The Essential List: Jake Barrow
Jake Barrow was voted the funniest kid in his high school - an achievement he considers as his first advertising success. But it wasn’t long before he was winning actual awards for his work in advertising. Having started as an art director and worked at various top Australian advertising agencies, he eventually ended up at George Patterson Y&R, where he became the single most awarded creative in the history of the agency. His creative work has helped him rise to his current role of Executive Creative Director at Y&R Melbourne.
But we know there's more to him than just advertising awards. We asked him for his Essential List to get a flavour of what motivates him.
Travel
o Place of birth: Melbourne
o Hometown: Red Cliffs (a tiny town in the middle of nowhere)
o Staycation: Winter escapes in country Victoria
o Vacation: Slowly working my way across Europe one trip at a time
Slovenia
Poland
o Place of work: Up the fancy end of Collins St at Y&R Melbourne
o Place of workout: Botanical Gardens or North Melbourne Boxing Gym
o Mode of transport: The Deadly Treadly
o Miscellaneous Travel Essential: Jogging runners that never leave my suitcase
Culture
o Artist: This dude called Fat Ankle buys porcelain dolls and sculpts their guts hanging out. He’s pretty cool
o Musician: Earl St. Clair
o Film director: Scorsese
o Photographer: Martha Cooper
o Film: The Goonies (I even have the same shirt as Chunk)
o Series: Anything with an HBO logo at the start
o Commercial: Nike Tag
o Music Video: Beastie Boys - Sabotage
o Book: The Story of Life by Chris (Simpsons Artist)
o Newspaper (off or online): BBC Online
o Magazine: Sneaker Freaker
o Podcast: Who’s got time for that???
o Miscellaneous Art: The sneakers I design using Nike ID
Food and Drink
o Restaurant: My local Greek tavern, Philhellene, is pretty awesome
o Cheap bite: Burger at Good Heavens
o Working lunch: Protein shake at my desk
o Dish: Slow roast goat on a cold winter's day
o Snack: Nuts. Not Brazil nuts though. They suck
o Guilty Pleasure: Froot Loops and Ice Cream. Not together. Wait, maybe together. I did make Ice Cream tacos the other week. They were good
o Bar: My local pub. Cold air con, cold beer and cricket on the TV. What more could you want?
o Tipple: Mojitos in my courtyard
o Soft Tipple: Beer (Fat Yak)
o Miscellaneous food: Roquefort Cheese
o Miscellaneous Beverage: Dictador Rum
Kit
o Phone: iPhone 8
o Computer: MacBook Air and iMac – much to our IT department’s disgust. IT Department: “But why do you need two computers?” Me: “Because you guys are always fixing one of them”
o TV: Sony Bravia
o Headphones: Sennheiser Momentum
o Sound system: Bose Soundtouch
o Pen / pencil: Pencil. Kept tucked behind my ear, ready for action
o Where you document an idea: In a layout pad. I also never throw them out once they’re full. I’ve been hoarding for years
o Watch: Country blokes like me usually just look at the sun
o App: ‘How to tell the time via the sun’
o Digital work tool: Outlook Calendar
o Analogue work tool: Brain
o Grooming: Nivea for Men ‘Cool Kick’ Deodorant
o Miscellaneous Kit Essential: Watering Can & Flippers
