How did your agency adjust/adapt to the marketplace in 2021 (new strategies, resources, technology, health/safety expertise) and what is the most relevant business and/or creative lesson you learned in 2021 and how will you apply it to 2022?
In 2021 it seems the internet just got interesting, again, with Crypto going mainstream, meme investing, NFTs and the Metaverse.
We saw a deluge of brands creating NFTs, and the already crowded Metaverse is becoming as expensive to buy property as the Bay Area. The truth is, we are barely in the foothills of the blockchain and Web 3.0, and just like A.I. a few years ago, this technology will become more and more commonplace until it is seamlessly integrated into our everyday lives.
At 180 we are looking at the application of these technologies to create meaningful ideas that have a positive impact on people’s lives. Sometimes purpose gets left behind in all the excitement and too often brands create lame badging exercises. We are much more interested in brands coupled with technology driving cultural change and behavior.
How are the events of 2021–from the pandemic to the call for diversity, equity and inclusion–impacting the content you create and/or the way you work?
Just like my Boomer parents in the 60’s, generation COVID have now experienced their own seismic moments of social change. From George Floyd to Me Too, the effect can be felt everywhere. But this revolution isn’t just about big changes, but our actions every day. Every decision we make, we scrutinize closely to make sure we are honest. At 180, we have a policy that everyone has a voice. This means everyone in our organization is working towards a more equitable future.
What are your goals or New Year’s resolution, creatively speaking or from a business standpoint, for your agency or department in 2022?
Innovation is the key to creativity. This doesn’t just mean technology, although many of our projects for 2022 are deeply technological. Innovation is about pushing ideas further than you feel you can imagine. It sounds highfalutin, but it is what 180 has been doing for years.
Gazing into your crystal ball, what do you envision for the advertising and/or entertainment industry–creatively speaking or from a business standpoint–in 2022?
We are still accelerating into the future at a phenomenal rate. But if I were to make one prediction – brands and the blockchain (in whatever form) will be a thing.
Tell us about one current commercial or branded entertainment project you are working on for early 2022.
I don’t want to talk about specific projects as they are confidential, however, one of our biggest projects of 2022 is the future of work and how an agency (and our network) will operate. As a network we are being ever more fluid in the way we operate. Creating bespoke teams from our global talent pool was something we were already doing but has been massively accelerated by COVID. A successful agency office is really a hub of thinkers and creators surrounded by brilliant operational people. Working out how we interact, fostering an environment that leads to breakthrough thinking, is my overarching project.
