1) I think we can all agree the industry is lacking a bit of clarity at the moment. Everything is changing so quickly and agencies are having an identity crisis claiming they can do everything and only one thing at the same time. It’s ridiculous and confusing. To top it off, clients are building their own internal agencies and working directly with production companies. I miss the days when we put a focus on process and everyone was coming up with weird inventive ways of finding and solving problems. It feels like we need to get back to just solving problems and better yet, identifying the real problems. This feels like what clients need the most.
2) I adapted by starting a new agency named CALLEN. We are the first agency ever to be backed by Wieden + Kennedy and unique from all the other startups in the sense that we can’t sell. Which forces us to be focused on one thing, the work. W+K is the best agency on the planet, but I wanted to explore how things could work in a smaller sandbox. See if new solutions came to mind without all the process and structures in place at larger shops. I also wanted to experiment having a producer, Niklas Lindstrom, at a founding level. We need to work faster as an industry and I think it’s interesting when you have a “maker” sitting at the table during deep strategy and creative conversations.
3) 2017 was a big transition year for me. It’s hard to start a new agency and it took awhile to get everything set up and functioning. That being said I’m most proud of the interactive music video we did for a band called Real Estate. It’s a moving coloring book that allows people to color their own versions of the video as it goes along. The end result was no single “official” video, but rather 1000’s of unique creations by the fans themselves. I had a blast making it with the amazing people over at MediaMonks and working with the band. It was a great practice in figuring out how to make big ideas on a small budget.
4) I imagine there will continue to be a great deal of emphasis on experiential. People want experiences, but they don’t want it to feel contrived and they don’t want to feel like they are being sold to. Basically, they don’t want ads. Helping brands express who they are and what they do at their core is where we are focused, no matter what shape that takes. Whether it’s directly looking at product innovation or the benefit, making sure every element of a customer experience is focused on a great, memorable experience or interaction with a brand.
5) Hire good people, have fun, try not to make tons of mistakes but cherish when we do. I’ve learned a lot going out on my own. It’s the most exciting and terrifying time of my life. I want to seek out those great clients that are willing to take risks and do interesting, new work. At the end of the day, I’m ready to start making things again. Things that people love and actually help brands. I’d also like to do more music projects. It seems people in the music industry are much more appreciative of the effort and open to experimenting. It may not pay all the bills, but it allows me to feel good in my creative soul.
Lastly, I would like to figure out how to make the pitch process smoother and faster. On occasion, it can seem pretty dysfunctional. Sometimes we get calls and they’re talking to thirty other agencies. That is not an exaggeration. I would love to find a way to be in fewer, more focused pitches. Amen to that, right industry?
