“You miss 100% of shots you don’t take.”
Hockey Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky said these words. The line is both axiomatic and a tautology, but a necessary reminder to all of us. I use it here as a cudgel to berate creative brief writers: It’s all or nothing, baby. Too many creative briefs are shots not taken. I’ve read many paeans to […]
E86: A conversation with Steve Harrison
Airs October 5, 2022 This week, Henry Gomez and I take great pride in welcoming Steve Harrison, author of Can’t Sell Won’t Sell, a sober and compelling argument against the ad industry’s sad slide into prizing social justice over selling. Steve has earned his bona fides as a creative thinker and leader, having won a […]
Why creative briefs fail.
I tip my hat to Tim Brunelle, copywriter, creative director, strategist, lover of creative briefs, and a recent guest on The Brief Bros., for inspiring this post in response to a question put to him by my friend and co-host Henry Gomez. I’ll give you four reasons why I think a creative brief fails, plus […]
When do you know you’ve written a good creative brief?
If you want to make money, invite your creative team to a poker game. You’ll win. Creatives have terrible poker faces. I know. I’m a former creative. When we have a good hand, it’s hard to hide it. That’s the way we are about most things in life. We wear our emotions on our faces, […]
E83: Reviewing a creative brief by Crispin Porter Bogusky
Airs September 14, 2022 This week, Henry Gomez and I try something new and different: we share with you a real creative brief by a real ad agency. So we review both the brief itself and one TV spot that came from the brief. The agency is Crispin Porter Bogusky, a powerhouse creative shop whose […]
E82: Another Classics Creative Review
Airs September 7, 2022 This week, Henry Gomez and I return to Classics Creative Review with three television spots on The Drum’s list: World’s Best Ads of All Time, based on a reader survey. We start with a spot from Thailand called “Smoking Kid” by Ogilvy for the Thai Health Promotion Board. Next up is […]
E81: A conversation with Gary Goldsmith, Department Chair, Creative Direction, ArtCenter College of Design.
Airs August 31, 2022 This week, Henry Gomez and I are joined by an industry veteran and legend, Gary Goldsmith. Today he is the Department Chair of Creative Direction for ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena. But his resume includes stints as creative director at DDB and TBWA\Chiat\Day, as well as chairman and CCO of […]
Why is there no list of the Best Creative Briefs of All Time?
If you’re a fan of the NFL and someone asked you to put together your Dream Team offensive line, you’d know who to pick, right? Anyone who plays Fantasy Football gets the exercise. Quarterback? Lots of greats to choose from: YA Tittle, Fran Tarkenton, Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady. Arguments would erupt over who’s the best, […]
E80: A conversation with Charlotte Mair, founder/managing director, The Fitting Room
Airs August 24, 2022 Henry Gomez and I welcome Charlotte Mair, named by Ad Age as one of the Leading Women Europe 2021. She is the founder and managing director of her own cultural marketing agency, The Fitting Room. Charlotte’s story will resonate with American viewers. She started with virtually nothing in her bank account, […]
Dave Trott says a creative brief is about thinking, not writing. Well, not quite.
With due respect to the legendary creative director and author, from whom I’m still eagerly awaiting his acceptance of my request to connect on LinkedIn, I think Mr. Trott is half right. A creative brief is absolutely about thinking. But writing is not unimportant. In fact, I’d say a great creative brief is equal parts […]
