DDB Creativity

David Plouffe speaks on the Art of the Possible

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:14:38 +0000

Thursday at Cannes, DDB had the honor to present David Plouffe, campaign manager for Barack Obama who joined us to speak about "The Art of the Possible. The Audacity of Successful Brands." David Plouffe explained how the campaign happened and why it worked and shared his insights on how to harness the power of social networking to build brand loyalty. Watch the excerpt of the talk: David Plouffe Cannes Seminar

Cannes Tweet Cannes

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 22:03:58 +0000

Bonjour. I just landed in Cannes today via Brussels. I’m tired but excited about my 11th Cannes experience. First thing is to register, check in and get ready for a kick-off dinner with Bob Scarpelli and a few DDB friends.

While everyone seems to be debating the pulse of Cannes – or if you’re Ad Age’s Bob Garfield, whether or not there should even be one – I am still looking forward to this year’s Festival, our prospects for winning, the clients and press that are attending, our many jurors and of course the seminars featuring some faces you know.

Follow me for all things DDB or if you just need to know where a vegetarian can find a decent meal in Cannes: http://twitter.com/cheronis

If you’re not yet in the world of Twitter, you can always keep coming back to this post to see my latest tweets.

Wish us luck! Au revoir.

Amy Cheronis, SVP/U.S. Communications Director, DDB & Tribal DDB

A Little Glue Goes A Long Way

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 21:56:40 +0000

DDB Italy lets sentimentality, connection and joy speak volumes in these ads for Henkel’s Loctite glue. Whether it be your perfect porcelain dance partner, or always reliable robot, or loyal infantryman, Loctite keeps your possessions and treasures intact.

Jeff Swystun, Chief Communications Officer, DDB Worldwide

Signs of the Times

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 15:33:36 +0000

Check out DDB work for various clients including that address the recession. Please send us any other interesting recession-specific communications you have seen and believe to be effective. And share what you think should be the major selling features given our challenging times.

Global downturn. What's the first mistake business make? We live in FINANCIAL TIMES

Jeff Swystun, Chief Communications Officer, DDB Worldwide

A truly cinematic experience for Philips

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 15:45:29 +0000

Just in case you don't follow Ashton, or Kanye West, or any of the thousands of other people who've been raving on Twitter about the new Philips microsite – check it out. The cinematic experience was created by Tribal DDB Amsterdam and Stink Digital to launch Philips' Cinema 21:9 TV – the world's first, cinematic proportion television. If Ashton says it's cool, it must be true.

Andys kick off Award Season

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 17:30:31 +0000

Believe it or not, you can spend a week in Mayakoba without ever wanting to go to the beach. Please don’t take me wrong. The Riviera Maya is a beautiful place that offers its visitors probably the best beaches in the world. The weather is spectacular, the food is great and the resorts are just amazing. But when you have the chance to spend five days discussing incredibly inspiring ideas, together with a group of some of the most talented creative people in the world, the beach becomes the least important of the reasons to be there. I knew the Andys was an important festival, but to be honest, I didn't know much about it before judging this year. Compared to other festivals, I’d say the Andys are the toughest, purest, creatively driven I’ve seen, and also one of the best to enter when you really want to measure the quality of your work compared to others. It is “the first of the season”, so that in itself is a good reason to enter because I believe it can be a good thermometer as of how your work will do in other upcoming shows. At the Andys, it is the president of the jury who has the right to decide who takes part of the jury, and it is “by invitation only”. It’s not about networks, countries or number of submissions. It is about people and about talent, and I think that is reflected in the results. I was amazed by some of the cases presented. From integrated ideas to launch a new cd for a band, to generating a movement that can change the course of a presidential election or one that can help educational programs improve, the Andys have proven to me that the 30 second spot, while still necessary in some cases, is also becoming old and has gone from being “the soul of an advertising campaign” to just a small component in a much bigger equation. I came back from the jury motivated and wanting to do better work. Other than the awards, which always end in a shelf somewhere at the office, I believe that is what festivals should do: Motivate people to do better work, to come up with better ideas. When you see the results from this particular festival, what won and why, I’m sure you will be motivated. DDB 2009 Andy Winners Raúl Cardós, DDB México

Creativity to Suffer?

