Caitlin Keeley & Josh Day on the Creative Virtues of Nosiness

Don’t tell Josh Day and Caitlin Keeley that they’re “too nice”. For one thing, they’ve heard it all before. Last year, the creative duo and freshly-minted ECDs at The Local Collective penned a thoughtful reflection on a familiar - and bewildering - piece of feedback they encountered in the early stages of their careers. 

“People would say to me offhand, ‘oh you’re too nice to work in advertising’”, recalls Josh. “I’d smile politely but think, WTF is that all about?” 

Caitlin, meanwhile, has a theory. “In the past there was this kind of era of bravado and lone-wolf style leadership which, if we’re being honest, is kind of incompatible with the values of collaboration and open-mindedness which are necessary today”, she suggests.

But if it’s true that this kind of Mad-Men era jerk-genius hybrid was ever an archetype for creative leaders, neither Josh nor Caitlin fits it. And that’s just the way they like it. 

“I think the next generation - and the cohort we’re part of now - have new ideas about how business could and should be done which are a lot more inclusive and, we hope, empowering for everyone involved”, continues Josh. “People often underestimate the importance of simply having a good time with your craft. That’s certainly how we’ve always produced our best work, anyway”. 

And, ever since an exciting recent announcement, Josh and Caitlin have been applying that approach to their new roles with The Local Collective. “We love their approach to doing things”, explains Caitlin as she breaks down what makes her so happy to have joined forces with the Toronto-based agency. “What’s great about their work is that it finds a way to make you smile, which is totally unsurprising for anyone who has met [company founders] Matt and Kaitlin”. 

On which note, the pair are invited to reflect on the work that has defined their own careers to date. From designing a new sleigh for Santa Claus on behalf of Lexus to sending coffee beans via post to AMEX Business Gold Rewards Card holders, all via an exploding banana somewhere in between, it’s almost impossible to find a unifying theme in their output. But, as both creatives make clear, that restless creative diversity is a feature rather than a bug. 

Above: Rebranding Subway to ‘Bowlway’ in support of the chain’s fresh line of rice bowls is representative of Caitlin and Josh’s out-of-the-box creative approach. 

“Honestly, it really flatters me that you’d say that” says Caitlin, when confronted with LBB’s failure to find a unifying thread between their work. “We always want to be experimenting. It’s not scattered thinking, it’s just varied expressions of problem-solving that, luckily enough, we’ve had the chance to pursue together over the years”. 

Yet if there is a theme throughout our conversation, it’s the virtues of creative restlessness. Touching on the work that inspires them today, both ECDs point to the marketing success of Barbie as evidence that experimentation - and the ability to have fun - really does tend to work. 

“They’re winning by having fun - that’s what’s helping them to stand out”, notes Josh. “The media landscape is always changing and evolving and it’s part of our job to figure out how to get noticed through it all. So if you’re not trying out new things on a regular basis, you’re not going to realise your potential”. 

In the best possible way, there’s scarcely a limit to the extent to which Caitlin and Josh will challenge each other. In fact, even the breakfast table is not off-limits, as we discover when Caitlin defends her view that popcorn is a “legitimate breakfast food”. 

“Honestly, it’s wild that this has proven so controversial”, the ECD says through bemused laughter. “Like, it’s a whole grain. Plus, most people are eating their breakfast at home! You know you can do whatever you want in your home, right? If breakfast popcorn is too spicy for you, then good luck is all I can say”. 

Although the popcorn example is somewhat abstract, it’s emblematic of the habit the pair have developed when it comes to increasing their exposure to new ideas. As creative leaders, Caitlin and Josh need no invitation to embrace the collaborative nature of the modern industry. 

“We’re all about respecting people’s individual crafts and getting everyone a seat at the same table”, says Caitlin. “When you’re leaning into people’s diverse backgrounds and talents it’s not just the work that’s going to get better - you will, too”. 

“Call it nosiness if you like”, adds Josh. “But there’s a lot to be said for that sense of curiosity which drives people to learn more and reach beyond themselves. That’s something we’re so looking forward to continuing in our new roles with TLC”. 

Certainly, the Toronto-based agency feels like a natural fit for Josh and Caitlin’s innate creative ‘nosiness’. “I think it’s bringing together two worlds in which we’ve dabbled a lot over the years”, suggests Josh. “Those being contemporary art and advertising. Added together with the local approach which is just so relevant and appealing at the moment, and it’s a great place to be”. 

If one thing is clear about Caitlin and Josh, it’s that trying to predict their next move is like taking a shot in the dark. Wherever they turn next, however, one thing’s for sure - they’ll be having fun as they do it. And, if history is any measure to go by, so will we.