At its best, advertising and design can be an art form, at its worst, visual pollution. When done right, it's capable of informing, entertaining and inspiring change. I believe it can have enormous economic value and a positive impact on people's lives.

Approach.

I don't have a flow chart but I do have a process. It's a human approach. A simple repeatable formula that consistently leads to results. It begins by reading the creative brief or marketing plan. If there is no brief, I have friends who can help with that. I then fully submerge myself in the problem, devour everything and then let the knowledge steep for a while. After a time, insights and truths come to light and ideas emerge as rough sketches or wireframes, to help visualize the concept, reference materials are gathered. I find that presenting sketched concepts engages the client more and keeps their attention on the ideas. Once a direction is agreed, further exploration and refinement follows.

This whole process is best done in a collaborative way with small, partner/team interactions rather than large group brainstorming. I write words down first, then I sketch everything fast before ultimately, turning to a screen. I pursue ideas true to the character of the product, ideas that will get noticed and stay in peoples hearts. I look at solutions through a media-agnostic lens. The best ideas are the ones that scare me a little. I share them all.

Inspiration.

I’m inspired by collaboration so influence often comes from whoever is sitting across from me. Outside of that, other personalities inspire me: Werner Herzog’s observations bouncing from the mundane and the absurd; Hayao Miyazaki’s imagination; Tomer Hanuka’s colour and composition; and David Lynch directing with a megaphone even with only 3 people on set. Inspiration also comes from my everyday: a fresh Pilot G-TecC3; looking through a lens; maps; ghost signs; the smell of oil paint; a peppery anejo; other people’s sketchbooks; and listening to my kids.

Expertise.

I have worked with a number of leading advertising and design agencies over the past twenty years. Whether it’s taking the lead on a project at the outset and helping put together a team of independent strategists, writers and developers or dropping into an existing creative team, I am confident I can make a difference to the final product. My ideas come to life in many forms: branding, digital collateral, multichannel advertising, event marketing, social campaigns, influencer marketing, packaging, motion graphics and film, and exhibition design.