Second session

Wasn’t at SCA yesterday? Unlucky!
You missed one of the best masterclasses ever, from one of the kings of the Adworld.

Feeling sad? Yeah you can.

But don’t worry, and get ready for the second session. Cause I’m a good student and more importantly, a good friend, I took notes to share with you some of Dave Dye’s wisdom.

How to be great?

It’s just how much you want to do it, really. How hard you work. Always keep changing, keep trying. Never be 100% certain. Dave has met hundreds of people during his career, no one was more “talented” than the others, but the ones who went farther, are the one who tried harder. Push yourself, go the extra mile. Having confidence is really useful too.

How to create a great ad?

Well, first of all; people hate ads. So don’t talk like an ad! Talk like a friendly human. Always tell the truth, be honest. Use your life, cause if you use what’s inside you, you are more likely to create proper unique and interesting work.

5 things that make an ad a good ad

1. Be interesting
2. Be honest
3. Show empathy

4. Make them laugh
5. Offer a fresh perspective

How to crack a brief?

Find why the brand is setting this brief, the truth behind it. If you can understand why they are doing things, it will become easier to convince them not to do it.

Do your research. Find the truth about the product itself. What makes it unique, what do people think about it. Then use that to create a true, honest and unexpected message in order to disrupt and intrigue people’s journey.

Exemple: Marmite.
Saying 50% of the population hates your product sounds crazy. But it’s not if it’s true. And it’s bold, it’s different. It’s simple, funny, it make people react.

What about “purpose” in advertising?

Not a big fan. Most of the brands don’t really have a good purpose, so they try to find one. It doesn’t look natural, it’s forcing conversation. The problem is that most of the clients love “purpose” pitches, cause it makes them feel good about their product. But the client is not the audience, and the audience is not stupid. So stay honest and true.

Brilliant no? Well it’s just part 1 of Dave Dye’s wisdom. Cause the talk was 2 and a half hours long (and we could have stayed all day to listen to him) so I’ve got more to share.

You just have to wait my next scab for part 2 🙂

Gem ?