PR / News
LIA Creative LIAisons Kicks Off in Las Vegas and Mark Tutssel Presented with the Inaugural Created For Creatives LIA Legend Award
09 October 2023
CREATIVE LIAISONS IS IN FULL SWING
120 Top Young Creatives Hit the Inspiration Jackpot
Las Vegas, known for its glitz and glamour, welcomed a different kind of star power as Day 1 of Creative LIAisons began at Encore Las Vegas. It's here that 120 rising creative stars from around the world gathered to soak in the wisdom of global industry luminaries through a series of thought-provoking sessions.
Creative LIAisons Director, Laurissa Levy, remarks: “It's been 12 years since we initiated the program, yet each year feels just as exhilarating. We're honored to have this all-star cast of industry leaders join us in our commitment to nurture the next generation of creative talent."
Creative LIAisons Director, Laurissa Levy, remarks: “It's been 12 years since we initiated the program, yet each year feels just as exhilarating. We're honored to have this all-star cast of industry leaders join us in our commitment to nurture the next generation of creative talent."
Diederik and Joel's
Music and Sound Fireside Chat
Diederik van Middelkoop, Executive Creative Director of Amp.Amsterdam and Joel Simon, CEO/CCO of JSM Music, delved into the evolving landscape of music in advertising. Joel emphasized that in an emotionally charged industry like music, AI could never replace our innate ability to stir emotions through melody. Instead, it should be viewed as a valuable tool to enhance creativity.
Both speakers imparted a crucial piece of advice to creatives: “Producing award-winning work is great. However, treat every job, even the most basic, as if it is the most important job. For you, it may be just a job. But to your partners or clients, it could signify the pinnacle of their career.”
Both speakers imparted a crucial piece of advice to creatives: “Producing award-winning work is great. However, treat every job, even the most basic, as if it is the most important job. For you, it may be just a job. But to your partners or clients, it could signify the pinnacle of their career.”
Hitting the Headlines:
Laura Swinton's Guide to
Crafting Personal Brands
We dedicate our careers to building clients’ brands, yet we should equally prioritize developing our personal brand. Laura Swinton, Editor-in-Chief / MD at Little Black Book – LBBOnline, imparted valuable insights on how aspiring creative leaders can unlock opportunities by cultivating their personal brand through the industry press. The key to standing out lies in finding a niche, be it through unique expertise, a passion, a cause, or a compelling personal story.
For those creatives who may find the prospect of self-promotion daunting, Laura offered these reassuring words of wisdom: "When it comes to sharing your story with the trade press, remember, you have nothing to lose. The worst-case scenario is that they might overlook your email."
Tara and Merlee Call for the Next Generation to "Think Different by Embracing Different"
"Diversity breeds innovation in our business. Without diversity, we’d only have a narrow, homogenous perspective.” This resounding message came from Tara McKenty, Chief Innovation Officer/Co-Executive Creative Director at BMF, Sydney, as she and Merlee Jayme, Chairmom/Founder of The Misfits Group Manila, passionately advocated for greater diversity in the creative industry. Both speakers underscored the importance of seeking input from peers with diverse backgrounds with an open mind and co-creating with different communities.
Merlee, the driving force behind the Misfits Camp, a training program and safe space for neurodiverse and physically disabled individuals aspiring to join the creative industry, emphasized, 'While there's comfort in sameness, true courage lies in embracing diversity.”
Merlee, the driving force behind the Misfits Camp, a training program and safe space for neurodiverse and physically disabled individuals aspiring to join the creative industry, emphasized, 'While there's comfort in sameness, true courage lies in embracing diversity.”
AI-DEATE: Dissara Udomdej's Gift to Creative LIAisons Participants
"I've known friends in advertising who died due to overwork. I envisioned using AI to grant creative individuals more time to enjoy life," revealed Dissara Udomdej, CEO/Creative Founder of Yell Advertising Bangkok, as he introduced AI-DEATE.
This generative AI platform is designed to accelerate the creative process by producing numerous on-brand key visual mockups and text-to-motion storyboards.
This generative AI platform is designed to accelerate the creative process by producing numerous on-brand key visual mockups and text-to-motion storyboards.
