The Brief Bros.

212: Creative-Strategist tension

Henry Gomez and I return to discuss an important "nuts 'n bolts" topic: why is there tension between strategtists and creatives?
Alex Morris joined us a few months ago to share results from his own informal survey on this topic. But Henry and I decided it merited further exploration.
When the relationship works, the results are magic. When it doesn't, the work suffers.
Henry and I share our thoughts on how to foster this important partnership. Creatives and strategists, pull up a chair.

211: Can AI help clients write better briefs for their agencies?

Henry Gomez and I welcome Fab Nolan and Adam Green from 99Ravens.ai this week.
99Ravens is a new company in Toronto. And it makes a big promise: to improve the quality of client briefs to their ad agency clients.
How? By using its AI-trained tool.
Fab and Adam explain how it works and why they deliver on their promise. And they provided us with a demonstration video.
It's a fascinating and provocative topic certain to generate discussion. And today, we get it started.

210: Emerging Talent Series continued

Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communications student Alex Chrislu joins us today. She graduates in May and as you'll soon discover, she explodes with enthusiasm and confidence. And it's not hard to picture her in a senior leadership role in a short time.
Henry Gomez and I revel in meeting young talent like Alex. For all the oldsters we talk to who lament our industry's future, the Alex Chrislus of the world inspire us and give us hope. So sit back and watch as this young woman draws a clear picture of her own future. And, we hope, for the ad business as well.

209: Why do agencies rewrite the brief?

Henry Gomez and I return with a Nuts 'n Bolts episode.
Today we share with you a paper written in 2010. It's authored by Merry Baskin, a member of the World Advertising Research Center (WARC). And she writes on writing the agency brief.
As Henry points out, this is the topic that triggered a debate between the two of us. The debate that motivated us to launch The Brief Bros.
Baskin's paper may be 15 years old, but the topic is as relevant today as ever.

208: Whither "Get, to, by"?

Uri Baruchin joins Henry Gomez and me for the final segment of our conversation about frameworks.
And today we tackle a brief construct designed to simplify and clarify. Yet too often practitioners flub it.
Why? Uri tells us.
But he's just getting warmed up.
What is the biggest cost of AI? You've heard many pundits pontificate. But Uri's answer may surprise you.
All this and more.

207: Why brand frameworks fail

Our friend Uri Baruchin returns for a two-part conversation. When he joined Henry Gomez and me three weeks ago, we simply ran out of time. It happens.
Today, we asked him to expand on a thought: why have brand platforms failed us? It's a master class in strategy.
Part 2 is next week.

206: Reid Holmes on Appreciated Branding

Henry Gomez and I welcome back our friend Reid Holmes. And together, we celebrate the publication of his book Appreciated Branding.
It's an enlightening and provocative examination of how to make mature brands, in Reid's words, "irreplaceable." His prescriptions for brands, according to reviewers, are timely and humane.
We begin our chat with a little time travel. We revisit Reid's days leading the creative department at the now-defunct Campbell Mithun in Minneapolis.
That's where I met and went to work for Reid. And he shares with us the thinking behind the award-winning campaign for H&R Block, "I got people."
Join us as we explore Reid's invaluable lessons for brands.

205: Adeola Mosanya, Creatives Accountant

We work hard as creatives, strategists and brand advocates. So when it comes to organizing our finances and paying taxes, how many of us are as buttoned-up with the numbers as we are with ideas?
This week, we thought we'd pause for a moment and talk dollars and sense. And introduce you to a numbers person who knows creatives, Adeola Mosanya, Founder and CEO of Creatives Account. She is a creative herself, but also dedicates her professional life to helping other creatives with tax prep.
And since tax time is closer than you think, The Brief Bros. is happy to welcome Adeola, who is also my accountant. I chose her precisely because she knows and works with other creatives like me. In advertising as well as other creative professions.
She's located in Houston, but works with clients all across the US.
Pay attention. You might learn something. And a special offer: a free online class for anyone thinking about starting their own business.

204: Uri Baruchin, strategy philosopher

Thanks to our friend and a former guest, Baiba Matisone, Henry Gomez and I introduce you to Uri Baruchin.
Uri is a consulting strategist in London with more than 20 years of agency and brand experience under his belt.
And he has more than a few things to say about our industry as he looks back on his career. He is unflinching in his critiques. And grounded in an eruidition most of us should envy. So sit back and listen to a philosopher strategist share his thoughts on the basic strategy frameworks that have failed us.
Fortunately, this is only Part 1. We have invited Uri back to dive even deeper into his prognoses and predictions.

203: Two UK ad students talk shop

With special thanks to our friend Marc Lewis, dean of the venerable SCA in London, we present Louie Scott (AD) and Giorgia La Vecchia (CW).
Marc recommended both these young people who are deep into SCA's portfolio development classes.
Louie's path appears like a long and winding road. Giorgia thought she found a creative outlet in the art world. Find out how they arrived, instead, in Ad Land.
They joined Henry Gomez and me this week to share their experiences. And talk about their career aspirations.
Young and ambitious creatives, pay attention. Like other UK and US-based students who've joined us, these young talents can enlighten you on how to find a dynamic career in advertising.
 

202: The perils of agency search

Our friend Vivek Kuchibhotla returns to talk about the challenges brands face when they search for a new ad agency.
He's a veteran of Leo Burnett, where he worked on Proctor & Gamble, first in Venezuela, then Hong Kong, finally in Chicago. He was then put to work on the global MacDonald's business.
Vivek is also on the faculty of the Association of National Advertisers. He teaches a variety of workshops on agency search and managing agency/client relationships.
Henry Gomez and I are thrilled to bring back an experienced advertising professional to talk about the intricacies of the agency world too many of us know little about.

201: Howard's Single-Minded Proposition webinar

Henry Gomez chats me up today about my latest training, a 90-minute webinar on writing the Single-Minded Proposition. It's one week from today, Wednesay, January 15.
Today, I give you highlights of the webinar's take-aways. The training consists of 60 minutes of insights into real SMPs on real briefs, plus 30 minutes of discussion and Q&A with me.
Writing the SMP is a challenge no matter how long you've been writing briefs. It tends to cause paralysis by analysis. So in this 10-minute episode, I'll give you a quick tour of what we'll do.
Sign up today. Only 25 seats available. Fee is only $89.

200: Bob Hoffman

Henry Gomez and I welcome back an old friend, Bob Hoffman. He's here to talk about his new book, The Three Word Brief. It's an incisive and no-holds-barred examination of the ad business and marketing.
When Bob speaks, people listen. And on his third visit with us, he has much to say. From the flaws in the agency world to fraud in digital adveriting to frustations with marketing and marketers, Bob's new book and today's discussion will get your 2025 off to a rousing start.
Reminder: For a 90-minute live webinar on writing the single-minded proposition contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com.

199: Is GeorgeCo LLC really a Delaware company?

Finally, and at long last, George Tannenbaum answers the question on everyone's mind: Is GeorgeCo LLC really a Delaware company?
He talks about much more than that, of course. Henry Gomez and I delight in the return of our friend. He's our holiday present to all of you. Consider this our joint thank you for your support over the last year. And the previous three years as well. George joins us on Episode #199.
Reminder: For a 90-minute live webinar on writing the single-minded proposition contact Howard Ibach at creativebriefworkshops.com.