“You Can’t Call a Customer a Pervert”: Milana Vayntrub on Dead Ads and Creative Chaos

Little Black Book is the official media partner of the Dead Ad Society, the hungryman-founded award show that resurrects killed ideas.

Launched in 2024, this revival of hibernating concepts sees entered scripts being performed live by an improv group at the awards show. This year it will take place on September 18th at The Mint in Los Angeles after kicking off in New York City last year. A panel of judges crowns a winner, which is then brought to life by hungryman and a collection of companies – including Work Editorial, Sonic Union, ARC, Synapse and the Screen Actors Guild – that support the show with funding, time and resources. Last year's winning script was recently launched as a finished production for KUL MOCKS, a non-alcoholic beverage brand.

“We called it an anti-award show,” says Caleb Dewart, managing partner of hungryman. “It’s supposed to be wild. The scripts were performed live - a glorified table read. It was messy, imperfect, and that was the point. That’s the heart of it.”

Entries for this year’s show are open until August 15th, 2025 at 4pm PDT.

Little Black Book is catching up with this year’s jurors for honest conversations about the ideas that got away – the ones that died, came back, and the ones that stayed dead.

Today we’re speaking with hungryman director Milana Vayntrub, whose live comedy experience leaves her perfectly prepared for the pressures of on-stage jury duties.

​Check out previous entries to the interview series here.

LBB> Let's start with the obvious question: Is there an idea you’re still emotionally attached to, even years later?

Milana> I’m haunted by certain lines that didn’t make it. Jokes we wrote on the spot that made us crack up but ultimately didn’t survive the edit. We played with a running bit about a guy with a man-bun. Lots of solid sumo wrestler / barista material down the drain.

LBB> What did the death of those teach you about the business? Or about yourself?

Milana> That even when it’s deeply funny and joyfully messy, some brands still prefer to play it safe. And that I can’t take that personally. I mean, I will, but I shouldn’t.

LBB> What do you look for in a dead ad that makes you say, ‘This deserves to live’?

Milana> Does it make me laugh? Does it sound like real people, even if they’re psychotic real people? And can I picture myself watching it instead of clicking ‘Skip Ad?’ That’s a resurrection-worthy idea.

LBB> How are you feeling about judging scripts in real time, in front of a live audience?

Milana> Thrilled. A little scared. But mostly thrilled. I spent years in live comedy so I know how to ride the chaos, bomb gracefully, and completely compartmentalise my feelings.

LBB> How will you approach judging a script that’s being performed live? Do you think the crowd will sway you?

Milana> Of course the audience will sway me! They 100% know better. If something gets a laugh, it deserves it. But if something doesn’t get a laugh, and I think it can, I’ll put a little more love into it to see if we can get it there.

LBB> Dead Ad Society is part award show, part séance. What’s your mindset heading into the room?

Milana> I’m showing up like it’s a roast, a wake, and a pre-production meeting all at once. Equal parts respect and chaos. May the funniest ghost win.

LBB> What’s the most ridiculous reason an idea of yours was killed?

Milana> “You can’t call a customer a pervert,” they said.

LBB> What’s your theory on why great ideas often don’t survive the process?

Milana> Advertising is the Olympics of compromise. You start with a high dive and end up doing a cute little bellyflop. Everyone wants to protect what they imagine the person above them wants. Few want to protect the spark.

LBB> Outside of this award show, have you ever seen a killed idea come back to life and succeed later?

Milana> Yes. Me! Lily was dead for a good three years until covid, of all things, brought her back to life.

LBB> Have you ever been the one to kill an idea - and regretted it?

Milana> No. In fact when I’ve been adamant about something to the point that I have to pass, I’m always so happy to later see a spot that doesn’t make any sense.

LBB> If you had to hold a funeral for a dead idea, what song would play?

Milana> ‘Mad World’ by Tears for Fears because you just sat through a 14-person zoom call for a 30 second spot that’s “going nowhere".