Welcome to the latest edition. (#90)

To celebrate the 90th edition, I am offering a special coaching offer. You can see the details below.

90 is a number that was part of my life; the home I grew up in was number 90 on the street. So the number jumped out at me when putting this newsletter together.

Aside from that offer, in this edition, you'll find prawns on a barbie, some beautiful Hong Kong photography, a new identity design, how big agencies are struggling for relevance (no surprises there), a letter from Bill Bernbach, and more.

I hope you find something interesting here. Happy scrolling.

Rodd ®️©️ 🤘 ⚡

ADVERTISING - TOURISM AUSTRALIA

Australia has a new pitch to attract tourists. In the latest commercial soon to hit global screens, one thing is finally cleared up - we don't throw shrimp on the barbie...we call them prawns.

The spot stars Robert Irwin (Steve Irwin's son), Nigella Lawson, and others.

You can watch it in the links below.

PHOTOGRAPHY

I love visiting Hong Kong, it's such a vibrant city. I'm forever regretting passing on a job offer there years ago. My Dad went there in 1974 and came back with stories, photos, paintings, and gifts for the family. It stirred my interest. And then, in 1996, while working on the Cathay Pacific account at McCann Sydney, I had to go to Hong Kong to do a shoot. I was hooked on the city.

Canadian photographer Greg Girard has spent a large chunk of his life documenting Hong Kong through his lens.

He now has some new commissioned work, titled HK:PM, which is being showcased on the facade of the M+ Museum.

There's an interview with Girard, about this project and his photographic love affair with Hong Kong, over on Hypebeast. Here's a snippet.

The Canadian photographer, renowned for documenting Asia’s changing urban landscapes since the 1970s, has transformed his film photographs of Hong Kong from that era into a cinematic visual epic. The installation, which features images of bustling streets and the now-demolished Kowloon Walled City, represents a journey of rediscovery for Girard, bringing his decades-old work back to the city that inspired it.

In a full-circle moment, Girard describes creating HK:PM as a “journey of rediscovery,” with his decades-old work returning to the city’s landscape. His most famous work, the “City of Darkness” series, provides an intimate look into the daily life of the Kowloon Walled City, which was widely seen as a “lawless zone.” Girard, however, aimed to challenge this myth by capturing the architectural chaos alongside the village-like social order within its walls. He notes that the spirit of the Walled City endures today in the resilience and ingenuity of people who find surprising ways to overcome adversity. When asked about Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In – an award-winning 2024 fiction film set within the Walled City – Girard acknowledges its success as entertainment but states that its romanticized world is completely different from the real Walled City he documented.

You can read the full piece in the links below.

'90' SPECIAL COACHING OFFER

I'm offering up ten 90-minute creative coaching sessions for a discounted price.

You could be a Creative Director who feels like you've stalled in your career or is exploring what's next.

Or maybe you're aspiring to be a CD and wondering what's ahead.

Maybe you're a Copywriter, Art Director, or Designer looking for more career growth guidance.

Or maybe you're thinking of starting up your own little agency, studio consultancy.

Whatever it is, I'm pretty sure I can help.

Plus, if you take up one of these spots, you'll get a discount on any of my coaching packages.

Get in touch for details chantcreative@gmail.com

QUOTE

“They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.”― Andy Warhol

DESIGN

French design studio, Walk a Thought, has created an identity for the new brand Bouquet. Here's a sneak peek at an article about it.

Bouquet, a collection of infused flavoured syrups for cocktails, coffees and more, is the brainchild of food scientist and innovator Caroline Lafleur. Recently launching the brand, Caroline needed an identity that matched the whimsical nature of the flavours and artificial-free ethos of the recipes, so she turned to the French studio Walk a Thought. As fleeting as flavour can be, gone in a bite, co-founders Rasmus Nilsson and Erik Berger Vaage have managed to make Bouquet’s tastes (orange marmalade, vanilla fleur de sal, green cardamon and brown butter caramel) tangible.

Caroline’s Bouquet puts forward the idea that “things are better when paired together – taking a bouquet over a lonely flower any day”, Rasmus says. Alongside Caroline partner, fellow designer Ben Crick, the pair envisioned the visual core of Bouquet to be equally as whimsical: “a vision of a coffee bar, somewhere in southern Europe, with hand-painted signage, sleepy cats enjoying the sun, peculiar regulars, all steeped in warm sunlight,” Erik details.

