By
James Nieman | 09/27/2017 | in
In the fifteenth installment of the A-List Podcast, host and DiMassimo Goldstein CCO Tom Christmann is joined by Omid Farhang, the chief creative officer at experiential agency Momentum Worldwide. Over the course of forty-five minutes, Farhang quotes the Wu-Tang Clan, talks about growing up as the child of an Iranian cowboy, and shares some of the most valuable lessons he learned working under and alongside the biggest names in the industry. Full episode and show notes below!
- [0:00 — 1:36] Intro
- [1:37 — 8:05] Farhang tells Tom about growing up the child of an Iranian cowboy, and the pressure he felt to become a doctor or a lawyer
- [8:06 – 11: 53] How Farhang discovered advertising, and the emotions that ran through his head when he first walked into the Chiat\Day office
- [11:54 – 18:14] How the Honda “Grrr” spot inspired him to go into advertising
- [18:15 – 20:55] Wanting to be a writer and going to ad school with a sense of purpose and urgency
- [20:56 – 22:55] How the definition of titles is changing in the industry, what he learned from the Wu-Tang Clan, and how he has been influenced by comedy and hip hop
- [22:56 – 27:25] Starting as an intern at Crispin Porter + Bogusky, living in a basement, and the benefit of writing 200 headlines
- [27:26 — 31:18] The lessons Farhang learned working as a young creative on Miller High Life
- [31:19 — 36:12] Farhang walks us through his plea to Alex Bogusky for a full-time gig and why he dropped out of ad school without a job
- [36:13 – 38:37] The interview process toward becoming a first time CCO, Momentum Worldwide, and the power of an honest business relationship
- [38:38 – 41:00] Working with the children of NBA superstars for SAP’s “The Simple Report”
- [41:01 – 46:00] The benefits of freelancing, releasing ideas into the wild and experiential advertising
- [46:01 – 47:50] What “Malicious Obedience” is, and how young creatives can avoid it
- [47:51 – 48:45] Outro
“The A-List” is a podcast produced by DiMassimo Goldstein, recorded at the Gramercy Post, and sponsored by the Adhouse Advertising School, New York’s newest, smallest, and hippest ad school. You can subscribe and rate the show on iTunes or listen along on SoundCloud. For updates on upcoming episodes and guests, be sure to like the A-List Podcast on Facebook and follow host Tom Christmann on Twitter.
By
James Nieman | 08/17/2017 | in
In the latest episode of “The A-List” podcast, host and DiMassimo Goldstein CCO Tom Christmann is joined by the hilarious Roger Camp, Partner and Chief Creative Officer of San Francisco based Camp+King. During his 20+ years in advertising, Camp has been awarded every major creative award under the sun and has worked on some of the world’s biggest brands, such as Amazon, Nike, Virgin Atlantic, Coca-Cola, and Adidas. He’s about as A-list as they come.
Tune in to hear all about how Camp likes to get naked with his dad, the three-fail rule, how to make brands and businesses conversation worthy, and much much more. Full episode and show notes below!
Show Notes:
- [0:00 – 1:36] Intro
- [1:37 – 7:08] Roger talks about growing up in Jersey, getting naked with his salt of the earth father, and his childhood aspirations of becoming an artist
- [7:09 – 10:24] Attending SVA and falling in love with advertising
- [10:25 – 19:30] The importance of being able to make mistakes, Roger’s first ads, and working on Comedy Central
- [19:31 – 22:48] Heroes in the industry, getting fired, and the power of remaining optimistic
- [22:49 – 27:53] Roger discusses his short stint at BBDO and finally getting a gig at Cliff Freeman & Partners
- [27:54 – 31:28] The culture at Camp + King and the importance of working with people you like
- [31:29 – 35:54] The importance of a brand voice and more advice for young writers
- [35:55 – 37:44] Brand behaviors
- [37:45 – 41:59] Cliff Freeman’s “Cliffisms”
- [42:00 – 49:00] Working at Wieden+Kennedy, the actors strike, and the value of a planner
- [49:01 – 51:49] The Camp+King positioning and being conversation worthy
- [51:50 – 52:41] Outro
“The A-List” is a podcast produced by DiMassimo Goldstein, recorded at the Gramercy Post, and sponsored by the Adhouse Advertising School, New York’s newest, smallest, and hippest ad school. You can subscribe and rate the show on iTunes or listen along on SoundCloud. For updates on upcoming episodes and guests, be sure to like the A-List Podcast on Facebook and follow host Tom Christmann on Twitter.
