Love Our Work: Toby Talbot on Wilkinson Sword’s ‘Kingsman’ Style Spot
In a continuation of LBB’s collaboration with Love Our Work, this week LBB spoke to Toby Talbot on the recent work that has inspired him.
Creatives find inspiration from everywhere. That’s the beauty of the creative industry, it has no borders. Toby has found inspiration from a UK campaign made by the UK post-production company Scandal.
He goes into detail about breaking the mold of sexism that has been associated with the brand and moving into what matters most, how the product works and makes people feel after using it.
LBB> Firstly, why do you like this particular piece of work? Does it solve a problem in a creative way? Does it make you jealous? I want your professional and personal opinion on why the work is great!
Toby> Google ‘Wilkinson Sword TV ads’. You’ll see some true shockers over the years. Contrived, sexist crap.
And then out of nowhere, someone decides that razor blades don’t have to be so intensely rational. They don’t have to be good for your skin. Make you more attractive.
Just remind people that a Wilkinson Sword blade is sharp. Really, really sharp. And a blunt one is as useless as a…
And that sentence is pretty much the construct for all the humour.
Yes, humour. A shaver ad that’s funny. Wow. Who’d have thunk it.
Move over ‘A best a man get’ and welcome to ‘The Blade Master’. A very strange dude indeed. Pablo has created a wonderfully British ‘Kingsman’ character to deliver each analogy so perfectly dryly. What a voice he has!
I love his strange gait. The strange swan that appears everywhere. His crossed swords pose at the end to bring the ancient logo to life. It’s catnip to any research company. Branding. Tick. Sharpest razor blades. Tick.
But most of all it’s deliciously funny. ‘As useless as a waiter trained in a zoo’ being my favourite.
As for the billboards, move over Uncommon, there’s a new billboard agency in town. Great headline writing just when you thought headlines were long dead. And no, they haven’t used the Blade Master. With headlines this good, why bother.
LBB> In your opinion, what makes work great?
Toby> Trust. A jump into the unknown. Doggedness. And craft. Lots and lots of craft.
LBB> When looking for inspiration, do you believe it is important to look outside of your own agency?
Toby> Totally. Agencies try to look cool. Cool art on the walls. Big fancy slides. Graffiti. Basketball courts. But deep down, they’re just offices. Get out of yours. Go see stuff. Go read stuff. Go watch stuff. Creatives without inspiration are as useless as…
LBB> How do you hone your own creativity and how do you foster the creativity of the team around you?
Toby> Fostering creativity is about hiring people who are real sponges for culture. I am a movie addict. I go to exhibitions as much as possible. I read all kinds of stuff. And I encourage creative people to do the same. I remember at Rainey Kelly in London how all the creatives had season tickets to the Tate. You have to immerse yourself in new stuff. Not sitting at your laptop looking at last year’s D&AD winners.
LBB> Lastly, what does creativity mean to you?
Toby> I have this theory. ROI has been around ever since someone at DuPont came up with it in 1916. It’s a rational linear ratio. No more. And yet clients still cling to it. I say it’s time to evolve ROI into ROC. Return on Creativity. Show the possibilities of what creativity can do to business. Right now that’s what creativity means to me. It’s the ultimate business weapon with limitless potential.
