inspiration?

By BIANNETTE CAMILO 

What is inspiration? 

To me inspiration is whatever makes you do something. Whatever motivates you. Whatever tells you to get up off your butt and make some moves. 

And whatever that is is everything to me. 

Whether it’s me taking the subway or simply taking a walk around the city, I'm always inspired. You can find art in almost anything. In everything, really.

Inspiration is what takes me from Step A to Step B; once I'm inspired, there is no stopping me. 

Whether I'm creating new fashion ideas in my head, or figuring out new topics for discussion on my radio show, there is always something to be discovered.

Recently on my show, certain tweets and postings bashing the use of “makeup” inspired me to take it a bit further and discuss this issue with my viewers and co-hosts. I was extremely glad that I used this as a topic. It was liberating for both sides of the field to express their opinions, both on-air and in chat rooms. 

A simple tweet caused not only controversy, but somewhat of a movement. 

While some men say that makeup hides true beauty, the woman of BSR had to argue back that it only enhances their beauty. 

Ultimately there is no right or wrong answer – and everyone is entitled to what they feel – but it was great to see everyone share ideas from both sides. And I thank a simple tweet for that.

Albert Einstein has been quoted saying that “Imagination is more important than intellect”. Not only is this one of my favorite quotes, but it is something that I live by. Of course I rely on textbooks and notes from class to enhance my intellect. But it is the inspiration and imagination I receive from NO TEXTBOOK that pushes and motivates me almost everyday. 

I am blessed and fortunate to live and witness everything about New York. 

In my heart, there is no city better than mine – I literally thank this city everyday for making me as creative and imaginative as I am.

No other city has allowed me to view free subway performances or become inspired by the public artists on the streets of Soho. While New York has the rep of being a fast city – one inhabited by “rude people” – it is also a city with so much love and passion.

And it’s everywhere. 

There is no city close to what New York brings on that end of the spectrum. 

Whether it’s fashion, art, science, or its history, New York gives so much love in an inspirational way. So many of us take this city for granted and only look at the negative aspects, but Creative Week truly opened my eyes even wider – and made me even more proud of being a New Yorker. 

The week truly humbled me. 

All the events that I attended had me traveling back and forth throughout Brooklyn and Manhattan, and honestly, it was the best traveling I have ever done in my life. 

Going from one event to another – and being able to witness all the inspiration in between – there is truly no better city than New York to host Creative Week. 

And I return all that love to Creative Week and to New York City. 

They exist at the intersection of the answer to my opening question.

[creativeweeknyc]

Where Do We Go From Here?

By SASHA FLYNN

Resetting into a “normal” week following all the fun I had last week at Creative Week, I must say:

Aside from the exhaustion, I feel great! 

In less than two months, I will have completed my first year in an advertising creative department. One day – many years from now – I will look back and be proud of the energy and fortitude I showed toward my career at this time. 

Maybe I’ll even be fortunate enough to sit on a panel for Creative Week New York 2022 discussing, “My First Year in Advertising”. 

On that platform, I’d have the opportunity to boast about the beginning of my wonderful journey; I plan on having an exciting story to tell. 

All throughout and across this year, I have thrown myself into the industry. 

I write for the Advertising Week Social Club, and I am just starting the exciting journey to work with Creative Week. I never really know what to expect – but I am always eager to find out what’s next. Because what I do know is this:

There is no way that the experiences I take part in will leave me with LESS inspiration and energy than before. 

I am an avid believer that as a newbie in this industry, I have a lot to learn from my more “seasoned” peers. 

The greatest personal gain from my experience at Creative Week is that no one has to agree. 

What makes the industry amazing and bright – and what always keeps it fresh – is the varying opinions of our best and brightest stars. 

I watched ECD’s and Innovation Officers disagree time and time again this week. It left me energized. It reminded me that I can continue to wear my afro and Dr. Martens – all while maintaining my slanted views about the strategy department.

Just because I didn’t see things the same as others in my office – or even and especially, my closest peers in the industry – doesn’t mean I am wrong or unfit. It is our differences that make the industry unique and keep it thriving. Even in a career field that sometimes feels structured and corporate – see: bow ties and suits – there will always be room for plaid shirts and Chuck Taylors.*

Some of the most interesting questions raised during this Creative Week will most certainly have plenty of room for debate. Creative Directors all carry the same title, but the differences in opinions are what make the individual agencies unique. 

