For Lucy Mortell Creativity Is Half Instinct, Half Practice

Lucy Mortell is a creative copywriter with Publics Dublin. She has six years of agency experience, developing campaigns for a wide range of clients and sectors. She holds a BA in English and an MSc in creative advertising, combining a love of language with a strategic approach to problem solving.

Her career highlights include representing Ireland twice in the Cannes Young Lions competition and receiving the ICAD Greenhorn Award in 2023.

Lucy brings a collaborative, detail-driven approach to every project with a particular focus on clear storytelling and creative problem solving.

LBB> Person – What kind of creative person are you?

Lucy> I’m endlessly curious. My mum says I was born with my eyes open. I like poking things, asking questions, figuring out how and why stuff works, probably annoying people in the process.

I love talking to people, hearing stories, what makes them tick, laugh and, occasionally, cry. There’s a kind of magic in that and it often sneaks into my work. Creativity, for me, is half instinct, half practice. Sure, we’re all born with it but you have to keep playing, experimenting, failing and trying again, or you’ll lose it.

I try to spend time on things that have nothing to do with my job – that’s where fresh perspectives and ideas come from. The unexpected things you accidentally absorb will always wander back into your work when you least expect it.

I like creative work that surprises me, that makes me stop, feel something or tilt my head and think, ‘Huh’. And I hope that some of that curiosity and playfulness comes through in what I make.

LBB> Product – How do you judge the creativity of a piece of work?

Lucy> For me, it’s all about what sticks. If something pops back into your head when you’re supposed to be making dinner, that’s a good sign. It’s that ‘ugh, I wish I’d done that' feeling – equal parts admiration and a healthy dose of jealousy. At Publicis, we always ask ourselves, ‘Will it leave a mark?’. If the answer is no – then back we go.

I used to worry a lot about ‘cleverness’ but now, it’s more like, ‘Will people care? Will they think about this while they’re making dinner?’.. You can make something gorge and polished but if it doesn’t land with anyone, it might as well be wallpaper.

The industry right now is exciting. A little overwhelming but exciting. There’s some genuinely brilliant stuff happening, globally but also here in Ireland. It’s getting harder to avoid the ‘ugh, I wish I’d done that’ feeling.

LBB> Process – Tell us about how you like to make creative work

Lucy> I like to sit with an idea for a bit. Read, wander, see where my brain drifts. Then I talk.

A lot.

Collaboration is so important. I think so, anyway. An idea only gets so far on its own. In a room with other brains, that’s when the ‘oh, hang on’ moments happen and the pieces fall into place.

I don’t think I’m ever really starting from zero, though. I’m always collecting bits along the way – memes, headlines, an overheard conversation – keeping them locked away until the right brief comes along. If I’m ever stuck, I step away. Walk, read something completely unrelated, trick myself into thinking I’ve moved on. Nine times out of ten, the answer will show up.

LBB> Press – What external factors have shaped you and what can make or break a creative project?

Lucy> Growing up in Dublin, you can’t really escape creativity. It seeps out of every corner, every person, every pub. There’s always a story, a song or an interaction that lingers for days. I think Irish creatives are lucky that way, there’s so much to soak up without even trying.

I think it’s important to recognise inspiration isn’t just in the campaigns and awards. It’s in the pub chats, the film you’ve been dying to watch, the record your mate tells you will change your life. Those are the things that stick.

Culture is important. The best ideas always come when people feel safe to play, to throw out half-thoughts without fear. We have to protect curiosity and welcome different ways of thinking. When you’ve got a mixture of backgrounds and life experiences in the room, that’s when ideas get interesting. That’s when the work actually makes people stop and pay attention and sure, that’s the whole point, isn’t it?