On The Leaders' Lounge with Paul Bootlis

Advertising is ego-driven. You can get lost in it. I think you need to keep a perspective on it as a career. Creative people should always look outside of advertising - do side projects and other things to keep it real.

Paul Bootlis is a multi-award winning Senior Creative Consultant.

In an esteemed career including being ranked as the No. 1 Copywriter and the No. 2 Creative Director by Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, Paul has worked in many advertising agencies both locally and in the USA and offers us his unique perspective.

What does a Senior Creative Consultant do? And what skills are required to be a Creative Consultant?
I basically offer ad agency services but without the bullshit and high cost. Clients work directly with me and pay for my expertise and taste. I do everything from digital campaigns (website development, social media advertising, blogging, video content) and marketing campaigns (film, print, collateral) to brand identity and strategy.

Often I employ and work with others I handpick to bring these campaigns to life, bringing my specific skills (creative direction, copywriting, client relations) to the table.

You won a tonne of awards for the campaign, ‘Palau Pledge’ eco-tourism campaign. Why was it the right response to the brief?
This was an awesome campaign because advertising usually tries to manipulate you into doing something against your best interests, like eating something bad for you or throwing your money away on something. The Palau Pledge turned this around: it asked people to simply commit to something that was in their self-interest! That’s what made it powerful for me.

You’ve been internationally recognised as a leading copywriter and Creative Director. What does it take to become one of the best?
To be a leading Copywriter, I advise “juniors” to not follow other ads. If you do, you’ll just repeat what’s done. I tell them to read a lot, watch lots of good movies (not just Hollywood crap!), listen to good podcasts, etc. Develop a voice and a point-of-view.

A leading Creative Director is a team builder, a mentor and a cheering squad.

In your opinion, what makes a communications idea good?
That’s a hard one. Often it’s about knowing what to leave out and what to keep in.

How rewarding is it working as a Creative? Why?
Advertising is ego-driven. You can get lost in it. I think you need to keep a perspective on it as a career. Creative people should always look outside of advertising - do side projects and other things to keep it real.

Define ‘media’.
It’s lots of things. Spreading information - or disinformation. Selling ad space. The fourth estate, keeping an eye on the powerful...  I think we should all be trained and educated from a young age to be aware of how the media works, its benefits and faults. Otherwise democracy is f*cked!

Do you believe anyone can work in a creative role? How does one pursue working in creative roles, and what skills and knowledge do they require?
Not sure, but I think our education system needs to change radically to foster more independence, empathy and problem-solving. We need less bankers and ad people, more scientists.

What advice do you have for anyone wanting to work in a creative role, whether as a Copywriter or Art Director?
Advertising can be a very soulless job. Be a writer who does copywriting, or an artist who does art direction. Don’t give your soul entirely to advertising, it’s not worth it. Aspire to be more.

Is creative work becoming easier or harder to do? What challenges will the next generation face doing creative work and what steps can they take now to ensure they remain ahead of the game? 
The biggest challenge is the ad agency model itself. Agencies have been usurped by the technology companies (Facebook, Google) and management consultancies. Agencies have been slow to adapt to the new world - caught up in mergers and cost-cutting, rather than innovation. Frankly, the really creative people are outside of traditional advertising, that’s the issue. They are already ahead of the game. It’s the old guard that has to catch up.  

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