‘Scam is for people who can’t win awards but desperately need approval’: Dave Trott in conversation with Mumbrella
Adland’s favourite contrarian creative director Dave Trott – the man behind those memorable 1980s ads for Toshiba, Ariston, Holsten Pils and Courage Best Bitter – talks to Mumbrella’s Dean Carroll about everything from the Donalds (both Draper and Trump), to scam and why you shouldn’t do expensive ads.
Firstly, if we try to deconstruct creativity: where do great ideas come from? Is it possible to use any sort of formula? Is it down to freak individual talents? Is it a combination of ambition meeting opportunity? Or something else entirely?
“Depends what sort of ideas you’re looking for. If you’re an art director you’ll always be in art galleries or at exhibitions. If you’re a writer you’ll always be reading (non-fiction) or watching documentaries. Those are the places for ideas.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVziQ3Ydp54
‘People who can’t do the job, they try to disguise it in complicated language.’ Well said. Explains marketing hype.
“I’ve never worked with a client who’s said ‘no’ because the ad was too expensive. I don’t do expensive ads…”
Really? With the greatest respect, get over yourself Mr Trott. You aren’t cheap and at least one of your clients through out your career has definitely thought they aren’t paying for that.
Beautiful article, brim full of sanity, displaying a real knowledge, but more importantly, a real feeling for creativity, what it means, and for how it works and grows. Any smarty pants advertising guru can answer a raft of questions about the science of advertising, but how many can tell you where an idea comes from? An idea is like a tiny thumbnail pic, it needs expanding and re focusing until it become a big picture, and as it grows, it reveals, not only its main theme, but more and more detailed background. Does anyone remember the room service boiled eggs in the French women’s underwear ad ?
I believe creativity is the core of advertising, all other components form the great machine that envelops it.
Wow, what an over opinionated self styled master of the creative universe. Skip ad Skip ad skip ad
Of course you are welcome to your opinion Josh, but there has been many a fine and effective tune played on a self blown trumpet.
There is little doubt that the horn player in this case, is at least a talented musician.