Kristie Girvan Cherishes the Ability to Make Ideas Come to Life

At OKAY STUDIO we’ve become known for eye-opening campaigns, made by creatives that go that little bit further - ensuring that the work really means something. We believe that advertising, and film in particular, has the power to enact cultural shifts that will take us closer to a society that is fairer for all. That is why we are thrilled to support this LBB interview series to hear about our industry peers’ favourite ground-breaking work, the kind of pieces that make you stop and think.

Kristie Girvan is Creature London’s head of integrated production where she’s responsible for production in all its forms. Her media-agnostic approach fuels her creative vision and Kristie sees it as an attitude which allows her to always find the best way to bring an idea to life, without limits. She’s passionate about work that moves the cultural needle. Recently, Kristie worked with the Social Mobility Foundation to create two award-winning ‘Class Pay Gap Day’ campaigns that brought attention to the inequality faced by people from working class backgrounds.

Today, Kristie speaks to LBB about her motivations, Creature London’s motto - “Leaving the industry better than we found it” - and why post production is the key to making a standout ad. 

LBB> How did you get into producing? Was this always the plan?

Kristie> Spiritually I’ve always been a producer, although I did start off an AM. Being in a variety of creative, entrepreneurial environments over the years, coupled with my curiosity and tenacity, has helped mould me into the producer I am today. I feel lucky that this has been my journey.

LBB> As a producer, what motivates you? I’ve read that you have a ‘media-agnostic approach to client briefs’. Can you please expand on that?

Kristie> Being able to make an idea come to life in any way, shape or form, is powerful and indispensable. It's not just a hard skill set, but also a soft skill - an attitude. I love each medium for its nuances within the craft. As well, I find a huge amount of joy in having a vast and varied network of talented people to make great work with. This taps into my social butterfly nature. I'm obsessed with the finer details of the making, and over the years have gained deep satisfaction from delivering holistic media plans. Now, more so, I find joy in guiding and teaching my team to be able to do this, as well hopefully inspiring them to feel the same. The ever changing media landscape means you’re constantly learning and being challenged.

LBB> Tapping into emotional narratives and presenting stories that challenge the status quo is something this industry is increasingly good at. Which of the projects that you have worked on do this, in your opinion?

Kristie> These kinds of projects are thankfully close to Creature's heart, but I’ll speak to our Social Mobility Foundation client, whom we’ve been lucky enough to partner with to create two ‘Class Pay Gap Day’ campaigns. In a nutshell, people from working class backgrounds can be paid up to £6000 less per year than their middle class peers, despite doing the exact same role. It’s hard to fight something you cannot see and/or prove - so our campaigns are designed to shine a light on this inequality and help make positive change. We picked up a couple of Silvers at this year's Creative Circle awards for our 2021 campaign, 'Class Polish'. This year's campaign is shaping up to be even bigger and better. 

LBB> How does Creature London in general challenge creative industry and cultural norms?

Kristie> One of our catch cries is, "Leaving the industry better than we found it." Creating In the Wild is testament to this. 

LBB> In terms of the projects that you’ve worked on, which ones do you feel have pushed the envelope the most - creatively and/or culturally?

Kristie> Our 2022 Social Mobility Foundation campaign is untraditional in its approach, as well as being creatively unexpected. We have the talented, delightfully gothic director Thomas James on board to help bring it to life. As well, there are lots of other exciting elements coming together, which will help generate much deserved noise for the cause. Watch this space.

LBB> Looking back on the work you’ve done, is there a piece of work or client that you wish you pushed the envelope with more?

Kristie> I will always speak up on what I believe is best for the job and final creative. Sometimes this opportunity comes before an idea is briefed or fully conceptualised, by way of providing ballpark budgets. In this instance, I work closely with the account team to try and provide the strongest possible start point from which good creativity can flourish. But, even with the strongest will, best intentions and approach, sometimes there aren’t enough winds in your favour at the right time, to enable a different outcome. Many times, however there is. I think looking back, happily there are more wins than losses. We are lucky to have a lot of collaborative clients, who respect our point of view and judgement.

LBB> And what do you feel is the role of post-production in elevating or perfecting creative ideas?

Kristie> The attention to detail, consideration of the minutiae across all post elements is what makes a standout ad. When you can see, hear and almost feel the painstaking time and love that’s gone into it.

LBB> What pieces of work have you seen that have really stayed with you?

Kristie> Burberry’s ‘Open Spaces’. The Mill came in to see us recently, so we were able to get into the details of the making - a producer’s dream.

LBB> Thinking about the industry today, what kind of work is exciting you?

Kristie> Have you seen AI Midjourney? Compelling, exciting and terrifying all at once.