Author Archives: dbs81270

Creativity. The Value of the Painted Word.

“There is only one valuable thing in art: the thing you cannot explain.” Georges Braque There is a book that caused a lot of trouble around 1975. It is called The Painted Word. It was written by the famous writer Tom Wolfe. It is a critique of modern art and art critics specifically. He summedContinue reading “Creativity. The Value of the Painted Word.”

Creativity. Things we shouldn’t lose.

“We don’t stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing.” George Bernard Shaw Sorry it’s been a while. One thing I have learnt this year is that it is way harder and takes way longer to write a book than you think. But, we are almost done. My book basedContinue reading “Creativity. Things we shouldn’t lose.”

Be a Geoff and try a little tenderness.

Got on a lucky one. Came in eighteen to one. I’ve got a feeling. This year’s for me and you. Fairytale of New York The Pogues We are on the home stretch. Christmas approaches like a cheerful, glistening tsunami. At one of my old agencies, the creative department used to call it Black December. WeContinue reading “Be a Geoff and try a little tenderness.”

Creativity. Now and then can both be true.

“Fuck the past. This was the present.” Margie Stiefvater I was at SxSW in Sydney recently. I saw some great talks and learnt heaps. But, there was a re-occurring conversation. I cannot tell you how many times I ended up speaking about A.I. and what is going to happen. How will advertising change? Will IContinue reading “Creativity. Now and then can both be true.”

Creativity. All a Monet really needs is Taylor Swift.

“Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.” Warren Buffet Let’s do a little thought experiment. I want you to imagine it’s somewhere around 1926. You are standing in Claude Monet’s studio in Giverny. It is a beautiful room. Full of colour and the sun. The old master will pass away that year.Continue reading “Creativity. All a Monet really needs is Taylor Swift.”

Creativity. What will the wrong answers be worth tomorrow?

“If you’re not prepared to be wrong, you’ll never come up with anything original.” Sir Ken Robinson Many years ago, BBH the great London agency had a black sheep as their logo. Their line was: when the world zigs, zag. In short, how do you not be like everybody else. Creativity in advertising is allContinue reading “Creativity. What will the wrong answers be worth tomorrow?”

Creativity. And now for something completely unexpected.

“We don’t see the things as they are, we see them as we are.” Anais Nin I hope this post makes you remember the first time you had an idea. Come on now, don’t roll your eyes yet. Creatives are odd in quite a few ways. But, perhaps the strangest is how they search forContinue reading “Creativity. And now for something completely unexpected.”

Advertising. Everything is going to change. And it won’t.

“Driving the train doesn’t set its course. The real job is laying the track.”Ed Catmull In advertising, we love to write about where things are going and that shimmering, mystical place on the horizon. The future. Today, I am writing about something less glamorous. The process that goes with it and why it will alwaysContinue reading “Advertising. Everything is going to change. And it won’t.”

Creativity. The value of f#####g around.

“The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect but by the play instinct.” Carl Jung Years ago, I worked with a creative who management didn’t like. They always thought he was playing around rather than working. He had a couple of side hustles. He always played pranks. He was never in hisContinue reading “Creativity. The value of f#####g around.”