WHAT INSPIRES CREATIVES?
We’ve been speaking to the cream of the advertising crop during 2012. From the Danish TV thriller ‘The Killing’ to Star Wars to FC Barcelona striker Lionel Messi - creatives from around the world told us who and what inspires them.
Renato Fernandez was senior art director at AlmapBBDO, Sao Paulo before becoming creative director at TBWA\Chiat\Day, Los Angeles:
“I’m inspired by the fact that advertising is like a sponge. The good ones absorb from life and turn this into advertising. The bad ones absorb from other pieces of advertising. I would rather be in the first group.”
Dave Dye, commissioning editor of DHM, London:
“Wow! It could take me weeks to answer that, so I'll just have to say a few things I've seen recently: the David Byrne bike racks in New York, the Danish TV series 'The Killing', a book of Charley Harper's animal drawings and a blog called 'How To Be A Retronaut'.”
TBWA\Chiat\Day art director, Kristina Krkljus, already has two Super Bowl spots under her belt earlier this year as well as landing on the Forbes 30 under 30 list:
“I am inspired by Malcolm Gladwell and his view of the world. I know that he is only the tip of the iceberg in terms of what he studies and writes about, but his way of dissecting his world and making people understand details that are hard to see is something that I admire and want to do more of myself. Breaking something down for the sake of rebuilding with a better understanding is a good thing to know how to do.
“Without sounding like a total hippie (though I guess I kind of am), nature really inspires me as well. Flow is everything to me. It all needs to feel balanced or I go nuts. Also Nicolas Cage. I just love him/want to marry him.”
Image: Kristina [left] on set for Pepsi's "Kings Court"
DDB Mudra creative director, Deepak Singh featured in the first 2012 issue Archive for his clever Indian campaign for Base batteries:
“I take inspiration from new art styles and innovations around me. I observe the things that happen in daily life and try to use them in my campaigns. Most of the international awards that I have won are inspired from what I see around me. I like to experience it and use it in advertising. Advertising is easy, we make it look difficult.”
Surachai Puthikulangkura, one of our highest ranking illustrators and also part of the collective creative genius that was Samsonite’s “Heaven and Hell”:
“Dutch paintings from the seventeenth century and the American Photorealism of the 1970s have influenced my work a lot. In addition to this architects Frank Ghery and Tadao Ando, who have such unique styles, have inspired my work. And the best, the number one of football - Lionel Messi. He has inspired me to try and make the impossible happen.
Y&R’s global chief creative officer, Tony Granger:
“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).”
Integrated media photographer Claudia Goetzelmann aims to tell visual stories from locations like Brazil, Moscow and Singapore. She let us step into the life of a globe-trotting creative:
“Inspiration comes from the many activities I do, i.e. my travels and meeting and interacting with the people and cultures I encounter around the globe. I like to get off the beaten track and experience the beauty of nature and things that are out of the mainstream. I try to surround myself with people who think outside the box and dare to be different.
“My logo is an old Tao sign that says: 'without observation seeing is impossible’. It’s literally an eye on legs and it also resembles a camera on a tripod. In this era of 20 sec sound bites and instant news cycles it is a very important reminder that we have to look in order to really see.
"Inspiration is all around if you look, instead of just rushing to the next thing. I recently watched a very inspirational Japanese film: 'Bread of Happiness'. The camera and styling is so aligned with me and I also really like the underlying message of the movie. It really got my mind going.”
Image: Claudia Goetzelmann
