Reinvent the ‘Young Creative’

“What was the last thing you invented?”

It was a question I heard on a recent interview. What? Invented? Was I supposed to be an inventor or an advertising creative? I thought it was enough to just make really cool print ads and have a book full of great work? Sure it can be enough, but do you really want to be just ‘good enough’?

Working as ad creatives in this business we all rely on our portfolios to show creative directors and recruiters what we’re capable of when we’re not sitting around drinking tall boys and playing Rock Band in our underwear. Let’s face it, the portfolio has been the ticket of admission for years and that’s not going to change anytime soon. What has changed though is that with emerging forms of media and a growing halo over things like the Titanium Lion at Cannes, the power of invention is a new form of brand communication. For many young creatives this simply means add more ‘ambient ideas’ to your book. Ooooo ambient. Here’s an idea - why not try reinventing what defines a good young creative?   

Now many of you are saying, “Hey I think outside the box, I know how to get attention. I once set up a desk outside an agency and sat there in the rain with a sign saying ADVERTISING MAKES ME WET”. Yes, stunts can work but they’ve also become so expected that they’re now part of some ad schools’ curriculum. There are no rules to getting a job in advertising - even with the best book in your school the planets need to align to get your dream gig. The only certainty is that young creatives are getting smarter and more interesting by the day and if you’re not inventing then you’re only keeping up.

While Zac Canfield was Creative Recruiter at Goodby, Silverstein & Partners (he’s now head recruiter at Wieden+Kennedy), he said he used comedy clubs, concerts, and galleries as much as ad schools for his talent pool. Meanwhile rumour has it in New York, Droga5 was poaching writers from NBC’s sitcom division. Imagine that? People working in ad creative roles that didn’t go to ad school – and you thought you were so special. Well, you are special because ad school will likely help you create the best spec portfolio possible for an aspiring junior, where you go beyond that is up to you. What these talent sources show is that there’s many ways to prove your worth beyond ‘The Book’. When you get creative for the sake of invention it shows that creativity is part of your DNA and that you’re a creative entrepreneur of sorts – two things that can only help in scoring that dream job.

Another great thing that can come from being creative outside advertising is that you might find out advertising is not the be-all end-all of creative fulfillment. Think of how many copywriters go on to be successful novelists or screenwriters or how often you see some great meme jumping around the internet only to find out later that it was done by someone in the business. Learn to be creative because it makes you happy, not just as a tool to get work. Focus on your book, it’s first and foremost, but don’t be afraid to reinvent yourself beyond what’s expected. Go out and write a zine, make portraits of world leaders out of dog food, be weird, be relevant, just make something. Being creative for creativity’s sake can only make you and your work more interesting.


Chris Kahle is a freelance copywriter from Vancouver, B.C.
www.thisischriskahle.com


Zach Canfield Interview:
http://www.portfoliocenter.com/events/interviews/2008/8/Zach-Canfield

Creative Creatives:
Todd Lamb   http://www.toddlamb.net
Ji Lee  http://pleaseenjoy.com