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 17:01:03 +0000

There is an interesting debate going on now. It was crystallized for me while judging a recent awards program. In this time of tighter budgets, will the creative product suffer or flourish? Many professionals will tell you that a tight brief and budget can focus ideas and execution while others like to avoid any constraints. What is your opinion? Jeff Swystun, Chief Communications Officer, DDB Worldwide

Super Bowl Power

Mon, 09 Feb 2009 15:55:51 +0000

I feel like the Super Bowl's prominence grows larger year after year. After all, it's getting to be the last "shared American moment" left. In the older, simpler days, we all watched Walter Cronkite for news every night, we all tuned in to Ed Sullivan every Sunday night, etc. But as the years passed, and the amount of options grew, American eyeballs scattered. Today, the Super Bowl stands as that last great, shared moment. Not even the Oscars, the Grammys or major sports championships of other sports comes close to it. What a bonanza for advertisers. What a great way for an otherwise irrelevant brand to leap into the consideration set so fast. To become an instant "big dog." Think of Dennys' this year. "Time For A Serious Breakfast." The "free breakfast for everyone in America" promotion. It's estimated they paid a total of $5 million to mount that promotion - and that includes the $3 million Super Bowl price tag. The next day, so many people came to Dennys and, as they waited for a table, ordered so many drinks that Dennys believe they may have broken even on the giveaway - and thanks to the Super Bowl reach and buzz - earned over $50 million worth of free media. Wow! What about GoDaddy. Say what you will about their taste level, they were nobody a few years ago. Now they are the #1 domain name register company. And then, what about the big boys. The Pepsicos and Budweisers. We've been putting out Bud ads for years and it never gets old. Ya know what often goes through my mind as a spot of ours is airing? All the famous people who are watching and being entertained by our work. Obama, Jack Nicholson, Michael Jordan, George Clooney...they're all watching, and hopefully they're all digging it. That's the power of Super Bowl advertising. DDB Super Bowl 2009 Creative Barry Burdiak, SVP, Group Creative Director, DDB Chicago

Keith Reinhard: The Last Mad Man

Mon, 12 Jan 2009 15:16:04 +0000

Last week, The Madison Avenue Journal featured a weeklong spotlight on our own of Chairman Emeritus Keith Reinhard called “The Last Mad Man.” Based on a conversation with Keith, it covers everything from his determination to make it into the business and the creation of Omnicom to his current work as President of Business for Diplomatic Action, from the people and the experiences that inspired him along the way to the impact Keith has around the world. For those who know Keith Reinhard, here are the stories everyone asks him to tell again and again. If you’ve never been lucky enough to Keith speak, check it out and see why he continues to inspire us all. Steven Marrs, CEO of Branded Pictures said it eloquently in his comments posted on The Madison Avenue Journal: "If the current industry is built on jargon and handles, Keith is one of the truly extraordinary individuals who not only had a clear vision of what he thought the advertising world should look like, but a determined and disciplined way of inspiring other to join in his cause. He lives what he preaches and leads by example. His constant quest for knowledge and always wanting to understand what's next is a refreshing departure from a business that is more interested in its past than its future. My favorite inspiration for how I conducted business at Tribal, and truthfully apply it in my current capacity, is Keith's Four Freedoms. But in particular, the Freedom to Fail stands out. In a creative business, failure is a given but providing a framework for risk taking is nothing short of genius. It is his unique insights, yearning for knowledge and firm grasp of the creative dynamic that makes Keith special. It is also his compassion and passion that is inspirational. He has had a profound impact on me both personally and professionally and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to apprentice in his shadow for a short period of time."

It's flu season

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 22:00:23 +0000

It’s a shame that few people know how easy it is to protect themselves from the potentially deadly pandemic flu – simply wash your hands. So Mark Monteiro, Rick Bursky and Christianne Brooks at the LA office created a memorable poster for the LA Health Coalition that drives home that point. The fun and dramatic poster will be given to schools and posted in public venues throughout the area. Los Angeles based photographer Tony Garcia did all of the photography pro-bono. We’re thrilled with the poster, but will be even happier if just a handful of people heed its advice.

