Brett Essman is a Creative Director extraordinaire Brett Essman from ad agency Preston Spire in Minneapolis Minnesota. Brett’s here to talk about being proactive as a Creative Director and looking for the opportunity to create big ideas in every brief And when you boil all that down, what he’s really describing is this idea of not becoming complacent but pushing yourself to go above and beyond. It’s about the grit and perseverance you need to get to do the work that makes you feel fulfilled....

Today’s guest is Andres Fabian, a globe-trotting Dominicano creative director who has worked on three different continents for companies and agencies like Leo Burnett, Kelly Bluebook, Innocean and VMLY&R. On this episode Andres discusses his experience as a Latino creative in the world of advertising.  It’s an important conversation we all need to hear, and we both share personal stories about the most outrageous things we’ve been told or overheard to the weird practice of...

On this historic 50th Episode of COACD we’re talking with the brilliant and super humble Greg Hahn Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Mischief @No Fixed Address which was recently ranked among the Top Three Best Agencies in the world by AdAge!  He’s pulling back the curtain to share some of the guiding principles and philosophies that make Mischief such a magical, mystical and near mythical shop. Plus, we'll also get a glimpse of Greg the kid from Ohio who dreamed of becoming a guitar...

Ned Brown is CCO of Bader Rutter in Milwaukee and an accomplished pianist and songwriter. Over the years he's leaned how to apply concepts and processes usually reserved for music composition to help him generate fresh thinking for advertising campaigns. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cdconfessions/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cdconfessions/support

"You won't promote yourself so how can you expect someone else to do it?" - Words of wisdom by the very talented and effervescent Joe Bird. Jo is an accomplished creative director, creative coach, mentor, speaker, photographer, and all around inspiring personality on LinkedIn. She's here to share a lesson she's learned along her journey about the importance of creating your own personal brand as a creative that will help you stand out from the crowd and build credibility. --- Send in...

Remote work….love it or hate it, it’s here to stay. That means leaders need to accept it, embrace it, adapt to it and keep on leading. On today’s show, we’re speaking to Patrick Holly, Executive Creative Director at Upwork who shares his 5 Keys to Effective Remote Leadership. And spoiler alert…it has zero to do with monitoring peoples computer activity and everything to do with just being a good human being.     --- Send in a voice message:...

Kevin is a self-proclaimed Creative Renegade. He is Executive Creative Direction & Founder of Juniper Jones which serves in-house agencies with insight driven creative & smile-producing content that challenges the status quo. And on the show, he will share his thoughts on how strong leadership and collective ownership leads to the best creative output. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cdconfessions/message Support this podcast:...

It's important to have heroes in our business. People we can look up to, learn from, and even mimic while we search for our own voice. Chief Creative Officer Clarence Bradley, a self-proclaimed advertising nerd, had plenty of heroes coming up, but not too many that looked like him. But that didn't stop him from seeking out mentors and guidance he needed and in some ways becoming his own hero. --- Send in a voice message:...

When we think of creative directors, we immediately think of people working in ad agencies. But there's a whole other world of CDs who are working on the client side, at design firms, marketing agencies, or at PR companies like my guest Nipa Eason. Nipa is a brilliant Creative Director from Tallahassee, Florida, who has been working exclusively in PR for the last several years, and she's here to share some things she's learned along her journey, specifically some misconceptions and...

A fascinating conversation with a fascinating creative mind! Tom Christmann sees our world in a very different way. He's an evangelist for the use of found content and believes that we're already living in the Metaverse, where creativity is ripe for the picking everywhere you look. Prepare to have your mind blown several times during this wide ranging conversation. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cdconfessions/message Support this podcast:...

Jordan Brady is the real f'ing deal! A former stand up comedian turned highly sought-after director, Jordan has directed over 1300 spots, 4 feature films, 3 documentaries, 1 Netflix Comedy Special and coined the phrase Bow-Chicka-Bow-Wow, true story!  In this episode he shares tips, tricks and best practices for working with a commercial director as an agency creative director. Spoiler alert....make sure craft services has jicama, be patient and don't be a dick.  To learn more about Jordan,...

George Tannenbaum's mind is filled with weird connections, colorful characters and an encyclopedic knowledge of the agency business. This wide ranging conversation is like a roller-coaster ride through the lessons he's learned about creating great work during a storied career that continues today with his one-mad-man shop GeorgeCo.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cdconfessions/message Support this podcast:...

