Dream Teams: Miles Jappa and Bryant Prince on Trust, Inspiration and Bribery
According to Bryant Prince and Miles Jappa, there’s safety in numbers. “We recognise that, in advertising, no one truly knows anything”, notes Miles. “But we trust each other to have each other's backs, making it seem like we actually know things. After all, it’s much harder for two people to appear clueless”.
And yet that jovial exterior belies some seriously creative skills. At FCB Chicago, Bryant and Miles have put together head-turning work like the world’s first ever self-collaboration with Hidden Valley Ranch, a unique, bizarre, and inimitable project which chimes harmoniously with their own collaborative relationship.
“Some say we met while foraging for berries deep in the Appalachian Trail”, continues Miles. “Whereas others say we met during a pitch that we both were jamming on, which led us to go out of our way to be on each other’s projects. It depends on who you ask”.
“They’re asking us”, interjects Bryant. “It was the latter situation. We shared a hunger to make great work, and enjoyed building on each other’s ideas”.
Whichever it may be, the two have since wasted no time in applying the fundamentals which underpin any successful creative relationship. “This secret pertains to much more than a creative partnership, but it’s simply to be kind. Oh, yeah, and trust is also important”, explains Miles.
“You forgot about the bribery part”, adds Bryant.
Outside of the day job, the pair have developed a helpful habit of finding inspiration. “I’ve always been into fashion”, says Bryant. “It’s a form of personal expression and a visual representation of taste that I’ve always been drawn to. I believe that taste plays a significant role in shaping the type of creative work a team produces. While taste is subjective, when each person contributes their unique likes, dislikes, and inspirations, it increases the chances of creating something that resonates with the intended audience”.
Extending the metaphor, Bryant believes that the fashion world has a number of useful lessons from which creatives can learn. “I’m married to a fashion designer and constantly struck by the similarities between bringing a garment to life and developing an advertising idea”, he says. “In both fields, a strong idea is crucial. It's inspiring to watch a single idea translate into different pieces of work. For instance, she might be working on five distinct pieces, but if they all align with the same core idea, they come together to tell a cohesive story with a clear point of view. Sound familiar?”
Miles, meanwhile, likes to keep his hobbies eclectic. “Inspiration comes to me when I least expect it”, he says. “Instead of hunting for it, I spend my days endlessly bugging my wife, playing loud rock music in dingy dives, racking up double-bogeys, running Dungeons & Dragons campaigns using various Orcish and Elvish accents, and reading screenplays religiously. Somehow, inspiration always rears its ugly little head – and when it does, I drop what I’m doing and call Bryant”.
Their original shared inspiration, however, came out of a moment of frustration. “Remember that pitch we mentioned jamming on together? Even though we lost it, I still stand by it as some of the best work I’ve done”, says Bryant. “And we were laughing the entire time making it. It was a true representation of how I think advertising should be”.
“It’s not about the pitches we lose, it’s about the friendships we make along the way”, Miles surmises serenely. “Actually, let me retcon that answer. We’re both very competitive, and it stings our souls that we didn’t bring home the bacon on that one”.
Since then, however, there’s been no shortage of bacon brought home. Even if, along the way, there have been a few personal surprises which have popped up.
“I was stunned that Miles and his family enjoy playing Spades. Shocked the crap out of me that they weren't Pinochle people”, says Bryant.
“Apparently there are different rules for playing Spades… and I’m not sure how I feel about it”, muses Miles. “Bryant insists there’s a ‘little joker’, and that the ace of spades isn’t the best trump card. To each their own wrong opinions”.
Minor disputes aside, the duo have developed a formula which invariably helps the creative cream to rise to the top in their collaborations.
“Our rules of engagement are old school”, says Bryant. “The best idea or best rationale for an idea wins. If it’s a stalemate, we start to make both ideas and then judge. The better way to go normally makes itself clear.
“Oh, and we also follow the rule of cool: If it’s cool, it’s cool”.
And, happily for FCB Chicago, it’s often very cool.
