Chip Shop Awards: what do you do to stay creative?
In this video series, The Drum chats to Dipesh Mistry, associate creative director at Brave and chair of the jury for The Chip Shop Awards 2021, about the impact the past year has had on creativity.
The pandemic has of course resulted in huge changes to the way agencies work. With remote working now the default, Dipesh Mistry, associate creative director at Brave, says it’s important to protect life outside working hours. “Working from home, some people forgot boundaries.”
That’s why his agency has simple rules in place, like not sending work emails after hours, no calls before 9am, that help staff avoid overworking and stick to set working hours.
The results have been positive. “It just means you have happier people. We’ve kept an eye on the mental health of our staff – not only the creatives, but the account managers, resource, production. Of course you still feel stressed – you have deadlines. But Brave has really thought about the people, making sure we finish on time and get a good rest. And ultimately, rested, happy people can let their creativity flow.”
What does he do personally to keep the inspiration alive? “I keep myself busy with projects. I did try to make banana bread when that was a trend – and burned it many times,” he laughs. “I've always wanted to get into the world of art, so I've finally been able to create my own, and I'd like to do an exhibition when lockdown allows.“
Keeping these other projects on the go is what helps him stay sharp for work. “I can be my own worst enemy, with too many things on the go: I’m always working on my next documentary, thinking about my next artwork, or a disruptive tweet I can send. But it’s all these little things that keep you on your toes, and that shows in the work you create.”
Watch the full interview over on our YouTube channel. You can also enter The Chip Shop Awards now.