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4As Beyond the Brief Advertising

Ads that 'carry impact through thought and art' are important: Beyond the Brief with Menno Kluin, 360i

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By Haley Velasco, Freelance journalist

October 14, 2017 | 4 min read

To celebrate its 100th Anniversary, the 4A’s has partnered with us at The Drum to pull back the curtain and look at an industry full of problem solvers, creative types and analytical minds. But what keeps them going once the briefs are written, the campaigns executed, and the pitches won (or lost)? The Drum is now interviewing 100 people at 4A’s member agencies — across all disciplines, levels, regions, and agency types — to get a glimpse into what drives them at work and what fuels them in life.

Menno Kluin, 360i

Menno Kluin, 360i

In July, digital marketing agency 360i hired Menno Kluin to serve as chief creative officer to oversee work with brands such as Oreo and Absolut. He previously served as executive creative director at Deutsch, where he led creative for brands such as Sherwin Williams, Green Giant and Shock Top.

Menno said that he joined the agency because “360i is constantly adapting to stay ahead of the curve in an incredibly fast-paced business. I’m excited to be part of such a progressive integrated company and look forward to working with the great talent at 360i to take our creative work to the next level.”

Before joining Deutsch, Kluin held creative roles at agencies including DDB, Y&R and Saatchi & Saatchi.

Kluin’s passion for advertising, as well as his desire to make an impact through creativity and art, shows how he is living beyond the brief.

Your favorite campaign (that isn’t yours) and why?

Some of my favorite work is the older Guinness spots by Walter Campbell and Peter Souter. Especially 'Dreamer' which was directed by Jonathan Glazer. 'Swimmer' is also amazing. All ads that are timeless and carry impact through thought and art. If I can ever make something as amazing as the Stella Artois Le Sacrifice / Reassuringly Elephants ad by George Prest, Johnny Leathers and Frank Budgen, I will be happy.

Who or what influenced you to get into advertising?

Jaap Toorenaar. He was a famous Dutch copywriter that wrote the most famous commercial in the Netherlands. 'Evert van Bethem' for Calve Peanut butter. It’s a commercial that most Dutch people can still remember and reenact word for word 'til this day. I must have said “en schaatser” thousands of times in my life. He is so good at his job; his portfolio could just be the tag lines that he wrote and if you were Dutch you would know exactly what he created. I saw him present once and he was intelligent, thoughtful, weird and himself. It was great.

If you went back to school to pick up a new skill, what would it be?

I would love to do a contemporary art course at the Sotheby’s Institute of Art. Every year I dream a little that this year it’s possible, until I decide that it’s not. There’s just not enough time.

If your life and career were a biopic, who’d narrate it? Who’d be on the soundtrack?

It would probably have to be narrated by myself, because I don’t think anyone would ever fund such a thing. The soundtrack though would definitely have to go to Alexandre Desplat, the French film composer. He’s done the music for movies like the King’s Speech, Moonrise Kingdom, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Tree of Life and some others. And choreography by Christopher Wheeldon. Assuming a biopic of my life and career have some dancing in there. Beautiful bad dancing.

To pitch someone from a 4A's member agency for Beyond the Brief, please complete this linked form.

4As Beyond the Brief Advertising

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