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February 2008 - Strategy Magazine
Creative report card

Top creative director
Rethink's Chris Staples and Ian Grais

On the strength of Dove, Ogilvy's dynamic duo of Janet Kestin and Nancy Vonk shoot up to the number two position this year, but it is the boys of Rethink who reclaim the Top Creative Director spot (Taxi's ex-ECD Zak Mroueh was the 2007 champ), thanks in part to their work on Playland. Rounding out the pack is DDB's Andrew Simon, who jumps to third from seventh position last year.

More questions for Rethink's Chris Staples and Ian Grais

Chris Staples

Years in advertising: 24

Big clients: A&W, B.C. Lions, Bell, Coast Capital Savings, Playland, Sobey's

Genius campaign of 2007 (here or abroad)?

Here: Dove (duh). Abroad: Apple's "I'm a Mac, I'm a PC." Charming and cut-throat at the same time.

What was your first job in advertising? What did it teach you?

Francis, Williams and Johnson in Edmonton. Never do work for political parties. I had to work on Don Getty's campaign for premier. I still feel dirty.

How do you stay creative?

How could you not? There's never been more cool stuff going on - in both old media and new.

How do you work through a creative block?

Just do it.

***

Ian Grais

Years in advertising: 16

Big clients: See Chris Staples, above

Which of your campaigns are you most proud of?

It's nice to see so many awards for our work for Playland. This is the 11th time I've worked on this brief.

Weirdest muse/insight/source for any creative you worked on this year?

The latest concept (just executed) for the Contemporary Art Gallery in Vancouver called Community Art Grid. After completion I found this idea written down in a 12-year-old sketch book that I hadn't looked at in years.

How do you stay creative?

We are located in B.C., don't forget.

How do you work through a creative block?

What's a creative block?

***

Runners-up

Nancy Vonk/Janet Kestin, Ogilvy & Mather

Years in advertising: 27/23

Big clients: Dove, Timex, Nestle (Rolo, Laura Secord), Becel, Imperial, Kraft, Bick's, Mattel, Hellmann's/Dove, Amex, IBM, Mattel, Smuckers

Nancy

What is your most coveted award?

One Show Gold Pencil. Best body of work.

Are you a good mentor?

Yes. The secret is giving a shit.

How do you work through a creative block?

Nothing beats Tom Monahan's book The Do It Yourself Lobotomy: Open Your Mind to Greater Creative Thinking.

Janet

First job in advertising?

Writing retail copy.

What did you learn?

To limit adjectives.

Work you are most looking forward to this year?

The Dove play should be the most ground-breaking, and hopefully galvanizing, thing we've done.

***

Andrew Simon, DDB Canada

Years in advertising: 17

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