Ninja Poster PSA.pdf

Rick Bursky, Associate Creative Director, DDB Los Angeles

Maybe He's Right

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:08:15 +0000

I was having breakfast with a friend from another agency recently when he reminded me of a Bill Bernbach story he admired. I had probably told him this story. I really don’t know if it’s true or if it’s one of those “urban legends” that surround great people like Bill Bernbach and grow with time. All I know is that I was told this story by Keith Reinhard and I’m going to believe it’s true! As the story goes, apparently Bill kept a small piece of paper in his jacket pocket. When he was in the middle of a meeting with a client who had an opposite point of view to his, he would pull out this piece of paper and read it to himself. On the piece of paper were three words: “Maybe he’s right.” Those three words always stop me in my tracks. They are certainly worth remembering…..if only to remind ourselves of the importance of the great, and too often lost, art of “listening.” I find that sometimes, in our passion to sell our ideas to clients, we lose sight of the fact that often our clients are our greatest source of inspiration and clarity. So today, as we spend more time co-creating with our clients, partners and even customers, it’s good to keep that phrase tucked in the back of our minds: “Maybe he’s right.” Bob Scarpelli, Chairman & Chief Creative Officer, DDB Worldwide

Reversing Perceptions of Cleaning Products

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 16:13:05 +0000

Earlier this year, we set out to launch a new brand called Green Works -- a line of 99% plant based natural cleaning products. The launch plan consisted of national TV, print and a dedicated website, but in our minds, this new brand deserved more -- something that would generate buzz and create influence. Something that would cause people to sit up, take notice, and look at cleaning products in a whole new light. Our plan was to create something we knew our client would love – a larger than life product demo. We would find a dirty building or wall and clean it with Green Works. But we would clean it in a manner that would garner attention. Since Green Works are plant-based, we would use it to reverse out a mural of plants and trees. Although the client was excited about the idea, there was one big problem – no budget. The National launch plan was in place and the money was already committed. But that didn’t stop the team. Through savings on the mainline television production and a little creative problem solving, we found a way to make it happen. We enticed Paul “Moose” Curtis, the pioneer of an art form called “clean tagging” to help realize our vision. We identified a high-traffic, disgustingly dirty spot in San Francisco - The Broadway Tunnel – to become the canvas for Moose’s art and ultimately, a live 140-foot Green Works billboard. The Reverse Graffiti Project was born. In an effort to allow as many people as possible to witness the event, we enlisted the help of Doug Pray, an award-winning documentarian, to shoot the entire process and create a short film. Local news stations caught wind of the event and sent crews to cover it resulting in free PR. Our Design Group created a website to house stills of “the making of” the project and the documentary. The Reverse Graffiti Project film debuted on YouTube and in just 2 days, became the #1 Featured Video. In only 10 days it had received over 400,000 views. It was also seeded in popular social and environmental blogs. More and more blogs picked up on the project and it was posted in over 13 countries around the world. A few months ago, the film was selected to premier at the LA Shorts Fest and the Center of Contemporary Culture of Barcelona’s NOW event. It was also featured on Discovery Channel’s Planet Green and is scheduled to appear on Al Gore’s Current TV. The Reverse Graffiti Project has truly been a labor of love. It has inspired people around the world to look at cleaning products differently. It has inspired people within our own four walls to think differently about how they approach every project they work on and to believe that with a little persistent, a great idea can be realized. To view the website, documentary and additional content please go to: reversegraffitiproject.com The film can also be viewed at: www.youtube.com Lisa Bennett, Chief Creative Officer & Managing Partner, DDB San Francisco

How to kill a lion

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 16:55:17 +0000

Sergio was a member of the Titanium and Integrated Lions jury at the 2008 Cannes International Advertising Festival. His office, DDB Brazil has won 74 Lions and 2 Grand Prix, has been twice named the Festival’s Agency of the Year and was also awarded the Festival’s first Interactive Agency of the Year. I have the feeling that, every year, we’re invited to go on a safari. And when you go on this safari, you enter a car, and the driver turns toward you and says, “ There’s a bunch of lions over there.” So you ride in the car with your shotgun - some tranquilizing gas not to kill the lion because it’s not politically correct to kill lions. And then you go to the lions, and the lions go running. The younger lions run swiftly forward. They go faster than the car. And the older lions, which are tired and are going to die in 15, 20 days, they plod on tiredly. And you, inside the car, all sure of yourself, pick up your gun and kill those old, tired lions, which would soon be dying soon anyway. And then you take those lions to a taxidermist, who will comb its mane, shine its teeth, add some more color to its eyes, and will make you a fantastically beautiful trophy out of it. And you will be enormously proud of that lion. But the younger lions, folks, are running far ahead. And you are not even looking in which direction they’re going. In short, what I’m trying to tell everybody here is, aim at the young lions. Aim at the young lions. Try to reinvent your profession. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t kill the old lions. But when aiming at the young lions, you won’t need to fire a single shot to kill the old lions. The speed at which your car is going will, by itself, throw the running lion off balance because it is so old. And when you fire a shot to kill the younger lion, the older lion will die of fright. All you have to do then is to pick up the young lion you have just killed and go back and collect the thousands of old lions you have killed along the way.