By
Team DIGO | 07/26/2017 | in
This week on “The A-List” podcast, host and DiMassimo Goldstein CCO Tom Christmann chats with his long-time friend and former boss, Bill Oberlander, the executive creative director at OBERLAND. Bill has worked as a creative executive at many top agencies, including JWT New York, Cossette New York, McCann Erickson, Ogilvy & Mather, and Kirshenbaum Bond + Partners. Working on such global accounts as Microsoft, Intel, Snapple, Target, Coach, Bloomberg, and Nikon. Bill has helped reinvent brands with his iconic and transformational campaigns.
Tune in as Bill and Tom discuss what it takes to break into advertising in New York City, why philanthropy is important for both brands and people, and how today’s creatives can build a portfolio that gives Bill goosebumps.
Show Notes:
- [0:00 – 2:05] Intro
- [2:06 – 5:17] Bill and Tom discuss working together at Kirshenbaum
- [5:18 – 8:23] Bill’s childhood in South Amboy, NJ, attending an all-boys Catholic high school, and dreaming of a future in the arts
- [8:24 – 13:25] Studying business communications and visual communications at the University of Delaware, and falling in love with advertising
- [13:26 – 15:17] Moving to NYC, couch surfing, and landing his first advertising gig
- [15:18 – 19:49] Becoming an art director at McCaffrey & McCall
- [19:50 – 30:57] Learning the ropes at McCann, working on the Coca-Cola account, and scheduling his first shoot without client approval
- [30:58 – 35:08] Being recruited by Richard Kirshenbaum as his art director, and faking it until he made it
- [35:09 – 41:13] Bill’s first big campaign at Kirshenbaum: El Presidente Spiced Brandy
- [41:14 – 48:49] Reinventing Snapple with the famous “Snapple Lady” campaign
- [48:50 – 56:49] Working at Robin Hood Foundation, the importance of building brands with purpose, and launching Oberland
- [56:50 – 61:16] What Bill looks for when reviewing portfolios today
- [61:17 – 62:44] Outro
“The A-List” is a podcast produced by DiMassimo Goldstein, recorded at the Gramercy Post, and sponsored by the Adhouse Advertising School, New York’s newest, smallest, and hippest ad school. You can subscribe and rate the show on iTunes or listen along on SoundCloud. For updates on upcoming episodes and guests, be sure to like the A-List Podcast on Facebook and follow host Tom Christmann on Twitter.
By
Team DIGO | 06/28/2017 | in
In the latest episode of “The A-List” podcast, host and DiMassimo Goldstein Chief Creative Officer Tom Christmann sits down with creative maestro Dan Kelleher, Chief Creative Officer at Deutsch. Dan has worked at many of the world’s most renowned agencies, including Saatchi & Saatchi, BBDO, Cliff Freeman & Partners, and DeVito/Verdi. His work for brands such as BMW, DIRECTV, General Mills, FedEx, and Guinness has earned some of the industry’s top awards. Bill Clinton once said that his favorite commercials were the “Cable Effects” spots for DIRECTV, which Kelleher helped bring to life. Dan was also responsible for bringing us the BMW Super Bowl ad, “Newfangled Idea,” which Ad Age ranked among the best Super Bowl ads of all time.
Tune in to hear Dan discuss how perseverance paved his path to success, what today’s creatives can learn from the “funny vs. not funny” wall, and why honesty is the key to great client relationships.
Show Notes
- [0:00 – 1:35] Intro
- [1:36 – 7:04] Growing up in Plainfield, New Jersey, being passionate about art and deciding that medical illustration wasn’t the right field for him
- [7:05 – 11:35] The Rocky of advertising: how perseverance landed him his first job in the print production department of Ammirati & Puris
- [11:36 – 20:39] Working on his portfolio, attending ad school, and learning the ropes from great bosses
- [20:40 – 29:32] Getting hired in his first creative role as junior art director at DeVito/Verdi
- [29:33 – 34:36] Moving to Cliff Freeman & Partners and selling his first TV spot for Staples
- [34:37 – 43:44] Lessons for young creatives from the “funny vs. not funny” wall
- [43:45 – 49:14] Dan and Tom discuss their time at BBDO working for Gerry Graf
- [49:15 – 54:32] Working at BBDO, getting more client interaction, and filming with Burt Reynolds
- [54:33 – 59:50] The importance of honesty in developing great client relationships
- [59:51 – 62:24] The value of building a strong agency culture
- [62:25 – 69:20] What Dan looks for in a portfolio today and his one piece of advice for young creatives
- [62:21 – 70:50] Outro
“The A-List” is a podcast produced by DiMassimo Goldstein, recorded at the Gramercy Post, and sponsored by the Adhouse Advertising School, New York’s newest, smallest, and hippest ad school. You can subscribe and rate the show on iTunes or listen along on SoundCloud. For updates on upcoming episodes and guests, be sure to like the A-List Podcast on Facebook and follow host Tom Christmann on Twitter. If you want to be interviewed for an upcoming episode, contact us at AdhouseNYC.com.
