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4As Beyond the Brief Advertising

'Finish each day the best way you can': Beyond the Brief with Xavier Green, TracyLocke

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By Haley Velasco, Freelance journalist

December 31, 2017 | 5 min read

To celebrate its 100th anniversary, the 4A’s has partnered with 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)?

Xavier Green, TracyLocke

Xavier Green, TracyLocke

Xavier Green is a copywriter at TracyLocke, an agency which has worked with brands including Captain Morgan, Ziploc, Pizza Hut and Pepsi. Recently, the agency worked with Ferrero Rocher to reopen its pop up store where shoppers can enjoy a multi-sensory experience in London while getting "behind the layers" of the sweet treat.

Green graduated from Temple University in 2014 with a Bachelor of Arts in advertising. He started at TracyLocke in 2015.

Green's passion for his work and propelling creativity further shows he is living beyond the brief.

If you had to do it all over again, what would you do differently?

[That's] kind of a loaded question. I remember being on the graduation floor filled with regrets because I didn’t get the most out of my program.

If I had to do it again, I’d probably take a couple of journalism classes in college just so I would be exposed to that side of writing.

If I had to do it again, I would’ve been more open with my writing when I was younger. My shyness crippled me — I wasn’t bold enough to show my work to anyone

If I had to do it again, I would’ve followed my heart from the jump and went a creative route instead of medical. I was a kinesiology major, Google it.

It’s hard to list all the things I would change about the path I took to get to where I am. I’ve thought about it a lot, and I’ve tried to not harbor on it. As a creative, I’ve had a lot of self-doubts that I’m sure a lot of people experience. Ideas killed by the slightest lack of confidence. I guess the biggest thing I’d change would be my confidence.

If you weren’t in advertising, what would you be doing?

I’d probably be a chef. It’s been my dream since I was younger. But when you’re growing up with Caribbean parents, being a chef isn’t really an option. It's either teaching or medical … mainly medical. The type of jobs that are always in need of people.

I cook now, its therapy to pick all your ingredients, prep them, and escape in your senses. Who knows, maybe I’ll gain the confidence to go to culinary school after my path steers me away from advertising.

What life advice do you give others?

Finish each day the best way you can. Don’t stress too much about the far-off future.

What’s a hobby that you love or would like to start?

I’m really into clay throwing videos (check out this guy named tortus on Instagram). I took a class in college and after you get the hang of it, it’s really therapeutic. You can just play some music and zone out while creating a dope pot or whatever it is you choose to make that day. One of these days, I’m just going to bite the bullet and sign up for a class, but until then, I’ll keep watching my Instagram videos.

What non-advertising things do you draw inspiration from?

I draw a lot of inspiration from where and how I grew up. I’m a first-generation Jamaican born in one of the most diverse cities in the world. The music, art, people, food, and everything else that’s been around me since day one really influences who I am as a creator. From sneaking lyrics into write-ups to the way I dress, everything I do comes back to Queens, New York.

4As Beyond the Brief Advertising

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