Can Brilliant Work Be Done Anywhere?

I have moved back to Adelaide after 25 years in Melbourne, working at some of the most celebrated agencies with some of world’s sharpest thinkers, doers, and makers. And it has got me thinking: Can brilliant, world–class work come from anywhere?

When I first started in advertising, Adelaide was celebrating the win of its very first Cannes Lion. It was a TVC with a simple premise and a fun twist, The Spritz Water Ad.

It is simple, but brilliant. It exaggerates a product truth in a new and clever way and, if it was made today – 25 (or so) years later – it would still be great. No special effects. No massive budget. It’s not saving the world, it’s just a classic beautifully written and performed ad. All it took was a good director, DoP, a handful of actors and a few extras. Throw in a client who trusts the process, and you can create magic.

Why Do Some Countries Perform Better at Creative Award Shows?

Australia, along with our friends across the ditch in New Zealand, consistently ranks among the top ten countries at the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity. That’s out of 195 countries… or, if you believe Google’s inflated stats, 256.

One theory behind this success is that we’re smaller markets. This means fewer layers of (mis)management and closer access between the creatives coming up with ideas and the client decision-makers who approve them. Incidentally, this was one of the founding principles of KWP 35 years ago. There is something powerful about those tighter relationships between agencies and clients. It allows for more frank conversations about the current business challenges at hand — and the transparency that falls from that often leads to quicker, more proactive solutions that strive to go beyond the usual brief.

This reminds me of something Sean Cummins used to call “Upstreaming.” The concept comes from the fact that salmon, even when exhausted, swim upstream against the current to find food and lay their spawn. It is challenging work, but it is essential. For creatives, this proactivity can be a Godsend. Rather than waiting for the elusive perfect creative brief to drop into our laps, and risk that this never materialises, we can instead adopt “Upstreaming” — reaching out to business managers or clients. This is how you create the “food and spawn” that leads to big ideas. And this is not just relevant for creative – this should apply to  every department. Upstreaming is my focus this year and the philosophy I will be encouraging my team to follow.

I’ll ignore the fact that salmon die after they spawn.

Interestingly, two years ago Cannes introduced a new criterion: Cultural Context. This helps jurors, who each bring their own worldview to the judging room, understand why a piece of work is worthy of recognition. It defines what makes it relevant to a particular brand, in a specific market, at a certain moment in time.

It’s a great idea, because work can be revolutionary in one country, yet feel commonplace in another. What seems groundbreaking in one place could be completely ordinary in another. And so, the cultural context helps jurors see the work through the lens of the market it was created for — essentially, it’s about why it works.

So, what is Adelaide’s Cultural Context?

Adelaide is fiercely proud, but we’re also quick to cut down a tall poppy. (Heeey yah!) We don’t want to hit a Stobie Pole or flip over on the Devil’s Elbow, but we do want to mung on bung fritz. We overuse our local vernacular, like “heaps good”, “killer, maaate” and “Mall’s Balls”. And, because we were not settled by convicts, I might pronounce “dance,” “chance,” and “auction” with an air of superiority that often gets me side-eyed — though I like to think Geoffrey Rush’s character in The King’s Speech would be proud.

As a continent we’re so distant and so disconnected. I believe our isolation can breed a certain kind of bravery. We are so far removed from the creative powerhouses of Europe or the Good Ol’ US of A, it forces us to think differently. We might not have access to the A-list stars, directors, or musicians that other countries can pull in, but that means we have to get creative with what we’ve got.

This nurtures a braver “whatever, let’s do it” mentality. Think Meet Graham for TAC or Dumb Ways to Die for Metro Trains. Both could have easily ended up as completely dull public service announcements, but instead they were pushed into engaging and entertaining bits of communication that were instantly rooted in pop culture and resonated well beyond our Aussie shores.

And then there is the brilliant piece of purpose-led advertising from NZ, Pedigree Adoptable. At their heart, these campaigns lean into art, a song, and a piece of tech respectively. But with a simple insight bravely and creatively executed.

So, why is bravery so important in what we do? It is the driving force behind pushing boundaries, taking risks, and doing something unexpected. Without it, we would settle for safe and easy and miss the chance to create something that resonates — something that lasts, something people want to actively spend their precious time with.

In short, boring never changed anything.

This week, someone internally pitched a wild idea to a client where they physically smashed their work, literally jumping through a presentation on a blackboard. The client loved it, and so did I. It was bold, memorable, and had that “whatever, let’s do it” mentality.

If we are bold, we can challenge the status quo, inspire clients and each other, innovate, and transform Adelaide’s cultural context.

So, getting back to my original question…

 

Can Brilliant Work Come from Anywhere?

I say yes. But with a few caveats.

The checklist for making it happen is simple:

• Healthy Relationships Based on Trust and Transparency: Between clients and agencies, internally within the agency, and with media and production partners.
• A Shared Ambition to Create World-Class Work: We need to be clear that there are only high expectations and on delivering to high standards every time.
• Direct Access from Idea Creators to Decision-Makers: The closer the people coming up with ideas and the people approving them, the better.
• Autonomy, Standards, and Support for Creatives: Let the creatives take risks and have permission to fail hard but also give them the tools and backing they need.
• Upstreaming: Actively chasing the opportunities and not waiting for them to come.
• Have Fun. We’re not saving lives here (well sometimes we have the power to) so it should be fun.
• A “Whatever, Let’s Do It” Mentality: If it feels risky, even impossible, that’s a good sign. The best work often comes when we step out of our comfort zone and embrace the unknown.

So, whatever, let’s do it.

Credit: Clemenger BBDO, McCann (now Hero), Cummins & Partners and Colenso.