Sergio Valente, CEO & President, DDB Brazil

The 4th Dimension

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 17:22:17 +0000

For 80 years work in our industry has continued to operate based on the same method: An advertising idea finds its way to the consumer through many different media channels. It’s not just our instinct that tells us it’s not working that way anymore – the facts that define our client’s success and thus our success show us it’s not working anymore. But what happened exactly? The world changed, faster and more radically than anyone suspected. The consumer changed more fundamentally than any market research has indicated. Media, as we understand it, changed completely, more than publishers and media houses could have ever foreseen. And technologies have changed with a speed that challenges even the fastest super computers and insane future scenarios. All this is nothing new. It is common knowledge among every junior accountant executive and product manager. Every informed creative director notices it and every intelligent-minded agency uses it as introduction to their presentations. The novelty is the consequence and it is more basic, fundamental and revolutionary than all other changes in our industry combined. But let’s start at the beginning. An agency, advertising a product or brand always works towards the same objectives, regardless of creative, media, market or discipline – and that is to find a statement, a position or a benefit for the advertised product/service. And in its role, the agency is acting as an extension to the client‘s marketing department, which is itself an extension of the client’s product development department. Furthermore, agencies translate the statement, position or benefit into an advertising idea that – no matter how exceptional the format and execution may be – in the end it always states the same -- and that is: "Look how cool I am and what great things I can do." How many people do you know who talk like this and are regarded as cool or interesting? An advertising message is presented to a target group. Old world. Old thinking. Old format, or as I call it: Creativity of first dimension. But is that really creative?
Amir Kassaei, Chief Creative Officer, DDB Group Germany

Better Books, Please

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 19:16:40 +0000

I sat down with a young guy recently to review his book. He'd gone to a good, graduate level creative school. I liked him. Turns out we had some commonalities in our life and background.

But nothing about his portfolio of work excited me. It looked like so many others I see. There were spec print ads that used quirky visual solutions – but not in a very sophisticated way. There were the out-of-home guerilla-ish ideas. Books these days are often so formulaic, it's unbelievable.

So, as nicely as I could, I asked him if he ever did digital work – anything on the Web. "Oh, yeah, I love that stuff. But I've been told to keep that stuff out of my book because it will just typecast me. I'll get stuck just being a Web guy." Typecast? The fastest way to be typecast is to show work that's not reflective of our current reality and where the world is headed. This guy should get a refund on his tuition because his professors gave him such profoundly bad advice.

A creative book is, after all, simply a means of showing a prospective employer how you think. How you solve problems. What kind of intelligence and insight you bring to a creative challenge. I suppose it does level the playing field to some degree when all books have essentially the same kinds of work. Then it's all about the quality of the ideas – the creative thought – rather than how it's delivered.

Except that's presuming that how and where you tell a story – and in what combinations – isn't nearly as important as what you say. I know there are agencies out there whose go-to media continues to be TV, print and radio. At DDB, our world is very different. And we need to see candidates who reflect a new way of tackling the world. How do they think about sight, sound and motion in a digital age? What about social media? What about surrounding your audience rather than using a single media in hopes of snagging them? Imagination in the delivery of ideas is a lot about what creativity is these days. It's what makes campaigns greater than the sum of the individual executions.

Well, if your book is tradition bound, it's going to be tough to excite us. Some of the people I've been most excited about hiring recently are those people who clearly understand communications in this digital age, but also have the knowledge, desire and skill to ideate in traditional media. They know how to bring it all together. To surround an idea.

Without those skills, a candidate isn't likely to find a job here.

Oh, and don't just assume I'm talking about creatives, either. The same is true if you plan to be a great planner, media strategist, or account person. It's a new day.

John Livengood, EVP/Executive Creative Director, DDB Seattle