I took up my time on train journeys to my agency to produce a book, by simply writing strategies on my phone.
The brands I picked at random, from my own archive, or simply spotting brands, whether it be an advert on the tube, or something a commuter was carrying or wearing.
Not all the books were perfect, there were some very bad books, and some very good books, but the point of this project wasn't about consistency but to demonstrate passion and energy, to warm me up for the work ahead at AMV BBDO, and to remind me of what I learnt at Watford.
In the end I got some gems that could fit in the book, if I can get them past my creative partner's solid judgement, and also an engine still up to working order, so I intend to carry on this project after securing my dream job.
I would encourage students to do a book daily, I would think it would give you a mental advantage over your classmates if you come in pumped up in the head.
This industry is full of people that see creativity as just a 9-5 Job, and don't go beyond the boundaries of their working environment, as Tony highlighted in a interview post...
"Good creative people are constantly creating. Again, it’s all about energy. Top students like Oli Beale and Paddy Fraser, who both work at Mother, never stopped thinking about ideas. If they were to write a letter to a milkman they would turn it into a creative idea. If they were to write Christmas cards they would create a brand of Christmas cards. They see everything as an opportunity, everything is a chance to create an idea. They will always be writing, they will always be thinking and jotting things down. That’s what makes them good creatives. This quality is very rare. A lot of people only switch on when they walk through the doors of an ad agency and switch off when they go home. Creativity is about the way you live your life."
"Good creative people are constantly creating. Again, it’s all about energy. Top students like Oli Beale and Paddy Fraser, who both work at Mother, never stopped thinking about ideas. If they were to write a letter to a milkman they would turn it into a creative idea. If they were to write Christmas cards they would create a brand of Christmas cards. They see everything as an opportunity, everything is a chance to create an idea. They will always be writing, they will always be thinking and jotting things down. That’s what makes them good creatives. This quality is very rare. A lot of people only switch on when they walk through the doors of an ad agency and switch off when they go home. Creativity is about the way you live your life."
It's an old post, but I hold this sediment to heart, and it stands true whatever decade we are in, everything if you look at it in a creative lens is an opportunity to make something, even the dullest darkest stuff, however boring it may be, we as creatives can make something of it.
Paddy Fraser was a bit of an idol of mine, I wanted to be him, when I left Watford, and got into Mother London on my first placement as a single, similar to him. However it was never meant to be, 1. I couldn't be a single creative like Fraser, and 2. I was my own creative, my own person, I should of been myself, followed my instinct on how I would get success.
However I can take something from Paddy I do have, I never switch off, there is no turn off button on me, and I hope one day to illuminate Paddy and Oli, and either be a creative director in LA or the ECD of one of the most creative agencies in London. The point is these people got here form never switching off, and if you keep pushing, keep creating, keep practicing, you will get where you want to be in this industry, like Jamie Vardy in football, he started at the bottom and got to the top because he never settled, never stopped, never switched off.
Paddy Fraser was a bit of an idol of mine, I wanted to be him, when I left Watford, and got into Mother London on my first placement as a single, similar to him. However it was never meant to be, 1. I couldn't be a single creative like Fraser, and 2. I was my own creative, my own person, I should of been myself, followed my instinct on how I would get success.
However I can take something from Paddy I do have, I never switch off, there is no turn off button on me, and I hope one day to illuminate Paddy and Oli, and either be a creative director in LA or the ECD of one of the most creative agencies in London. The point is these people got here form never switching off, and if you keep pushing, keep creating, keep practicing, you will get where you want to be in this industry, like Jamie Vardy in football, he started at the bottom and got to the top because he never settled, never stopped, never switched off.
The 50 books listed on a Photoshop document.
