What’s the impact of the pandemic on you, your company, your approach to doing business in the future? What practices emerged that you will continue even as restrictions are loosening?
The pandemic has affected me and my family much the same as everyone else. We masked up. Stocked up on TP, disinfectant, snacks and hunkered down to stay safe. It was scary at first, but, as the days, weeks, and months went by, we started to really enjoy this special time together and became much closer.
We went through an analogous emotional journey at the (virtual) office. There was a lot of fear and frustration, especially early on, not knowing how long we would need to work remotely. We dug deep and rallied together. We stayed focused on our business and our clients’ businesses. With a clear mission and a shared goal, the agency really flourished, and Doner LA ended up having its best year ever.
If you asked me about my openness to remote work in February 2020, I would have shut it down immediately. But, since then, I have come to realize the many advantages to remote work. I know a lot of the agencies feel the same way and look forward to seeing who remains remote and who goes back to the office. I think working remotely works if everyone agrees to work remotely. Having folks have in or half out is where it could get confusing and add more work.
How has the call for equity, racial and social justice affected, honed or influenced your sense of responsibility as a company in terms of the content you create and/or your commitment to opening up opportunities for filmmaking talent from underrepresented backgrounds?
It has made us all aware of these issues in a much deeper way, on a much broader scale, than in the past. Internally, it has opened up a lot of discussions across the agency. On a personal level, I have a gained a deeper understanding of the systemic issues that our industry has contributed to. Overall, it has been an incredible shift in awareness that has only just begun.
What’s the biggest takeaway or lessons learned from work (please identify the project) you were involved in that was or is in the running for current awards season consideration (i.e., Emmys, Cannes Lions, etc.)?
The once fringe purpose lead and pro bono categories of these awards shows now dominates every category. An idea can no longer just promote a product or service; it must have a fundamental impact on the world to get considered as award worthy. A handful of purpose-led brands like Ben & Jerry’s, Toms, and Patagonia have moved from the fringes into mainstream – and they have more and more competition from every brand in every category.
While gazing into the crystal ball is a tricky proposition, we nonetheless ask you for any forecast you have relative to content creation and/or the creative and/or business climate for the second half of 2021 and beyond.
We live in the golden age of content creation. It has been amazing to watch. Our film references have gone from Johnathan Glazer to Addison Rae. Agencies and production companies will continue to face the same issue: how to continue making strong content quickly, cheaply, and with high quality.
It seems like the only ones who have figured it out are 13-year-olds. These non-agency content creators continue to eat the agencies lunch when it comes to creating compelling content that gets tons of free earned media. Agencies and production companies can do it too, but need to find an approach that feels authentic.
What are your goals, creatively speaking and/or from a business standpoint, for your company, division, studio or network in 2021?
We want to do famous work. Not award famous. Pop culture famous. We love when our ideas get talked about on morning news shows and spoofed on SNL. We aspire to that
What trends, developments or issues would you point to thus far in 2021 as being most significant, perhaps carrying implications for the rest of the year and beyond?
We were all able to get a lot more done for less in the pandemic. I think agencies will struggle to explain why suddenly they can’t make more for less.
What work (advertising, entertainment)–your own or others–struck a responsive chord with you and/or was the most effective creatively and/or strategically so far this year? Does any work stand out to you in terms of meshing advertising and entertainment?
I love all advertising. Really, I do. But I view our industry as stuck between all the incredible content getting developed by the networks, on streaming services, and across the social platforms.
Advertising needs to do more to stand out. The old ways weren’t working, and the new ways aren’t much better. That’s why there’s never been a better time to be a creative in advertising.
We are living in the great creative wide open. A brave new world where only the meaningful survive. Creativity that isn’t just words and pictures but an experience at every touchpoint. Interaction instead of interruption. A connection from brand to consumer and from consumer to brand. A connection that gets felt, then thought. Believed in, then acted on.
Everyone will adapt to this new dynamic in marketing – not just creatives. With no formula and no shortcuts, marketers will need to turn to constant innovation, listening, trust, trial, and error. What is true today may not be true tomorrow. Every client is different. Each problem to solve is different. The “best practice” is to roll up your sleeves and do the work.