In a generous gesture toward the next generation, Dissara is extending a complimentary basic subscription of AI-DEATE to all Creative LIAisons participants. This aims to enhance their productivity and reduce work overload.
Guan Challenges Rising Stars to Collide for Creativity
During his captivating presentation that got Creative LIAisons attendees on their feet and singing, Guan Hin Tay, Creative Chairman of BBDO, declared, "Collisions lead to invention." Equipping attendees with the tools to harness creative conflict by connecting seemingly unrelated concepts.
Guan offered three valuable insights: Firstly, collide familiar elements to create something unfamiliar. Secondly, employ head-on collisions to shatter conventions. And thirdly, recognize that collisions serve as the catalyst that ignites bold changes.
As AI continues to dominate industry conversations, Guan posed a challenge to participants: "take a step back and harness the power of human intelligence. The best part is it’s free."
Guan offered three valuable insights: Firstly, collide familiar elements to create something unfamiliar. Secondly, employ head-on collisions to shatter conventions. And thirdly, recognize that collisions serve as the catalyst that ignites bold changes.
As AI continues to dominate industry conversations, Guan posed a challenge to participants: "take a step back and harness the power of human intelligence. The best part is it’s free."
Brian Collins' Class is in Session,
with Advice on How to Stop Being the Best,
and Start Being the Only
COLLINS Co-founder and Designer Brian Collins assumed the role of professor, as he encouraged the Creative LIAisons participants to find ways to create ideas outside of brainstorming sessions and "posties". His instruction: make the future so irresistible it becomes inevitable. Armed with videos from his experience at the stunning Sphere in Las Vegas, photos from his childhood neighborhood, and clips from the Camp COLLINS retreat facility, he spoke about how he encourages his team to live creatively and foster connections with each other. His tough-love push for those in the room: Start being the best now, before it's too late.
Tutssel and Tutssel "Creativity: Then and Now"
The legend himself, Mark Tutssel, and his talented son Lewis Tutssel, sat with Carren O'Keefe to discuss the differences in advertising between the generations, and how it has affected the creative process. Mark laments on how he has the "greatest job in the world". So, it's no surprise Lewis has followed in his footsteps, while also blazing his own path working with what he loves at META, stating he is excited about gaming and how it may change with AI. Mark comments while the media and product has changed over the year, the joy of creating has remained the same. "When you have an amazing idea that keeps on giving, you know you have a great idea. What I'd like to see more of: for all of us to have a joy for producing something that gives joy to people.
Barbara Levy Presents Mark Tutssel with the
Created For Creatives LIA Legend Award
As LIA President Barbara Levy presented the inaugural LIA Legend Award, she listed the reasons why Mark "ticks all the boxes", including the way he has always championed the development of talent as a player-coach in the industry.
"To quote Mark, 'Creativity is the most valuable asset in our business today.' You can't teach creativity, but you can coach talent. Coaching is the ability to take a talent to a place they can't take themselves: to see in people what they can't see in themselves."
Barbara continued to praise the legend: "Mark, as a testament to who you are, you have given me countless hours of your time, your knowledge and your support. Because of your immense generosity, you have helped build numerous careers of people who are now creative giants in the industry." Barbara went on to talk about how some of those very people were in the room, going from Creative LIAisons in past years to now being global creatives. "[Creative LIAisons] owe this man a hearty thank you for his unwavering support of the program. He may well have changed your future. I know he has changed mine."
"To quote Mark, 'Creativity is the most valuable asset in our business today.' You can't teach creativity, but you can coach talent. Coaching is the ability to take a talent to a place they can't take themselves: to see in people what they can't see in themselves."
Barbara continued to praise the legend: "Mark, as a testament to who you are, you have given me countless hours of your time, your knowledge and your support. Because of your immense generosity, you have helped build numerous careers of people who are now creative giants in the industry." Barbara went on to talk about how some of those very people were in the room, going from Creative LIAisons in past years to now being global creatives. "[Creative LIAisons] owe this man a hearty thank you for his unwavering support of the program. He may well have changed your future. I know he has changed mine."