Here are a few of my favorite – and most-debatable – quotes from Creative Week:

“I think creative departments are s&!#.” – Colleen DeCourcy, CEO/Founder, Socialistic  

“Ideas are useless!” – Dave Clemens, ECD Taxi NYC

“Ideas are the holy grail.” – Jimmy Smith, Chairman/CEO, Amusement Park Entertainment 

“Creativity exists within constraints.” – Patricia Stokes, author and adjunct professor, Barnard College

When are financial motivators better than social motivators?; i.e. Buying your employee a drink vs. offering a raise? (Paraphrased) – Faris Yakob, Chief Innovation Officer, MDC Partners

“Constraints are necessary.”

“Ad agencies have to create a new brand model. They no longer have the same wedge in the industry. Brands are creating more content on their own, and the initial reasoning for advertising agencies is now gone. The structure of the agency has changed, and now brands are working with a multitude of agencies.” (Paraphrased) – The Big Picture with moderator Warren Berger of Wired Magazine 

“Rapidly ideate and iterate…creative departments should not be fearful to move quickly. (Paraphrased) – Agile Creativity with moderator Torrence Boone of Google

All in all, Creative Week offered top-notch networking opportunities, while also urging all attendees to take a second look at the industry. Are we all evolving with the world – and what are we doing to stay ahead? 

This has been an especially optimistic week for a young creative like myself. I am prepared to head back to my desk each morning with a special dash of positivity for the future of my industry and my career. 

This is something we can all use a little of from time to time. 

*It was scientifically determined that creative and art directors hold an undeniable uniform of plaid shirts, denim jeans, and sleek sneakers.

[creativeweeknyc]

The Big Idea Isn’t What It Used To Be

By NATHAN ARCHAMBAULT

I went to a Creative Week session last Monday at City Winery called THE IDEA MATTERS….STILL. It opened with the panel (a bunch of Deutsch dudes: Jerome Austria, Bud Caddell, Morgan Carroll, Steve Nesle and Liz Gumbinner) talking about what they thought of their topic. 

They asked themselves if it was bullshit. 

And they concluded – spoiler alert! – yes and no. 

Yes, because if you’re a creative, you know that “The Big Idea” still matters. 

No, because while the importance of “The Big Idea” hasn’t changed, what it is absolutely has.

So how do you know if you’ve come up with “The Next Big Idea”…or something else? 

Here are some new rules for nailing it. 

Don't mistake a tactic for an idea. This is hard to do with so many gimmicky technologies out there. Lots of so-called Big Ideas are simply cool uses of technology. And these projects can be cool and successful and groundbreaking. While that’s great for technology, it’s not so great if you’re trying to be a conceptual creative.

Remove the glitter. You can reduce the best ideas down to a single sentence – the Deutsch guys talked about writing it down and leaving out the strategy, the visuals, really everything except the thought. Without all the glitter, does is still feel like a Big Idea? Or is it really an average idea wearing too much makeup?

Don’t perfect your Big Idea. It’s more important to get it out there for people to play with. Then, based on how people interact with it, figure out how to make it better. In digital, it’s easier to experiment with an idea and iterate. The important thing isn’t polishing your idea to perfection. It’s putting it in people’s hands and creating the experience that people want. Look at how Instagram and Twitter and Facebook change every few months. That’s because they’re not worried about being perfect. They’re looking for the feedback it takes to make their experience a better one.

Don’t put it all out there. Now that everything can be viewed or visited over and over again, give people a reason to spend more time with your idea. People are looking for experiences they can play with or learn from. They don’t want everything placed on a silver, pixelated platter. People like to debate online, so let them. Hold something back and give them something to talk about. The Deutsch guys talked about their online VW video The Bark Side – the one with dogs barking The Imperial March from Star Wars. The script called for dressing up all the dogs as Star Wars characters. At the last minute they decided to leave costumes off half the dogs. Instead of making it obvious which dogs were which characters, they let people debate who was who. There’s an Ewok, and Chewbacca, but is that Obi Wan or the Emperor? If you can’t tell, watch it again!

We're still creatives looking for the next Big Idea. 

But as you go hunting for it, remember that it's not just “The Big Idea” that matters – it’s how you get to it.

[creativeweeknyc]

What Week Is This?

By NATHAN ARCHAMBAULT

I think it’s Creative Week. 

Or maybe it’s Advertising Week. 

It’s definitely not Internet Week – that’s coming up next week. 

SXSW Interactive happened two months ago, so it can’t be that – and I’m pretty sure Cannes is still a month away. Is there an award show this week? Maybe someone will win a Clio or a Webby or a Pencil or an Addy or an Innie or an Outtie.  

What week isn’t Creative Week? 

Last week, this week, next week. They’re all creative weeks. 

We’re not creative because we’re in advertising; we’re in advertising because we’re creative. 