By
James Nieman | 06/20/2017 | in
Facebook is thirteen years old.
So it’s not exactly breaking news that we live in a direct-led and socially connected world. We’ve been living in it for over a decade now. It’s not going to change our lives; it already has. The way we talk. The way we think. The way we act. As people. As consumers. And, for those paying attention, as brands.
Even the line between brand and consumer is becoming blurred. With brands like Lyft and Airbnb, the platforms themselves have become communities where brand values and benefits are communicated through daily interactions, rather than through headlines. Actions, not ads, have become the coin of the realm.
46-inch TVs sitting in living rooms have become 7-inch smartphones constantly moving. From couch to desk to coffee shop to grocery store. From Facebook to Twitter to YouTube to Instagram to Snapchat. Seamlessly. “Word of mouth” has become “likes,” “shares,” “comments,” and “snapchat follows.”
People are literally carrying your brand around in their pockets. So it makes sense that marketing has become more personal. Now, more than ever, people want to be a part of the brand. They expect to have a voice.
And this is why we invented The Selfifesto® – a new and innovative co-creation process that puts your brand’s most devoted fans at the center of the process to bring the brand truths to life.
Tapping into today’s selfie-culture, we ask brand loyalists to record videos of themselves on their smartphones. Then we package the video into an ad where they become the stars. We provide the brief, strategy, concept, scripts, and editing, but each consumer is their own director, actor, and camera operator. An ad co-created between the brand and consumer. It’s not just our campaign; it’s theirs as well.
In return, the brand develops a greater understanding of their target audience, increasing customer satisfaction through the back-and-forth interaction. A community is built, and engagement is only further intensified when the superstars themselves spread the spots online.
It’s an experiment we first tried with WeightWatchers a few months back, and then again with Affinity Federal Credit Union. Real customers with real stories… a celebration of their success with the brands, all for a fraction of typical production costs.
No one knows your consumers better than they know themselves, and when you give them the voice they want and invite them to join the conversation, some amazing things can happen. Remember, a brand is not what you tell people it is. A brand is what people tell people it is.
If you want to learn more about how we can do this for you and your brand, we’d love to talk. Email tom@digobrands.com for more on The Selfifesto®.
By
James Nieman | 06/15/2017 | in
In this week’s episode of “The A-List” podcast, host and DiMassimo Goldstein Chief Creative Officer Tom Christmann chats with the brilliant Kash Sree, Group Creative Director at gyro New York. Kash has worked at many of the top agencies across the world, from SS&K to Perreira & O’Dell, JWT, BBH New York, and Wieden + Kennedy. Working on such global accounts as Vaseline, DeBeers, Axe, Nintendo and Nike, Kash has helped create some of the industry’s most iconic campaigns, including Nike’s “Hackeysack” spot with Tiger Woods. Kash was also the recipient of an Emmy and a Cannes Grand Prix for his inspiring work on two different Nike campaigns in the same year.
Tune in to hear Kash discuss his journey from martial arts teacher to art director to copywriter, what he looks for in creative talent today, and why kindness – to yourself and others – is key. Full episode and show notes below!
Show Notes
- [0:00 – 1:55] Intro
- [1:56 – 7:42] Growing up in East London, eating Kentucky Fried Chicken every day, and trying not to be noticed at school.
- [7:43 – 10:20] Working as a kung fu instructor and trading in martial arts for design school
- [10:21 – 18:19] Beginning his journey into advertising and proving his professor wrong
- [18:20 – 20:52] The importance of research in being a great creative and making a great ad
- [20:53 – 30:05] Getting fired from Ogilvy after 5 months and moving to Singapore
- [30:06 – 34:22] Learning to stand up for his work and switching from art direction to copywriting
- [34:23 – 39:05] Getting a crash course in advertising
- [39:06 – 44:09] Seeking inspiration in culture and applying lessons from martial arts to advertising
- [44:10 – 50:12] “Staying stupid” to avoid bad briefs
- [50:13 – 61:43] Being motivated by fame, getting sued and winning an award
- [61:44 – 69:42] How today’s creatives can impress Kash
- [69:43 – 71:06] Outro
“The A-List” is a podcast produced by DiMassimo Goldstein, recorded at the Gramercy Post, and sponsored by the Adhouse Advertising School, New York’s newest, smallest, and hippest ad school. You can subscribe and rate the show on iTunes or listen along on SoundCloud. For updates on upcoming episodes and guests, be sure to like the A-List Podcast on Facebook and follow host Tom Christmann on Twitter. If you want to be interviewed for an upcoming episode, contact us at AdhouseNYC.com.