Nostalgia permeates the identity. A standout is the incorporation of the words ‘Not so simple syrup’ nestled amongst a flower arrangement, a nod to the name. Walk A Thought does well in simultaneous distinction and incorporation – letters aren’t lost in illustration. “The embossed logo, distinct colour coding, and unique artwork help each bottle stand out on the shelf – while also making it easy to identify for baristas and mixologists in high paced environments like cafes and bars,” explains Erik. The studio balances both function and flair, with an “imperfect quality and enough character to hold its own on the page”, Rasmus continues.

You can read the full piece in the links below.

AGENCIES - BIGGER IS NOT BETTER - Part 1

The news this week about WPP is a shot across the bow.

Their profits are down 71%.

Soon-to-depart WPP CEO, Mark Read, is standing on the deck with water around his ankles, about to hand control of the steering wheel over to incoming CEO, Cindy Rose.

I hope she’s bringing a life jacket.

My gut tells me there will be more news like this, beyond WPP.

This is no longer an industry for big and lumbering.

Small is the new big.

Fast and nimble are needed today, and those two words have never described the holding company agency model.

Having worked for almost all the holding companies - IPG, Publicis, Omnicom, and WPP, and having been in upper management in two of them, I know all too well how they operate.

Many have already shown a lot of seasoned talent the exit door. Others took it upon themselves to abandon ship.

Some of them have opted to open their own doors. Micro-agencies, where they are back at the creative helm, making their own decisions based on their creative business vision and not having to appease shareholders.

More people need to consider this.

No longer do you need fancy offices and a budget for Cannes. Your experience and a little black book of talent you can call upon to collaborate with will get you started.

You can opt to start a micro-agency model or become a fractional creative leader and work directly with smaller agencies who can’t yet afford full-time senior creative leadership, or work directly with brands and in-house agencies.

There are options. It’s good to have options.

Now’s not the time to book a ticket on the Titanic.

The speedboat is a much better option.

Think small.

BOOK

When I jumped into advertising, straight from the music business, I was riddled with doubt.

I already had stage fright issues, and now I was dealing with an industry I had no idea about.

One of my first mentors suggested I read this book.

Self-doubt and impostor syndrome can easily creep into every creative mind.

The book’s central idea is that most fears boil down to one core fear: “I can’t handle it.” By building confidence in our ability to handle whatever comes, we reduce fear’s control over us. Jeffers outlines practical tools like reframing negative thoughts into empowering ones and replacing helplessness with a mindset of choice and responsibility.

If these issues have ever crept into your world, maybe pick up a copy.

CREATIVE DIRECTOR COACHING & PAYING IT FORWARD

I have spots open for my one-to-one CD Coaching, and I want to add something extra to it.

When you sign up for one of my packages to help grow and solidify your career, you'll be helping someone start theirs. For every coaching package booked, I will be donating two mentoring calls to a newcomer in the industry — because the next generation needs direction too.

This is all part of my mission to help 1,000 people with their creative careers.

To date, I have coached current and aspiring Creative Directors from the USA, UK, Australia, Singapore, Peru, South Africa, the DRC, China, Brazil, Argentina, Lebanon, Germany, Portugal, and Denmark.

If you want to secure a spot and help pay it forward in the industry, simply DM me or email me at chantcreative@gmail.com

AGENCIES - BIGGER IS NOT BETTER - Part 2

When he was still at Grey, Bill Berbach sent a letter to management warning about growing too big.

It's a good reminder for today.

SOME GOOD ADVICE I WAS GIVEN

When I started in advertising, one of my mentors said this to me.

"Look for doors that have already been opened by others; there's your proof of concept, then go through that door your way."

He was talking about work that had broken rules and didn't follow the normal paths; if others have done it, then you can do it.

This can also apply to starting a micro-agency, studio, or consultancy. Others have done it and succeeded, so that means you can too, as long as you apply your voice and thinking to it.

That's it for this edition.

I'll be seeing you in the next one.

Rodd ®️©️ 🤘 ⚡

• Watch the new Tourism Australia TV commercial here.
• Read more about Greg Girard's Hong photography here.
• Discover more about the Bouquet identity design here.

#inspiration #creativity