Because 99 percent of advertising really isn’t all that great – and it’s up to us to make it better. Maybe we can add to the 1 percent of advertising that’s truly amazing. Start by building it to 2 percent. Then 5. Then 20. 

Then who knows? 

Anything's possible.

Because we never stop being creative. And creating. And coming up with ideas. And coming up with cool new ways to bring those ideas to life.

We don’t need more Weeks with a capital W. We need more time in the day to make things happen.

Here’s to Creative Week.

This week and every week.

[creativeweeknyc]

Creativity & Positivity

By MATT MOONEY

I will always remember being asked to go back to my old school a few years ago to give a career talk on the music industry in Ireland (where I started out). Mostly, I remember talking about the importance of fresh thinking and always pushing yourself to come up with innovative ideas. 

One of the kids put up his hand and asked me, “How do you come up with great ideas?” 

At the time, I told them it was all about working hard at it; with a few more years under my belt, I would still always say that hard work absolutely pays off – but if asked today, I think I might answer a little bit differently. 

I don’t think there is anything more conducive to the creative mind than being – and feeling – happy. 

My happiness is directly related to the quality of my ideas. Maybe it’s just me, but my best work comes out when I’m at my happiest. And my work hits a block when life does the same.

I learned early on how important it was to me to, above all, be a happy person. 

If I’m not happy, I try to fix it – and if I can’t fix it, I change something. 

So many people trudge through life with a sour look on their faces, exuding negativity. 

The result?

They impact other people’s lives negatively in turn. 

It’s the clerk at the store who really didn’t need a bad customer today – who then passes it on to the next customer. As someone who worked in a supermarket, I can tell your firsthand: 

The butterfly effect is scary sometimes. 

When I get in a bad mood – and I’ll be honest, that does happen – or when I’m upset about something, I have to stop myself and try and consciously pull myself out of that place. Of course, sometimes I just fall right back in – but you got to just try pull yourself out. It’s a lot harder to be happy when things go wrong! But if that wasn’t the case, life would be too easy.

So I try each and every day to come to work with a smile on my face and a good attitude at the ready – and if I do that for anyone, I do it for myself first. As a creative person, I lie in the group of people who leave their emotions out there for the world to see. And it represents itself in my work. 

I recently had the pleasure of meeting Alex Bogusky, former Creative Director at Crispin, Porter + Bogusky. He gave a keynote during Social Media Week 2012 where he talked about himself being on the cover of a magazine at the pinnacle of his career.

He said he looks unhappy, because he was – he had become disillusioned with the industry. 

What did he do? 

He quit! 

He decided that life was too short to be unhappy and decided to pursue his happiness. He began to work on socially responsible ideas because he wanted to help people. The first thing I would say about Alex is that he just seemed like the happiest, nicest guy in the world. 

He made the decision to make a change. 

From that change he made comes my favourite quote, which I’ve used already in my first blog, Fear Less Love More. It blew my mind when I heard that, and ever since then, I’ve tried to live and work that way.

Creativity is not something to be taken for granted. 

I know I’m creative – and I find it very easy to come up with good ideas and to solve marketing challenges. 

Do I think it will last forever? 

Probably not! 

What I do know is this:

The more time I spend being happy, the longer and more successful my career in this industry is going to be. 

My creativity and my happiness are very important to me. There are people in this world who have real reasons to be unhappy – and I would never take that away from anyone. 

All I know is my life. 

I’m only 25 years old. I have a great family. I have amazing friends. I was lucky to get a good education. I’m passionate about my work, and a solid 95 percent of the time, I’m happy. 

I’m definitely very fortunate – and I try to remind myself of that everyday. 

I’ve seen people go through genuine hardships and come out with a smile. So if they can do that, then I have no excuses. I like to think that I’m only getting started in this industry, and I definitely want to Fear Less and Love More. I want to achieve great things and help great people. Hopefully, when I’m an old man, I can look back on the things I did and think three things:

1). I had great ideas

2). Life was fun 

3). I had a positive impact on people’s lives

I think those three things will add up to a very happy and creative individual!

It has been a pleasure to blog during Creative Week. And for those of you who read my blogs, I am forever grateful. This is my first stab at blogging and I enjoyed it immensely. 

My mother always says that I wear my heart on my sleeve, so I decided in accepting the challenge to blog that I would be as open as I would normally be whilst talking with someone face-to-face. 

I bought this poster recently, and I think it sums up everything I just talked about pretty well. 

It will hang at the front door of every apartment, house or tree house that I ever live in. 

Serving as my reminder of what’s really important.