1) Creatives love problems. And the rules have become more and more stringent. During this COVID-era, the toolbox is considerably smaller, particularly given production restrictions. Now more than ever, we need to innovate and stretch our skill sets to unearth new possibilities.
Our goal has been to push beyond the realm of familiarity, and find unique ways to leverage real creativity and originality - without developing a “house style”. We’ve done this through pushing the boundaries of what we can do in digital formats, via influencers, distressed outdoor inventory - and traditional shoots as we recently completed a COVID-safe production for our TaylorMade client.
2) At our agency, two things are simultaneously true: Diversity has always been at the forefront of our thinking and in our work. However, we recognize that we still need to do more. The climate has amplified this commitment, and we’re taking further actions to best represent people of color in all aspects of our team and creative output. This starts with taking a hard look at ourselves internally and where we can improve in terms of recruitment, staff development and other practices. We recently joined 600 & Rising, and believe that a more diverse staff and culture makes the work better.
Our team has also been moved by the call for social justice, and were inspired to create work that can positively affect culture. Recently our employee-led DEI platform, Open Waters, executed an 11-city out-of-home campaign in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. We’ll continue to look for ways to utilize our skills and resources to support issues we care deeply about.
3) We have a wide-range of clients from different sectors, including sports, tourism and technology – and they have all been very thoughtful in their marketing approach. These days brands must behave as they believe. So it’s been encouraging to see many of our clients and other U.S. brands shifting from a pure features & benefits communications to take a stance, including donating significant funds and promoting organizations that help make a positive difference.
4) It’s recently struck me that the most important content right now is news – much more so than ads or entertainment or sports. News is the new water cooler show during this highly unusual and challenging year where we are all looking for truth, guidance and inspiration.
I really appreciate journalists and other influential public figures who really commit to uncovering the truth. In my opinion, John Oliver is doing a great job of tackling important issues, while Bill Maher continues to push boundaries and speak honestly about the state of the country – both showing a strong commitment for real, truthful commentary.
5) The greatest lesson for me has been recognizing that we should never assume that clients will want to go a conventional or familiar route. Our USGA clients made a fantastic and bold move earlier this year by partnering with Don Cheadle to represent their brand and the U.S. Open in their new brand platform, ‘From Many One.’ It was a great move for them to buck industry norms that have been inherent to this largely white male sport and highlight an inspiring Black man, who serves as a U.S. Open Ambassador working to increase the value of public golf to golfers, courses and communities throughout the country. This is exactly the type of thinking and commitment we love from our brand partners and we’re proud of the work that we created together.
This time of pandemic has also shown that when times get tough, people coming together to lend a hand can make a big impact. Earlier in March, we launched an in-store effort where we placed reassuring messaging in support of CDC guidelines to help eliminate false remedies, like clearing out toilet paper supply, and instead arm people with accurate information that could potentially save lives. We then partnered with OOH vendor Project X, who provided free billboard units to help amplify our COVID safety message in California. It’s been very inspiring to see how companies are putting financials aside in order to come together and put something meaningful out into the world in order to save lives.
6) I predict we’ll likely see a continuation of the noise and intensity in our culture for the remainder of the year – especially given the upcoming election. However, there is some good that will come out of all of this, particularly surrounding greater awareness and ownership of racial inequalities. Additionally, this COVID-era has forced us to find new ways to create and has unlocked more efficiencies and less waste in our work. This newfound creativity will be particularly impactful as brands look for new ways to stand out during the election season.
7) Our agency has always made a point to include talented minority and female directors in our searches, and are proud partners of Free the Bid.
We also believe that mentorship is vital for retaining top talent and shaping our culture and work. Our leadership team believes that great ideas come from every level, which is why we have a presence at various ad schools where we have the ability to uncover new talent and career opportunities for students. We are also very involved with The Marcus Graham Project, which aims to provide exposure and experience for diverse, up-and-coming talent in our industry.