Creative Director’s Choice: Keith Cartwright, BSSP on KFC
The Drum celebrates the diversity and bounty of creativity in all marketing, advertising and entertainment forms. Through our Creative Works section, we feature an array of campaigns from around the globe by talented agencies, producers and creatives.
Keith Cartwright of BSSP on his favorite creative work for KFC
We wanted to let some of those creatives have a say in what they think are some of the best campaigns out there – who’s doing it right and what it takes to stay on top of the ad game. So each week we’re featuring the words of a creative director or other top creative and the work they find funny, powerful or otherwise engaging. We’re calling it Creative Director’s Choice, and the first up is Keith Cartwright from Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners.
“We do these things not because they are easy but because they are hard.”
Okay, I’m already overstating. That quote from president John F. Kennedy was about going to the moon, and I in no way think that what we do in this business is rocket science, but I have to call out a campaign by Wieden+Kenndey, Portland for KFC.
I think everyone knows in this business how difficult it is to reshape a brand, let alone a fast food company, let alone a brand that’s half a century old, let alone for KFC. I’ve been watching the progression of this campaign for a while wondering how long and how far can they possibly push it. The rotation of characters playing Colonel Sanders never gets old, they started a fashion line that actually put out some nice apparel, and recently they sold a meteorite in the shape of a chicken sandwich for $20,000.
I’ll say nine out of 10 creatives in this business presented with a brief for KFC would snub their noses at it. That’s why I have to give a shout out to KFC and the teams that work on it. It’s inspiring to see great work for difficult business problems. We have to keep celebrating those who see those tough business problems as an opportunity, not because they are easy but because they are hard.
Keith Cartwright is executive creative director, Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners and co-founder Saturday Morning.
To see the latest creative ads and campaigns, please visit The Drum’s Creative Works section. If you or your creative director would like to be featured in our Creative Director’s Choice, please contact Kyle O’Brien at kyle.obrien@thedrum.com.
