'Timid, dull steps will not work,' The Drum Creative Awards fights back against the digital revolution
There’s no doubting there’s a digital revolution happening all around us, from programmatic ads to AI creative directors, but The Drum Creative Awards (previously The Drum Dream Awards) is proud to throw its weight firmly behind creativity.
Though it may seem like swimming against the tide of popular opinion – everyone wants to talk tech – it’s only when you infuse tech with creativity that truly amazing things happen.
“We will never abandon our core belief that creativity is core to this business,” explained The Drum’s editor-in-chief, Gordon Young, despite being a self-professed “card-carrying advocate of the digital revolution.”
“As Europe’s largest marketing website, and the fastest growing in the US and Asia, we have a responsibility to fly the flag for creativity, to explain to our expanding readership why it makes a difference.”
As The Drum Creative Awards enters its third year we take a look back at why our former judges back Young’s belief that creativity is everywhere and is, in fact, the real driving force behind this industry.
Peter Souter, chairman, TBWA\London
A judge at the first The Drum Creative Awards, Peter Souter lives by bestselling novelist, director and journalist Nora Ephron’s words of wisdom – “everything is copy”.
After 17 years in adland Souter took a four-year break to pursue his passion for screenwriting. “That’s the great thing about being creative – everything you see or do or breathe in has the capacity to be helpful to your creative output,” he explained.
“People in advertising are incredibly productive, inventive, genuinely creative, odd and funny.”
Rosie Arnold, head of art, AMV BBDO
Then deputy executive creative director of BBH London, Rosie Arnold judged the inaugural The Drum Creative Awards back in 2015 bringing the wisdom and experience of 30+ years in advertising to the role.
“Great work talks to humans on a level they love and understand. A good creative needs to immerse themselves in the world because that’s who you’re talking to,” commented Arnold, in a chat with The Drum prior to judging.
“If you see something that you love, you immediately want to rush home and paint or do whatever it is that you do, but at the same time when you see something that’s rubbish, a little voice says ‘I could do better than that’ so you leave just as inspired. Even when something’s bad, it gives you another perspective on things.”
Simon Manchipp, executive strategic creative director and founder, SomeOne
Simon Manchipp brought his 20+ years of experience in branding, design and advertising to The Drum Creative Awards judging panel in 2015.
Bored of the inspiration is everywhere mantra, Manchipp said he looks to the “weird” to inform his approach to design.
“Vanilla might be the nation’s most popular flavour but to create something to challenge it, timid, dull steps will not work,” he commented. “Weird works when it comes to inspiring not only your own creativity but to develop creative work that will disrupt and stand out from the crowd.”
Flo Heiss, creation, Studio of Art & Commerce
Flo Heiss helped judge the first The Drum Creative Awards and is returning to the panel for 2017. Speaking to The Drum in 2015, Heiss said to ask, ‘where does inspiration come from?’ was a “million-dollar question”.
Despite the weight of the question Heiss admitted there is a pretty “boring, yet truthful” answer and that comes from being open to the world around you. “It’s all about experience,” he said, “not being too precious about where you expect to find creativity: it could be an art gallery, but equally, it could strike in the supermarket or whilst staring at the side of the road.”
Joining Heiss on the judging panel at this year’s The Drum Creative Awards are Facebook EMEA’s regional head of Creative Shop, Kat Hahn and Cheil Worldwide group executive creative director, Caitlin Ryan, among others. Think you’ve got what it takes to impress the judges? Visit The Drum Creative Awards website to enter.