Here are my 5 latest advertising creative tips for students, grads and juniors.
There’s no one way to be a creative, so pick and choose which ones you want to try. And forget the rest.
And if you think these are useful for people, pass them on.
Tip 41 // Do things. Make things.
Creatives should have an insatiable drive to make and do things.
A genuine excitement about all forms of creating.
Show that you’re not someone that’s going to wait for a brief, budget or opportunity to bring that great idea to life.
In my early years, I learned how to shoot, film and edit ideas when there wasn’t budget or time to do it any other way.
Modelling and acting in a few as well (sort of).
I even performed a dance routine in one. All copies have since been destroyed.
Tip 42 // Be around creatives.
When you’re on an advertising or design course you spend a lot of time looking at and commenting on each others work.
You’re constantly around people. Exchanging views and ideas.
Make sure you’re doing that in agencies too.
I learnt how to be a creative by being surrounded by them in my junior years.
Working from home has obvious appeals but you’ll miss out on a lot of knowledge.
You’ll miss opportunities too, if you’re around people you hear what’s going on, get involved and be able to throw your ideas in.
Tip 43 // Get to know the numbers.
Being a creative should just be about ideas and craft right?
Those dirty timesheets and boring numbers aren’t your bag.
That attitude is fine if you don’t want to advance quickly or as far as you can in your career.
Don't be scare of numbers, the commercials.
You need to know how that stuff works as a leader or CD.
You need to know how that stuff works for your promotions and salaries.
Creatives often ignore this stuff and miss out. Brand and Account Teams certainly don’t.
Tip 44 // Put yourself on edge.
Human nature is to be wary of the new and strange.
It’s been programmed in by evolution to keep us safe.
As a creative that’s something you’ve got to battle against, because staying safe is doing things that have been done before.
Instead find ways to throw yourself in at the deep end.
Using styles or techniques you’ve not used before or create an idea that you’ve no idea how to do.
You’ll make better work and you’ll learn to swim a lot quicker.
Tip 45 // Work, Work, Work, Etc…
My writer and me once met a grad.
Their book was rough, we gave them a lot of advice and off they went.
They got back in touch a month later asking to come in again.
We didn’t see the point, most grads might have added one campaign in that time. But when they arrived, they’d re-done their entire book.
That drive and passion impressed us more than the work.
We knew they’d get a job. They did two months later.
Put the work in.
