Search results matching tag 'creative'

Who wants half my salary?

1364957 — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:04:01 GMT

Half a salary for free? There must be a catch and yes there is. Get me a permanent job as either a Group Head or Creative Director in London and I will pay you half my monthly salary for two months. To keep things interesting, I will not work for less than £60k per year. I don’t mind if you push one of your directors out of the window. I don’t care if you threaten to take your multi million account elsewhere and yes, sucking up to the board to get me the position is allowed. No matter who you are this is your chance to make sure you have the funds to spend next summer on a tropical island. To help you get started, please find some work samples and my cv on www.halfmysalary.com. Oh, and there’s another catch. The money I’m talking about is half my net monthly income. Yes I know... I should have been an account handler. But don’t let that stop you… Good luck! Timo

Live to Create Workshops Teach New, Creative Consumerism

2292853 — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:01:00 GMT

Normal 0 While the recession keeping a fierce grip on the nation, and with many people feeling fearful, or unable, to spend money on High Street goods this holiday season, this economic situation could bring opportunity to transform how we think about our role as consumers, and see some of us turn into creators.

Remember the punk rock DIY culture that emerged out of the 80s recession? Many people looked toward that time of economic hardship, as also being a time of great art with the likes of Vivienne Westwood showing how good fashion design could come from surprising places. What if people struggling in these economic hard times could harness that punk rock type of creative spirit and make something from what they have already, in the form of skills, clothes, film, books, music or just in day-to-day business life? This recession-led holiday season may be about the deconstruction of old consumer ways and the rebirth of a new creator class.

Coming up 28 November is an opportunity to find out how to tap into the power of creativity, and apply it to the consumer world, the workplace and life. The Live to Create workshops, a series of one-day sessions to help people unleash creativity, are hosted by Lucy Wills, who wears many professional hats as a successful vintage jewellery designer, performer, creativity consultant, teacher and climate activist. She’s teamed up with Erica Grigg, of Carbon Outreach, to teach others how to apply creativity, and help people flip from being consumers to creators.

Both women are fellows of the RSA and have hosted workshops at business conferences in the UK and USA. Both are also active in the climate change movement, with Wills performing as a mermaid at many rallies, and being a visual symbol of the activist events. The Live to Create workshops are geared toward professionals in all areas of business, who are seeking new approaches to applying creativity in the workplace and in personal life.

“We have to each become our own brand champions, and to decide for ourselves what we really need. Our current culture encourages us to define ourselves through what we eat, wear, watch and read. Even those in the creative industries suffer, fearful to step outside their areas of expertise or create for themselves as well as for their paying clients,” said Wills, who has worked in corporate environments as well as being a creative entrepreneur. “There are so many barriers in the way - both practical and social, however through our combined experiences and those from whom we have learnt we believe we have a process that enables you to break through - in just one day.”

Professionals who find themselves in a pressure-filled work environment will be given tools in these workshops to help them apply more creativity and problem solving to everyday issues. Exploring how to launch creative projects, without making the mistake of over-spending on budget, will also be addressed.

“We believe that creativity is the key to unlocking a truer sense of self and to bring deeper meaning and richness into all aspects of our lives,” said Wills.

Live to Create is a series of seven sessions, being held now, and into 2010, and has room for 14 participants. Book your space here.

My consultancy Hai Media Group is supporting the Live to Create workshop series, because we feel passionately that people need help to thrive creatively in the business world and in their personal lives.

Creating more, consuming less,

-Lisa

*Photo of Lucy Wills by photographer Retts Wood.

Fireworks, Furry Business Cards and Chris Arnold..

2304524 — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:34:00 GMT

I'd like to say the night started off with a bang! Fortunately it was just another night with The Bristol Creative Directors Network. A round table with 10 Bristol creatives enjoying a fabulous meal at Goldbrick House in the company of Chris Arnold.

For those not so familiar with Chris, he was Integrated Creative Director of Saatchi & Saatchi before setting up FEEL, which merged with Ron Leagas’ agency to form BLAC. In 2009 Chris started the world’s first independent creative department, a social enterprise and talent incubator all in one – Creative Orchestra. Chris is author of the newly published book, Ethical Marketing – http://www.amazon.com/Ethical-Marketing-Consumer-Chris-Arnold/dp/0470743026

Chris gave us real insight regarding his not for profit agency model and how a democratic voting system gives staff a sense of ownership. From choosing the type of business to go for, all the way through to which creative routes to present.

Interestingly, the business model includes exchanging fee for a percentage of the revenue. There was a lot of discussion around this model, with Matt Golding from Rubberductions introducing a concept of fees based on a promise of specific results. In the event the campaign doesn't achieve at least these, they offer a refund – now that's putting your money where your mouth is! (I'm seeing Matt later this week and hope to find out more, watch this space).

I think we all found the new model agency insight a real breath of fresh air and Chris's views on ethical marketing, and in particular Co-Op V's Tesco a real eye opener.

Much of the evening was also spent talking about how our industry still has a need for 'big ideas' but that much of what we do digitally is finding innovative solutions to business problems. This posed the question for some, where does that leave the 'Craft model' of the more traditional agencies?

Before he left, Chris introduced his furry backed business card. Everyone oooh'd and ahhh'd - it would seem that in this digital/screen based world of ours, there's a sense of a certain loss of traditional things even among the most technologically-biased of us!

