5 Minutes with… Darren Bailes

Adobe XD is a proud supporter of LBB. As part of the sponsorship of the ‘5 Minutes with…’ channel, we spend time with some of the most innovative and creative minds in the industry.

Darren Bailes loves to surprise. When VCCP’s global CCO first made his start in the industry, he was putting out rib-tickling ads for Butterkist and award-winning campaigns for Speedo. Oh, and he helped launch Sega’s iconic Dreamcast console across Europe. 

Today, he’s doing stuff that’s completely different; but also kind of the same. Whether it be imploring Brits to ‘Be More Dog’ in the iconic ads for O2, or creating what is quite literally the nation’s favourite ad campaign with the inspired help of a talking meerkat, the unifying theme across Darren’s work is a healthy disregard for convention. And that’s no accident. 

LBB’s Adam Bennett caught up with Darren, in association with Adobe, to discuss the secrets of cutting through the noise with out-of-the-box thinking, and why - even with a million attempts - you’ll never be able to guess how he first encountered his creative inspiration… 

LBB> Darren, let's start right at the beginning - what kind of a kid were you growing up, and at what point did you start to think of yourself as a 'creative'? 

Darren> As a kid I was small, shy and bad at maths. When I tell my mam (northern for mother) about a big talk that I've recently done she finds it hard to believe that 'shy little Darren' could ever do that sort of thing in front of loads of people.

But I loved to draw. I drew horses… their legs, mainly. I was into how the muscles stretched over the bones and made the horse move. God knows why, but it made me happy. It was a first 'creative' inkling I guess, however weird. Those horse's leg drawings led to graphic design, which led me into advertising. And led me to being interviewed about that story!

LBB> Last year you stepped into the role of Global CCO at VCCP, but you've been with the agency ever since 2008. What is it that's kept you sticking around throughout that time? 

Darren> It might look like I've been at the same agency for 15 years, but it feels like I've been at about a dozen. Without sounding like I've drunk the kool-aid, every year has been different. We constantly reinvent and add new skills. The world has changed so much in that time, with digital, social, and now AI. Embracing the new has kept us evolving. 

Ultimately, we love change. It keeps shit fresh and interesting.

LBB> One theme throughout your work - not least including PG Tips and comparethemarket.com - is how charmingly left-field it can be. What has the success of these out-of-the-box campaigns taught you about the ways brands can truly cut through and achieve cultural relevance? 

Darren> Every brand, and every product, lives in a category. That category has its tropes and its rules. I hate all that. 

Conforming to a category is basically throwing money down the drain. No one will notice the work. So I'm always looking for work that feels a bit wrong, or a bit odd. Then I can confidently say to a client that it will stand out from the crowd and be worth the investment. 

The last thing anyone expected from a price comparison website was an aristocratic Meerkat with a website that was getting too many visits from the actual website. 

LBB> And do you think those lessons are equally as applicable in the media-saturated world of 2023? 

Darren> It's never been harder to stand out. But we've also never had so much technology and so many toys to play with to help the work stand out. Use the toys. Love the toys. And you'll be ok.

LBB> At Cannes, you talked about rethinking the concept of 'purpose'. Why did you feel it needed a rethink? 

Darren> Proper purpose is simply defining why a product exists, and asking what role it plays in our lives. But purpose has been hijacked to win awards. It's 'how can this toilet roll save the world?'. It can't. It really can't. 

But, it's easy to see why people would be convinced… We all want the world to be saved. 

I think people are more questioning now of some creative works motives.....are they to sell and work as advertising should work? Or are they to win awards?

LBB> And is that revised approach to 'purpose' something that applies to your recent work with, for example, Cadbury's? 

Darren> Cadbury is all about generosity - a generous instinct in us all. It's not made up. It came from the Cadbury DNA. It's truth. It's what makes our work resonate with the country, and everyone at Cadbury. That's a proper purpose. 

LBB> What is a lesson you learned early in your career that has stuck with you to this day?

Darren> If you're writing work and you're not enjoying writing it...you are writing the wrong work. Start again.  

LBB> Finally, what's inspiring you most - in work or in life - right now?  

Darren> The Bear Season 2. It's why the TV was invented.