5 Minutes with… Ant Simmons
Ant Simmons, group creative director at Ogilvy Melbourne believes that the industry is a perfect mix of commercial creativity.
With his talents, Ant has worked for a number of high profile companies including, McCann, Clemenger BBDO, DDB Group Australia, his own creative agency, Heartland, and finally, Ogilvy Australia.
Along with his career in commercial creativity, Ant found himself in the United States as part of the International Visitors Leadership Program for the U.S. Department of State.
Today, Ant speaks to LBB’s Casey Martin on the changes that he has seen during his career, and how the Australian industry is aligned with the power of creativity.
LBB> How have you seen the industry change during your career?
Ant> Hasn’t the demise of the advertising industry been coming for the past ten or twenty years now?...And yet here we are still as busy as ever. It reminds me of a statement by someone in the early 1800’s that ‘the pinnacle of advertising has been reached and no other ad will ever surpass what was created in this day’. So, I like to think that anyone who foretells the end of the advertising industry today is probably just as short-sighted. Creativity is one of the few human capabilities that’s not easily replicated, because at its core it’s constantly evolving. It borrows from what has come before, observes what is happening around us now and imagines what is coming next to invent the unexpected. The advent of tech can certainly accelerate the advancement of what we can do with ideas – but I think ideas are safe for now.
LBB> How do you foster and grow your creativity and the creativity of those around you?
Ant> Being quite restless by nature has always meant I seek out what’s happening around me. I have always been a big fan of The Economist (the magazine, as well as the ads) because I like to understand what is happening in the world. For anyone who thinks it is about economics is wrong – it’s a snapshot of people, politics, science, business, humanity at large – a lens on the entire globe at a certain point in time. And I think this sums up how I foster a sense of the world around me, gathering insights that are at their core about humanity and our impact on each other and the planet. It helps me bring insight and perspective to the conversations I have with family, friends, and the people I work with. I like people who have something unexpected to contribute and I guess that’s because that’s where things get exciting creatively.
LBB> How would you describe Australia’s ability to perform on the global stage?
Ant> I’m incredibly lucky to work at Ogilvy that has creativity in its DNA. And I also work in a country that delivers such a huge creative output on the world stage. As a result, we have agencies and clients who champion world class work equally. It’s not just creatives who want to deliver ground-breaking work for Cannes but client teams. I’ve seen a huge change in this appetite over my career and I think this is an example of how the industry has grown for the better. We’re more aligned on the power of creativity.
LBB> What is a piece of work that stands out to you? Why has it stood out?
Ant> If I met Nils Leonard, I’d probably fan-girl a bit because the work for British Airways has made such an impression on my thinking since it launched. Effortless and reductive yet still with room for a huge amount of brand personality. To me this is the creative equivalent of tightrope walking between city buildings without a net. You’ve got to make it look easy while doing something with immense skill.
LBB> Do you believe that there is value to looking outside of the industry for inspiration? If so, what are some of your go to places for inspiration?
Ant> I think that’s our job. I mentioned The Economist, but podcasts are great. I listen to Monocle Radio and have a subscription. I use notes in my phone constantly when inspo pops up from reading something. I use Pinterest a lot but there’s a danger in that as things tend to look the same.
LBB> What drew you towards this industry? Why advertising?
Ant> It’s the perfect mix of commercial creativity. It’s demanding of your time and commitment, but it also regularly makes me pause and think “how many other people are throwing around ideas on how to use micro-loans to help women in emerging countries or find a new way to refresh a brand that is iconic?”
LBB> Finally, what advice would you give yourself if you were able to travel back in time to the Ant that had just graduated?
Ant> This message won’t make sense now but buy bitcoin. Actually, that’s the plot to Back To The Future, so I’d probably tell him to just enjoy each day you get to spend with other talented and inspirational people. If I did go back in time with that advice, I’ve followed it.
