5 Minutes with…. Vanessa Tucker
Vanessa Tucker has worked all over the world, gaining an understanding of the industry from a global perspective. Now, she finds herself as creative director of M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment.
During her career, she has worked for tms, Momentum Worldwide, McCann Worldgroup, Haygarth, Stack Agency, and The human.kind Group, in multiple roles ranging from including creative director and art director.
She has worked with a number of high profile clients such as Nivea, L'Oréal, Disney, Coca-Cola, Premier League, and most notably, adidas. While working with adidas, Vanessa had a hand in the Champions League Final ‘Peace’ ball for the 2022 tournament, raising awareness for grassroot clubs that support refugees.
LBB> Have you always been creative? What drew you towards this career?
Vanessa> Yes! As a child, I always carried my coloured pencils and sketch pad with me wherever I went. It became the way I entertained people, drawing them, the environment, or my visual interpretation of their silly comments. This, combined with my love for interior design and a deep passion for psychology, led me to pursue a career in the advertising and marketing industry. I had discovered a path where I could spend my life understanding how people think and what motivates them to act, feel, love, and ultimately make purchases. To me, creativity lies in inventing new solutions for humanity's problems, whether it's poverty, climate change, recession, or simply boredom.
Every day, I empower brands to resonate with people through solutions that ignite their passions – be it sports, music, entertainment, dining, nature, travel, or even catering to those homebodies who dare to embrace extreme ironing. Helping brands create meaning for people means everything to me.
LBB> From your experience working around the world, have you noticed any creative trends that have been consistent across different markets? What's been your first impression of the local market?
Vanessa> No matter the country, the public has had enough of all the bad news (Covid, the cost-of-living crisis, climate change), and they are desperate to switch off and forget about it all, even if just for a moment. This has resulted in an insatiable appetite for new experiences and a sense of unity. There has been a significant resurgence of live events and community-focused projects. People want to make up for lost time and make the world a better place, and they not only expect brands to do the same but demand it. Greenwashing is vehemently rejected, and the days of fame-driven collaborations are seen as 'so last season'.
Brands need to earn people's respect by actually making a real difference to the planet and people's lives, all wrapped up in a wondrous package that makes them feel alive again.
Ideas that touch people's hearts, where it truly matters.
LBB> Do you believe the Australian creative industry should be paying closer attention to the parts of the world?
Vanessa> Australia is an incredibly diverse country, filled with people from all over the world. Therefore, the creative industry absolutely needs to look to the rest of the world in order to remain relevant to the people within its own shores. Moreover, by learning from other countries that are experiencing things before us, we can get ahead by infusing their ideas with our unique perspectives and twists. Diversity is the breeding ground for creativity, plain and simple!
Having grown up in South Africa, a melting pot of side hustles where creativity was born out of necessity for many people on the poverty line, I developed a different approach to generating ideas compared to some of my colleagues when I lived in London. I truly understood that ideas had the power to change people's lives, and if my ideas didn't achieve that, then they weren't good enough in my eyes. Throughout my 12 years in London, I was consistently amazed at how quickly creativity and culture evolved, fueled by over 9 million people collaborating and demanding to be seen, heard, and entertained. A prime example is how swiftly the Extinction Rebellion Movement garnered a groundswell of activist support almost overnight.
Things cannot improve if they do not change. Therefore, it would almost be irresponsible not to seek inspiration from the rest of the world.
LBB> What has been the biggest highlight of your career so far, and what did you learn from this experience?
Vanessa> Recently, I led a partnership with adidas and UEFA Champions League. Together with Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool's Coach, we created a documentary about grassroots football clubs that help refugees integrate into society through football. The goal was to highlight the fact that sport has the power to change lives. Our campaign successfully funded over 100 European clubs that were on the verge of closure, thereby aiding hundreds of refugees in finding solace within the community. For the UEFA Champions League final, adidas designed a new Official Match Ball called the Peace Ball and auctioned it, with all the proceeds going to Ukrainian refugees.
Sport is not merely about performance on the pitch; it brings people together and fosters unity. That's why athletes become beacons of hope, inspiring fans to dream big and believe in the possibility of achieving anything, regardless of its magnitude. Working directly with these athletes inspires me to conceive impossible ideas. They push me to elevate my game and ensure that the work I deliver is deserving of them and their stories.
Working on brands like adidas provides a remarkable world where sport, fashion, music, and technology intersect to shape a future that is uber-cool, edgy and cutting-edge, plus impactful too.
LBB> How do you approach the creative process? What are your very first steps? Where do you go for inspiration?
Vanessa> Creativity is often described as problem-solving. We are trained to gather information that helps us identify a problem that can be solved through creative means. However, I prefer to approach it differently. I prefer to observe people and identify the opportunities they seek in their lives.
Marketing and advertising revolve around comprehending how humans think, what matters to them, and how to enhance their lives. Once we understand people's desires, we can develop products, services, and values that empower their lifestyles.
Being receptive like a sponge is crucial. Absorbing everything from the real and virtual worlds and then sharing it with my teams through regular creative catch-ups and trend sessions can make a tremendous difference. We cannot claim to understand culture if we are not immersing ourselves in it. Encouraging my teams to ‘get out there’ together is of paramount importance.
As a creative, your job is to constantly seek out the passions of your audience and then live and breathe them yourself. Even if you have zero interest in a specific sport, for example, you’ve got to become obsessed about it if your brands sponsor it.
We all know this, and it sounds obvious, but it really is as simple as that.
LBB> What advice would you give yourself if you could go back in time to when you had just started out in this career?
Vanessa> I had a relentless passion for my work and the people in my places of work, so I’d tell myself:
“Don’t sweat the small stuff, and don’t work so hard!”
Let’s face it, our industry is the most fun you can have in an ‘office’ environment, so keep it fun. Let’s remember we are here to entertain and bring joy to people’s lives.
