TONY GRANGER
Y&R’s Global Chief Creative Officer, Tony Granger, on George Lucas, musician Jack White and why mobile will be the next big thing in advertising.
Image: Tony Granger, Y&R's Global Chief Creative Officer
At the moment, I am working on...
Well, I tend to focus on pitches. I don’t run an office so I tend to move from pitch to pitch on a global front. There is always something big going on. I’ve created a global creative community, where we all share work and help each other on pitches. More like a global virtual creative department. It seems to be working really well.
The best piece of creative work around at the moment is...
One of the most difficult and unglamorous mediums to work in is radio. So I’m going to choose a campaign written for Lycia cameras. This work has just won two D&AD Pencils, one for an individual spot and one for the campaign. It takes theatre of the mind and focuses it on a product demo. Beautifully written!
My work is inspired by...
I love movies. I’m a very visual person (I started in advertising as an Art Director). My favourite director is Tim Burton. I love the worlds he creates and his dark, strange humour. He’s crazy. I love that. My favourite films of all time are the original Star Wars films. It’s incredible what Lucas was able to achieve with the technology at his disposal in the late 70s and 80s. They are also a favourite of my 17-year-old son so we watch them often.
I was also very involved in the music business before I joined advertising. Music tells you what to feel in a film. My favourite musician (apart from the obvious greats like Clapton, Hendrix etc.) is Jack White. I love the fact that he has gone against music that is digitally/computer created and enhanced. He’s actually learned to play an instrument, spent the time learning his craft and records on tape with real instruments: a real novelty in our over produced world of music. The sound he creates is authentic and rough. Brilliant (mistakes and all).
The festival I will be attending is...
Cannes. I never miss it. I think it’s the most important show to go to now. Apart form being able to see all the work and connect with people in our industry, lots of clients go, so it’s great for new business.
What got my attention at the last festival I attended was...
I’ve just finished chairing the Clios Film Jury. We had such fun. The Jury was truly international and such nice people. No politics, no backstabbing - just focused on finding the best work. What was a little disappointing was the quality of the student entries. None of the work made it through to the shortlist initially. We relooked the work and managed to find some solid work.
The art of storytelling through film is so important of our industry. I hope that guys coming into advertising don’t get lost in “hey, look at my Facebook/Twitter connected gismo” type ideas. Film is even more important now as it’s become unshackled from the network-dictated 30 second slot. Film is here to stay. Best you learn about how it works
What was the best era to be a Creative is...
Right this minute. This is the most exciting time in our business since the TV was invented. Our industry is evolving every day. There are more ways to connect with consumers than ever before. The days of a TV commercial interrupting you in your bedroom is over.
The rise of mobile and the endless ways to engage consumers means that the creative needs to be brilliant to break through. It is no longer about solving something in 30 seconds. We need to be storytellers and continue to innovate for our clients. Creative has never been so important to a client as it is right now. It’s a great time to be in our industry.
The next big thing in the world of advertising will be...
Mobile, mobile, mobile. Sales are growing every year. There were 1,550 million mobile phones sold across the planet in 2011, valued at $1.85 billion in sales. Mobile is the one thing that people don’t leave home without, so it’s important that brands and marketers think about how that device is really transforming engagement.
The rise of social media and the digitally empowered consumer gives them a powerful voice, so we're no longer fully in control of our brands. It’s a time to work with consumers to collaboratively shape brands. The days of throwing messages to an audience (and not expecting feedback) are long dead. Good time to be in Apple stock I think!
The piece of digital work I wish I thought of is...
Well, that’s a difficult one. There is so much cool stuff around right now, but one of the cheekiest things I have seen came out of iconmobile, called “Mobile Demo Takeover for Microsoft’s Windows Phone”. It delivers a touch-enabled Windows Phone demo directly on iPhone and Android devices, ‘taking over’ these phones with Microsoft’s. There were 5 million demos and a 73% purchase intent for iPhone and Android visitors. Leveraging the competition’s customer base to deliver Microsoft’s message… brilliant.
In a film, I would want to be played by...
Hmmmm… Johnny Depp? Oh I don’t know.
In my industry, I admire...
All the guys who have been in our industry and have thrived for 30 plus years: Lee Clow, Bob Isherwood, John Hegarty, Bob Greenberg and John Hunt. All these guys are champions of the work, defenders of creative. They have a common wide-eyed enthusiasm for our industry. They are still excited about ideas and the feeling you get when you crack something great. It’s inspirational stuff indeed.
My dream collaboration is...
Imagine Andy Warhol and John Lennon together. How amazing would that be?!
In up and coming talent, I look for...
I’ve had the pleasure of working with some of the finest talent in our industry. They tend to have a common character thread that weaves them together. Firstly, they are students of our industry - they know what work was done by what agency, by who and when. They are walking encyclopaedias of advertising.
Secondly, they work longer and harder than anyone else. They are prolific; they tend not to rely on one idea but rather on 100. They love advertising. And last but not least, they are focused and determined to be the best.
A piece of criticism I’ve received is...
I’ve heard I’m tough. But I try to be tough on the work and gentle on people
The last album I listened to is...
Attack and Release by the Black Keys. Raw sound of a three piece… haaaaa.
See Tony Granger's work featured in Lurzer's Archive over the years.
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