By
James Nieman | 06/06/2017 | in
This week on “The A-List” podcast, host and Chief Creative Officer of DiMassimo Goldstein Tom Christmann chats with award-winning creative genius Eric Silver, McCann’s North American Chief Creative Officer. Since kicking off his career as a copywriter in the 90’s, Eric has left his creative mark on some of the top agencies across the country, working on many of the biggest brands in the world from Nike to ESPN. Recently, Eric brought us the renowned “Fearless Girl” statue that famously stares down Wall Street’s “Charging Bull”.
Tune in to hear Eric discuss his circuitous journey from aspiring attorney to copywriter, the value of attending ad school, and the one piece of advice he gives to new creatives entering the advertising industry today. Full episode and show notes below!
Show Notes
- [0:00 – 1:25] Intro
- [1:26 – 4:34] Eric’s childhood in Orange, CT and sneaking into movie theaters
- [4:35 – 8:25] Attending law school in Los Angeles and realizing that law wasn’t right for him
- [8:26 – 10:20] Considering a future in advertising for the first time after seeing a Nike ad
- [10:21—17:19] Eric’s journey into advertising and why he advises young creatives to attend ad school
- [17:20 – 21:15] Landing a job at Larsen Colby, finding his first partner and building a tribe
- [21:16 – 30:10] David Angelo’s passionate speech at TBWA\Chiat\Day New York and moving to Earl Palmer Brown
- [30:11 — 31:54] Eric and Tom’s advice to young creatives today
- [31:55 – 35:07] Finding his mentors at Wieden & Kennedy
- [35:08 – 44:07] Eric’s first big TV spot: the retail assignment nobody wanted
- [44:08 – 49:15] Leaving advertising for David Letterman
- [49:16 – 56:33] Working at Cliff Freeman & Partners, BBDO and DDB
- [56:34 – 1:02:26] Collaborating with Rob Reilly on “The Fearless Girl”
- [1:02:27 – 1:03:44] Outro
“The A-List” is a podcast produced by DiMassimo Goldstein, recorded at the Gramercy Post, and sponsored by the Adhouse Advertising School, New York’s newest, smallest, and hippest ad school. You can subscribe and rate the show on iTunes or listen along on SoundCloud. For updates on upcoming episodes and guests, be sure to like the A-List Podcast on Facebook and follow host Tom Christmann on Twitter. If you want to be interviewed for an upcoming episode, contact us at AdhouseNYC.com.
By
James Nieman | 06/01/2017 | in
In the ninth episode of “The A-List” podcast, host and DiMassimo Goldstein Chief Creative Officer Tom Christmann chats with his long-time friend Megan Skelly, the Group Executive Creative Director at R/GA. Megan has been the creative lead on some of the world’s biggest name brands such as Coca-Cola, Target, Stella Artois, and most recently Verizon Wireless. Last year, Business Insider named her one of the “30 Most Creative Women in Advertising” – an honor that she fully deserves.
Tune in and hear Megan and Tom talk about their time together at Kirshenbaum, stepping over dead bodies, not being afraid to be stupid and so much more. Full episode and show notes below!
Show Notes
- [00:00 – 01:36] Intro
- [01:37 – 09:24] Megan talks about her childhood in Connecticut and her aspirations of becoming a painter
- [09:25 – 13:40] Living on a pull out couch for three years in Westport and trying to get a job in the recession
- [13:41 – 19:20] Moving to New York City and working at Wonderman
- [19:21 – 26:00] Megan talks about her role models in the industry
- [26:01 – 31:03] Working on Cablevision at KBS and becoming a storyteller
- [31:04 – 37:16] “Making it”, using fear as a motivator, and trusting the process
- [37:17 – 44:20] Not being afraid to be stupid and knowing your strengths
- [44:21 – 46:05] Why the industry is more exciting today than ever
- [46:06 – 54:50] The different DNA of R/GA
- [54:41 – 55:52] Outro
“The A-List” is a podcast produced by DiMassimo Goldstein, recorded at the Gramercy Post, and sponsored by the Adhouse Advertising School, New York’s newest, smallest, and hippest ad school. You can subscribe and rate the show on iTunes or listen along on SoundCloud. For updates on upcoming episodes and guests, be sure to like the A-List Podcast on Facebook and follow host Tom Christmann on Twitter. If you want to be interviewed for an upcoming episode, contact us at AdhouseNYC.com.
