5 Minutes with… Bill Ho
Through the eyes of Bill Ho, the group creative director at Publicis Shanghai, fashion, fine art, and advertising are all opportunities to bridge the Eastern and Western divide.
It’s no wonder, then, that so much of his creative career has involved breaking down the silos between brand and digital creativity, and creatively solving complex problems in the industry.
From his mentor, Charles Goslin, to finding the balance between data-driven strategies and emotionally resonant storytelling, Bill’s experiences provide valuable lessons for industry professionals and aspiring creatives – if you bite off more than you can chew, chew harder.
LBB> Your background is diverse, with experience in fashion, fine arts, and advertising. How have these different facets of your journey influenced your creative approach in the advertising world?
Bill> I was never afraid of getting out of my comfort zone, and was always keen to learn and explore. One great thing about creativity is that your experiences help shape your unique perspective and style. I majored in graphic design, but I also studied illustration and new media. I worked at a fashion company and an interactive firm before starting my advertising career. These journeys helped widen my horizon; I can now infuse fashion, tech, design, and art into my work.
LBB> As someone who bridges the East and West, what unique perspectives do you bring to your role as group creative director at Publicis Shanghai, particularly in the context of the evolving Chinese market?
Bill> I’d say I bring a touch of the West to the East, making things more international. The more important part is that I bring in a liberal “art school” approach regarding thinking and mentorship, which is about self-discovery and not so much hierarchy and rules. I try to help my team “find their way” and “make sense out of the idea” in their creative exploration. This also applies to the clients I work with: I explore ways to build a brand with an original tone of voice that is uniquely theirs.
LBB> You describe yourself as a "hybrid creative”. Can you elaborate on how you seamlessly blend brand and digital creativity to provide innovative solutions for your clients?
Bill> Digital is everything in today’s world, but not everyone is aware of that because film is still one of the most accessible forms of content for consumers to digest. There was a time when the two seemed to be operating in silos, but that is no longer the situation. What I try to do these days is 1) have an idea that is big enough to be executed in different formats, including digital formats, and 2) explore film and activations to bring the idea to life. I do this in most of my creative proposals so that the client and the team can understand what I mean by hybrid creativity and be inspired by it.
LBB> Creative problem-solving is at the core of your work. Can you share an example of a particularly challenging problem you've encountered in your career and how you approached solving it creatively?
Bill> We face daily challenges, and I always seek the simplest and easiest solution. One example here: we received a very tactical brief from a client to sell different colours and trims of the same car model. Instead of creating the usual, we looked into our target audience and their diverse fashion styles and interests and how the different colours and trims give them the freedom to show off their unique personalities. We ended up with a fashion-forward film that celebrates different tribes and styles.
LBB> Your mentor, Charles Goslin, had a profound impact on your outlook on life and creativity. Could you tell us more about how his teachings have influenced your creative philosophy and approach to work?
Bill> It was a life-changing experience when I took Goslin’s class at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, and many of us were inspired by him. I still remember attending his first class, he showed us a news clipping of a story of a Russian immigrant struggling in NYC and eventually becoming the lead pianist at Juilliard, and the assignment was to create a poster for the school. The story was exciting and inspiring. Immediately, I could visualise an idea in my head: a classical piano in the shape of Manhattan Island with the state emblem of the USSR on it. He loved the picture, it was different and ballsy, and we became friends. It was FUN and MEANINGFUL when I studied under him. Goslin prefers the one-on-one approach, it’s intimate and casual. We bounced ideas, sketched with Sharpies, and talked about everything.
What I learned from him was his passion and professionalism towards work, his casual and witty way of teaching and mentoring, and his unorthodox approach… to be grateful for how fortunate we are to work in the creative industry, being able to create, change perceptions, have fun, and get paid for doing so.
LBB> Could you share a memorable project or campaign that you've worked on recently, one that allowed you to push creative boundaries and achieve innovative results?
Bill> We did a recent project for the smart car’s #1 BRABUS edition, which is about performance. Unlike other models, this smart car goes 0-100km/h in 3.9s, which is very fast, and we came up with the idea, “Fast, Like a Bullet”. There were concerns but we stuck to it and presented this idea to the client, and together, we convinced the senior client to buy in. We built a pop-up stunt and a film that was well-received by the market, and now the client wants to do more daring work.
LBB> In today's digital age, data-driven insights are increasingly important in advertising. How do you balance data-driven strategies with the need for creative, emotionally resonant storytelling?
Bill> They don’t conflict; they can complement one another, I think, when used skillfully and not blindly. One simple tactic is digging deep into data-driven insights, looking for shocking data/facts, and using them to inspire better ideas and stories.
LBB> Charles Goslin once said: “Forget about revolutionising the world. Work for the joy of working..." How do you maintain your passion for creativity and ensure your team remains inspired and motivated in a demanding industry like advertising?
Bill> That’s a quote from his commencement speech at Pratt over 2 decades ago. I was there, and it was very touching, especially from a man in his 70s who was still doing what he loves, still non-conforming.
The nuances are all there in his speech. It’s fun to be creative, and why do you need motivation if you are doing what you love? I encourage the team to try more and try something different; we go on these creative explorations together from time to time because it’s fun and meaningful. No client would refuse more options that are on brief, and no client would dislike an agency for trying harder, and perhaps now and then, we’d inspire them to be more daring – everybody wins.