Pitching (read: pitching and losing 90 percent of the time) is one of the hardest and most frustrating parts of being a Creative Director. We've been taught to believe that great ideas sell themselves. That couldn't be further from the truth. On the very first Confessions of a Creative Director Mastercast, pitch and presentation Yoda-like guru Ben Levy lets us in on the big secret....PITCHING THE WRONG F@#$%^& BRIEF WE ARE.  --- Send in a voice message:...

The masterminds behind Major in NYC join the podcast to discuss everything from their zero tolerance for boring to the launch of their very own brand Drugs for Plants to their mission to turn hacks everywhere into the next generation of creatives.   Click here to learn more about Major. Click here to connect with me.  And click here to check out my new book!   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cdconfessions/message Support this podcast:...

THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST EPISODES TO DATE! Jim Bosiljevac has perhaps the most well rounded creative career of any previous guest. Not only did he cut his teeth at some legendary shops, but he's also been client side at some big brands like his current gig as VP, Head of Brand Creative at Yahoo. And as if that weren't enough, he's also an Adjunct Professor in Advertising at UT Austin. Hear this great conversation where we' talk about everything from the his thoughts on the role of a creative...

Group Creative Director Mike Potter has been around the block. From building the first websites for some of the biggest clients in the world to helping build communities for brands, Mike has a passion for emerging technologies and disciplines. Check out our great conversation where we talk about everything from his Hit The Mascot ideation technique to ad agency hijinks of the past.  --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cdconfessions/message Support this...

Chris DeNinno is the kind of Creative Director you want to drink beers and eat burritos with. He's cool, down to earth, accessible and super insightful. It's no wonder he's enjoyed an incredible career working at some of the best agencies in the world like FCB, Y&R, Chiat Day and David&Goliath just to name a few. And what makes him even more special is his contagious passion for teaching the next generation of Creatives through his side hustle as instructor at the Book Shop For Ads...

Sarah May Bates is by far the most accomplished guest I've had on the show thus far. She is the ultimate multi-hyphenate renaissance woman. Check out this amazing conversation where we talk about everything from her personal journey to become her authentic self to auditioning to star in some of her own TV spots! You really have to listen all the way through.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cdconfessions/message Support this podcast:...

Author, thought leader and all-around swell guy Dan Nelken shares thoughts and ideas about the role of Creative Director including one that we both share....WE'RE NOT MAKING ENOUGH SH#@ FOR OURSELVES! And the mindblowing "We need to think about thinking" and have a better understanding of how we come up with ideas.  Check out this enlightening conversation with the author of A Self-Help Guide for Copywriters. And while you're at it, pick up Dan's book...

Author, thought leader and all-around swell guy Dan Nelken shares thoughts and ideas about the role of Creative Director including one that we both share....WE'RE NOT MAKING ENOUGH SH#@ FOR OURSELVES! And the mindblowing "We need to think about thinking" and have a better understanding of how we come up with ideas.  Check out this enlightening conversation with the author of A Self-Help Guide for Copywriters. And while you're at it, pick up Dan's book...

Will Chau is Vice President of Creative and Design at Whole Food Market. He and his team oversee and produce most every single touchpoint a consumer might have with the brand - from TV ads to social media to package design to in-store signage and everything in between. And while the former agency CD still gets a thrill from big campaign work he's come to really love and enjoy the nitty gritty detail work that drives a consumer's IRL experience with the brands. Enjoy this wide-ranging...

Ty Stafford is the real deal. As ECD Content at NVE Experience Agency, he's helping take the historically experiential agency to new heights by leveraging the whole of his experience, from early breakout YouTuber to cutting his teeth at the iconic RedBull Media House to being named to the Forbes 30 under 30 in Marketing in Advertising. Listen to our amazing conversation and take special note of his big takeaway - YOU have the power to carve your own path in the creative industry.  ---...

Ashley Davis Marshall...the name alone should tell you she means business. An ECD at The Martin Agency, Ashley shares valuable lessons and thoughts she's gathered along a journey that is the envy of any creative professional. Plus, three-quarters of her recipe for queso dip (hmmm, she left out her secret ingredient!) and a somewhat surprising realization about the possible cause of her imposter syndrome.  --- Send in a voice message:...