E73: Winning a Lion at Cannes 2022
Airs July 6, 2022 Today we celebrate my friend, partner and co-host of The Brief Bros., Henry Gomez, who went to Cannes this year with his colleagues from Zubi Advertising in Miami and won a Silver Lion for work the agency produced for Burger King. In this episode, Henry takes us on the wild but […]
E72: A conversation with Mark Jenson, lecturer, Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communications
Airs June 29, 2022 Mark Jenson is an old friend. I’ve been making virtual guest appearances to speak to his advertising students since 2018. He teaches at the University of Minnesota. Mark was instrumental in facilitating Henry and me in our recent multi-episode project to write a creative brief on The Brief Bros for Hulu. […]
What not to expect from a creative brief.
My video podcast co-host, Henry Gomez, often says on our show, The Brief Bros., that an inspiring creative brief doesn’t guarantee inspiring creative. But it vastly improves the odds. His comment inspired me to ruminate on what great creative briefs should not be expected to do. I file this under “intellectual honesty,” which everyone, regardless […]
E71: A conversation with Russell Davies, former strategist at W+K and Nike.
Airs June 22, 2022 Russell Davies was Strategic Planning Director at Weiden+Kennedy in Portland and Global Consumer Planning Director at Nike. For nine years, he was a contributing editor and columnist at WIRED magazine. Today, he’s CMO at an energy start-up in London called Bulb. Henry Gomez (http://www.henrylouisgomez.com) and Howard Ibach (https://creativebriefworkshops.com) had a wide-ranging […]
E70: A conversation with Andy Nairn
Airs June 15, 2022 Andy Nairn is the author of an insightful and valuable new book, Go Luck Yourself: 40 Ways To Stack The Odds In Your Brand’s Favour. He’s also the founding partner of London’s Lucky Generals, whose clients include Amazon and Virgin Atlantic. Henry Gomez (http://www.henrylouisgomez.com) and Howard Ibach (https://creativebriefworkshops.com) quiz Andy on […]
Creatives love to complain about bad briefs. If they tried writing one they’d find out how hard it is.
All creatives should learn how to write a brief. It’s humbling, and will make them better readers of briefs.
Why the “one-sentence creative brief” is a false idol.
Who writes a one-sentence creative brief? More to the point, who wants a one-sentence creative brief? I don’t. I doubt creatives want one. Not truly. Oh, I’ve read a few comments on LinkedIn promoting a one-sentence creative brief, pleading for such a creature. But has anyone ever actually read one, worked from one or possessed […]
What no one says about the creative brief.
The creative brief is old school. The creative brief is dead. The creative brief inhibits creativity. The creative brief does not guarantee good creative. (This one is true.) All of these statements have popped up in the trades, on social media, in conversations, at conferences and award shows. They have been heard before. But what […]
The one meeting that should always be “standing room only.”
This meeting should raise expectations. This meeting should crackle with electricity. This meeting should always be standing room only. I speak of a regular gathering in both ad agencies and on the client side. A meeting that typically produces yawns and low attendance. Exactly the opposite of what a healthy, thriving brand should inspire. Which […]
