We asked Stan to write these whips because we knew he'd be make us all better creatives. This whip is no exception. I see so many ads these days that I would describe as category ads. What I mean by this is that the ad promotes the category rather than the brand. For instance an ad for an auto brand that focuses on the benefits of a reverse camera. Now reverse cameras are great, don’t get me wrong, but most high-end 4WD type vehicles have them. So if you produce an ad that ... Read More! »

Stan gives us a lot of advice about folios and interviews and this is probably the most important of all. Whenever you show your work to someone there is going to come a moment when they ask you a question about it. You need to be prepared for that question. How you do that is entirely up to you. But it pays to look at your work and try and anticipate what questions may arise from it. And work out how you will answer them. Then when these questions arise, and believe me ... Read More! »

Instead of writing a clever intro to Stan's WHIP, this week we're taking his advice and leaving him to the clever side of things. Most kids have a selection of print ad concepts in their folio. You all know my opinions on what should or shouldn’t be in a folio, so I won’t ramble on about what I’ve said many times before. If you do have print in your book you need to follow this golden rule – An ad should have a clever headline or clever visual. Never both. Recently though ... Read More! »

Chances are you've done AWARD School if you're working, or wanting work in an advertising agency in Australia or NZ. For those of you not in the know -- AWARD School isn't a place that you end up learning how to craft trophies and useless dust collecting items to hang in your agency reception. It's an industry-led 16 week part-time crash course in ideas -- figuring out how to make the shiz that wins the awards in the first place. Usually the cream of the crop, i.e the top ten, land ... Read More! »

This week Stan reminds us there's nothing ordinary in our extraordinary lives. People who know me well know that I take music very seriously. So in my vinyl and CD collection, as well as in my iTunes, you’ll find all sorts of music. And lots of it. Yet a quick glance at this collection could easily lead a casual observer to think that my music is comprised mostly of weird shit. Like country music, dusty old punk rock singles, obscure Jamaican dub and jazz that should carry a ... Read More! »

Unfortunately Stan Lee's real name isn't Marty McFly and he doesn't have a flying DeLorean to predict his son's future -- but, as he tells us this week, the possibilities of technology in the future are pretty darn endless. Just look where he came from! No email! What?! We're just crossing our fingers for flying skateboards. My son, who is fourteen, told my wife the other day that when he finishes school he wants to do graphic design. Obviously like many kids, he’s not clear on what ... Read More! »