Many thanks to Chris Arnold, whose easy company and no holes barred industry insight made the evening slip by far too quickly and to David Sloly, (CD at MZL.com), for encouraging Chris to make the trip down the M4!

jon@3sixty.co.uk

Jamaica Street Artists come to Bristol

608918 — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:35:00 GMT

Bristol has always been passionate about its creative scene and in a smaller city sometimes you have to fight a bit harder to protect it. I think the up side to this is it that brings a much stronger community ethos to the scene than we might otherwise have. So I wasn’t surprised to see that Jamaica Street Artists (Bristol’s biggest art collective) are auctioning off some of their finest work in the hope that they will save their iconic headquarters, and one of the city’s major landmarks – The Old Carriage Works in Stokes Croft. They have over 43 artists in residence at the moment and are a collective with diverse skills including internationally established illustrators, film makers, and fine artists. In advance of the auction on the 3rd December, and building on the success of the Banksy exhibition, there will be a month long preview exhibition at the Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery. The auction itself is invitation only and there is more information on how to get a ticket at the Jamaica Street Artists website. The preview at the City museum is definitely worth a visit, and you never know you might find a unique piece of work to buy. laura@3sixty.co.uk

Love the new Paul Whitehouse hairdresser ad?

2664107 — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 11:16:39 GMT

Wasn't sure about Aviva's ad series with Paul Whitehouse as a goth and the one as a silver surfer. But loving the new one as a hairdresser. What do others think?

Creative thinking within Advertising...

2419340 — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 09:00:00 GMT

The main skill in advertising is creative thinking, is that all that matters? (in regards to design skills)

It’s a smaller world, but is it blander for it? By Rajnish Razdan, Creative Director, TheAgency

2648097 — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 11:25:00 GMT

Whilst chatting with my cousin in India via Facebook, it struck me how social media sites are helping to merge cultural boundaries. At the expense of sounding like someone who never switches off, this got me thinking about its effects on marketing and creativity.

Let’s step back 20 years or so. In the 80s, conversations (over the ‘phone) with relatives struggled to progress beyond the general ‘How are you and the family?’ and of course Cricket. Now it’s the Premiership, music, movies – to be honest, it’s not too different to talking with friends in the UK.

Today if you walk through major cities in India you’ll see loads of familiar faces – from Mr. Ronald McDonald to David Beckham; along the way you can take in the likes of Nike, Debenhams and even Marks and Spencer.

Commonality is no bad thing. It helps us feel comfortable and confident enough to explore more diverse aspects of a culture, providing new fuel for our creative minds.

Strategy benefits too. We step further into a very different landscape and see how other people and organisations approach consumers. This provides ready contrasts and comparisons to ponder and incorporate into our own approaches.

In many ways some of the world’s most successful brands have always been cultural sponges, squeezing interesting new flavours into their strategy.

Today, social media sites are fantastic tools for experiencing fresh new perspectives. But how often do we really step away from our ‘safe’ vantage points when using social media? Are we doing enough to find out about other cultures and their dynamics? Or do we simply add neighbours to Farmville, get nostalgic about our school days and watch the same types of films on YouTube?

By limiting our viewing, we run the risk of missing out on genuinely original, entertaining material. And on a professional basis, that’s where the gold really is.

To a certain degree the movement of western brands and the rise of international brand carriers makes it seem like the East is simply moving westward. If it’s coming to us, why bother going to them?

In creative and strategic terms, there’ll be little need to try something different if you know you can do the same thing and get pretty much the same results. But that is a slow painful road that will ultimately deliver diminishing returns, not to mention become really boring. But that’s never stopped our industry in the past.

So go on take a little diversion; hit Youtube and take a look at some of the exciting material that’s coming out of agencies in India and the Asian subcontinent. Yes there’s rubbish - there’s rubbish everywhere - but equally there’s some really exciting and different stuff worth diving into. Have a gander at the art and stunning films being created, for example.

And when you find something that really tickles your fancy, why not pass it on to your friends? It would be the social thing to do.

http://theagencyonline.co.uk

Dreaming up ideas

1365368 — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 08:03:00 GMT

Has anyone ever had a great planning / creative idea in their sleep? Surely this must happen more often than not!

Last night I had an advertising idea in my sleep for something we're pitching on and in this dream I kept shouting to myself 'Wake up! Wake up! Write this down, this is genius!'. I woke up this morning having remembered it and burst out laughing. It was not genius at all. It was very random, I'll give it that.

So, I got into work and showed the Head of Advertising my nocturnal creative thought, to which he shook his head and laughed as I'd expected. My planning colleague wasn't so critical and said it was interesting, so it's not all bad, there may be something in my REM-based thinking after all!

I am now thinking of creating an ideas bank for all of our creative and planning thinking that we have when we're asleep, just as an interesting record. I know my planning colleague once rebranded Stockholm in a dream. After all, you never know when genius will strike!

Interning at a Creative Agency

2294000 — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 10:07:16 GMT

Hi guys,

I just thought some of you might be interested in reading my blog. I am doing a month's work experience at a creative agency and I talk about what's involved and what it's like interning in this industry. Check it out:

http://www.thepossibilitiesareendless.com

Hope you find it interesting.

Bryony

BP's creative trickery revealed

2228399 — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 16:38:00 GMT

The guys at Ogilvy London have just released this new making-of video, showing the behind the scenes trickery involved in their latest viral campaign for BP Ultimate.

Having worked on helping seed the campaign over the last few weeks it was a real eye-opener to get an insight in to how exactly they did manage to shoot a group of people carrying a car across a city (Cape Town to be specific). I particularly love the interviews with the kids involved in the shoot who are not the most articulate interviewees!

If you haven't seen the viral campaign already, you can check out the film here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILPBWQzC5x0

and the teaser clip here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3xZNrIJWe0