The deadline for the 2013 Marketing Awards is coming up fast. And once all your hard work putting together the submissions is done, it’ll be time for the judging.
This year’s chairs, Joseph Bonnici and Dean Lee, have put together a group of top-notch creative minds who will gather in Toronto in mid-April to review all the work, debate, discuss, dissect and eventually vote on the winners. Since this group will be judging you and your work, Marketing thought you may want to know at least a little about some of them.
Joseph Bonnici
Creative Director, Bensimon Byrne
First job
I was a 3/4-inch tape dubber at JWT. Remember 3/4 inch?
Proudest moment
Getting the job I have now. A close second was when I worked as a dubber. I was asked to dub a 3/4-inch resume reel for a very high-profile creative director in the city. They were going to New York for a “big-time interview.” I accidentally taped The Young and the Restless on the resume reel. When they returned from NYC they confronted me while eating a bagel. They were so livid that as they yelled at me, poppy seeds sprayed into my face.
Most important mentor or inspiration
James Lee had a huge impact on me and my career. The standards he held himself to made him, in my opinion, the best copywriter Canada has ever produced. More importantly, he was also a wonderful friend.
What is the industry trend that most excites you?
The number of briefs that don’t designate any specific media. More and more clients are leaving it up to the power of the idea and matching the appropriate media afterwards versus being prescriptive.
What is the industry trend you wish would stop right now?
The moment something becomes a trend it’s probably already dated. So I kinda wish they would all stop. Talking animals, talking babies, QR codes, earnest Feist/Bon Iver-style music in every spot, flash mobs…
Dean Lee
Executive Creative Director, DDB
First job
Comp artist
Proudest moment
When I started out my career, I had a CD who taught me a lot about the business. Suddenly, one day he had to leave the company due to a fight with cancer. He wrote a flattering letter of recommendation for me that said I would become a good creative director and it made me proud. As he handed me the letter he said, “Don’t make me a liar.” Soon after, he lost his battle and those words haunted me for years. To this day, I try to live up to my promise to not let him down.
Most important mentor or inspiration
My parents. They instilled a positive attitude in me at an early age. If I said I couldn’t do something, my dad would say to me, “There’s no such thing as can’t.” I’m pretty sure he coined the phrase before Yoda’s “Do. Or do not. There is no try.”
What is the industry trend that most excites you?
I’m excited about the belief in emotional story-telling. We like to believe we are rational creatures, but the reality is many of our decisions are based on how we feel. The belief in emotion-based campaigns will not only lead to better creative, but it will also build brands that stand for something bigger than their rational attributes.
What is the industry trend you wish would stop right now? The notion that something is “dead.” I feel like we have heard that everything is dead: television, print, even digital. I believe in the opposite; I believe great ideas get shared and can bring any medium to life.
