1) The emphases on shorter content/ads for mobile seemed to ramp up this year. It’s a territory where fingers are poised to hit Skip, so how do we make that first frame so captivating that people forget that they have the option to move on? It’s also led us to think about how we use the canvas—a.k.a. the screen—differently. How do we frame the elements to use the 9:16 or 1:1 ratio best so that viewers want more of this virtual eye candy? I find these challenges to be incredibly fun because we are learning to speak authentically to the audience.
3) This is a really tough one to answer. It’s like asking, “Who is your favorite child?” “Lessons in Herstory” was such a smart use of technology that allowed and encouraged engagement. The stories that it brought to light inspire and educate. “Lessons in Herstory” is just really special and necessary today. I also want to send a very special kudos to the team that worked on “A Holiday Reunion” for Xfinity. It was a great example of teamwork from client to agency to production partners—and even Mr. Steven Spielberg himself! Everyone worked so hard to stay true to the original story, and it paid off in spades.
4) With all the compelling content out there that have a strong hold on people’s attention (Amazon Original shows and Netflix films, for example), how do we steal their attention, especially when people are paying for services to avoid advertising altogether? We need to create content that is equally as entertaining—content that they seek out and want to engage with. “A Holiday Reunion” for Xfinity is a great example of work that is more entertainment than advertising. It was really important to all involved that the integrity of the original story—and all the emotions that come with that story—remain intact. And with maintaining that integrity they were able to evolve the story into a piece that resonates with and has been enjoyed by, well, everyone.
6) My New Year’s resolution for the department and the agency is to continue to collaborate and invite partnership. Throughout my career I’ve seen instances where people feel they need to “own” the work. But in those instances, the ego almost always gets in the way. Yes, ownership in the form of accountability is important. But greatness flourishes when collaborators join together to agree on the important and unwavering core of an idea and then spend the next few months nurturing and paving paths for that idea to thrive.
