Viva Las Vegas with Mark Tutssel

As cities go, it’s fair to say that Las Vegas is about as far from traditional as you can get – which is perfect for Leo Burnett’s Global CCO Mark Tutssel who is leading a gang of ad industry experts to judge the London International Awards Non-Traditional category. Addison Capper chats to Mark about creativity in bling city.

LBB> What words of advice did you give to your jury for this year’s London International Awards?

MT> I want to discover the ideas that help brands move with culture. 

Break through, daring, bold ideas that reflect the culture and the people that we are ultimately trying to inspire. 

Creative ideas that have emotional resonance, or some kind of entertainment, or utility. 

New creative expressions that have the ability to connect with today’s generation of digital natives and the power to create value in their lives.

I believe the winning ideas will be those that are so unique, new and pure, that they cannot be labelled in a conventional way. 

The kind of ideas that make people sit up and take notice. 

Ideas that defy categories. Mould-breaking ideas that are exceptionally engaging to interact with.

This category is symbolic of the most innovative and ground breaking thinking in our business. 

We will be searching for the bravest, most fearless ideas.

LBB> What were you hoping to see from the entries?

MT> By definition ‘traditional’ is considered a customary pattern of thought. I expect the work within the LIA’s Non-Traditional medium to be anything but customary. In fact I anticipate it will defy category norms, perhaps making non-traditional the new norm. 

The way I see it, non-traditional work is a blank canvas. One that is stripped of any pre-conceived notions of what a communications idea should be. At the heart of it, non-traditional is creativity without borders. It’s where the future of our industry lies.

LBB> What do you think about the LIA bringing over a group of young creative’s for the ‘Creative Conversations’?

MT> Only with the constant infusion of fresh new blood can we evolve as an industry.  

Inquisitive new minds that challenge the status quo and push us forward.

‘Creative Conversations’ is an incubator for new ideas. A breeding ground for new thinking. 

Only with new, fresh, future-facing ideas can we adapt to the speed at which our world is changing.

Everything about our business is shifting under the weight of the digital revolution. Digital is now at the heart of our business. Our industry has experienced seismic shifts in the last few years and will continue to change and evolve with breakneck velocity. 

This exhilarating new universe presents us with an infinite canvas; a world of limitless creative opportunities.

For the sixty-five hand picked young creatives that will gather in Las Vegas the future offers a remarkable opportunity to grow and develop skills that will catapult their careers forward.

They are afforded access to some of the most imaginative fertile minds in our business. The opportunity to sit down and discuss creativity with an incredible line-up of speakers from around the world is invaluable and enriching.

This is incredibly generous of the London International Awards. They are giving back to the industry and investing in the next generation of creatives. I applaud it.

LBB> What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas! Aside from judging, what are you looking forward to?

MT> Vegas is like no other place on planet earth. A city that never sleeps. It provides an amazing backdrop to the London International Awards. 

Wake up in Venice, brunch under the Eiffel Tower, bump into Elvis on the way to dinner in Luxor, and party through the night in New York. 

I’m looking forward to experiencing the Strip and rolling the dice.