Thoughts on creativity, Pharma and whatnot
Before Easter I took a trip to the US and Canada to visit our agencies in my new capacity as Le Grand Fromage Creative de la CDM. My 'talk to the troops', or as our CEO Kyle Barich described it, my 'Stump' speech was a way of introducing myself to those who had no idea... Continue Reading →
Of course most people like their own ideas, sometimes none more so than creative people themselves. I'm sure the person who came up with the term ideation was delighted with it. But what a lot of people, and by that I mean the idea-toting non-creative wing of adland, may struggle with (only because it takes... Continue Reading →
Think about it. They call it the greatest story ever told. Actually it's the greatest healthcare ad campaign that ever ran. It's text book marketing. Firstly, you have a blockbuster product that can solve all ills. Then you have 12 KOLs ready to advocate. You have a wonderfully written idetail, (previously in hard back.) You... Continue Reading →
When I started out, after a period traveling around the USA with a backpack, I decided to give this lark a proper go. I found myself a writer out of Watford Copywriting school to partner with (I was very much an art director then) and Rob and I started to get a book together. We... Continue Reading →
Back in May I received one of those emails you cannot ignore. "Dear Olly, we would like you to be a judge in the inaugural Health and Wellness category at the LIA (London International) awards in Las Vegas in October." Hotels and flights paid for. Hmm, let me think for a moment. To be honest,... Continue Reading →
It's been an interesting year for judging awards shows, from my perspective. Two down, one to go. Last November I joined a small band of creatives and clients in judging the PM Society awards. As you may know, these awards guarantee a winner in all categories. Some people find that against the principle of an... Continue Reading →
There will be many observations made about this election in June 2017, but here's mine. There's a very simple set of principles in advertising. Over the years, if you watch closely, you can see them played out in various campaigns to great effect. You can also see when those principles are ignored and disasters ensue.... Continue Reading →
Everyone has a story they tell when they dine out or meet new people. Mine is about the time I found myself in the lift with all of the members of U2 and was greeted by Elton John. But that's for another time. My brother-in-law Dermot has a story that he used to tell a... Continue Reading →
One of the things that separates creatives from mere mortals, (I jest) is the ability to finally accept that your idea didn't fly with good grace and resilience. Nobody understood it. Nobody liked it. You could never afford to do it. It had been done before. ''Don't worry I'll think of something else." All those... Continue Reading →
In research it's always nice to hear that respondents 'liked' your idea. But so what? The problem is people like a lot of things, pictures of puppies, pretty colours, the way the model looks strong, the happy setting of a family on holiday because it reminds them of that time in Corfu. It doesn't really... Continue Reading →
ollycaporn's blag 