My Creative Hero: The Spice Girls
Hannah Bituin and Becky Reynolds have just joined The Gate as creative team. They are ex-Ogilvy, Iris, and Virtue, they have worked on the Dove Self Esteem Project, tackled food waste with Hellmann’s and promoted sustainable fashion with Comfort. They worked for a variety of brands such as Unilever, Starbucks, Samsung, Diageo and many more.
As a team, they love creating work that are firsts like Dove’s first-ever political work celebrating the life of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, as well as Dove Deodorant’s first illustration campaign. In-between briefs they are pushing industry boundaries like the Big Taboo that ensures there is a real and fair representation of plus-size women in the industry as well as shining a light on the 200% increase of Asian Hate with a proactive social campaign. In her spare time, Hannah makes fashion inspiration TikToks and is an active member within the East and South-East Asian community, while Becky is a YouTube influencer, creating content from fashion and beauty.
LBB> Who would you say is your creative hero?
Becky> Cheating a bit, but my creative heroes (yes, more than one) are the Spice Girls. This is not a joke. But a love letter to my childhood icons who have shaped me into the creative woman I am today as well as inspired more thoughts and ideas than I could’ve imagined.
LBB> How long has this person been important to you and what are your first memories of meeting them or coming across their work?
Becky> Probably a school disco or a Now That’s What I Call Music CD. Being born in the ‘90s, I was part of peak Spice Girl mania. They were splashed on the cover of every girl’s magazine that WHSmith stocked. I had posters, t-shirts and even action figures. I knew all the lyrics; I knew all the dance moves. Most of us wanted to be Baby Spice but I was always cast as Ginger Spice (due to of course, being the only ginger in the playground).
LBB> If it’s someone you personally know, how did you get to know them and how has your relationship evolved over the years? If you don’t know this person, how did you go about finding to learn more about them and their work?
Becky> Regrettably, I do not know the Spice Girls personally. But I have been to a few of their reunion tours (with and without Posh) with family and friends – getting to relive the concerts we would play-pretend in our parent’s living room as kids.
And as we have grown up, so have they. From one-hit wonders to creating international fashion houses, I’ve followed their pursuits even after they broke all our hearts when they first disbanded in 2000. It’s always been interesting to see where each of them has gone, into different creative pursuits. It’s good to know that there’s always a life beyond a pinnacle moment.
LBB> Why is the person such an inspiration to you?
Becky> Women are so often stereotyped by others. What I’ve always loved about the Spice Girls, is that these women chose their own characters and evolved with them. Sporty, Scary, Baby, Posh and Ginger. Each has a unique personality, but when they come together they become this unstoppable girl power force of nature.
And talking of girl power, the Spice Girls were always pushing the boundaries within their own industry. Their music changed the landscape of girl-group sickly sweet pop, with more risqué lyrics and women supporting women attitude. The Spice Girls have inspired and given me the confidence to push boundaries not only with my work but within the advertising industry when it comes to body diversity representation, a passion close to my heart.
LBB> How does this person influence you in your approach to your creative work?
Becky> They’ve influenced my creative work in two ways. Firstly, embracing my unique self and my way of thinking. It’s very easy to judge yourself against other people’s work and ideas, and yes, sometimes theirs will be the better thought, but you’ve been put in that room as your unique take is what they want to hear. Everyone has their own Spice, and I need to make sure I’m representing my own, unique flavour.
Secondly, not underestimating the power of creative collaboration (shout out to my creative partner, Han) because sometimes two, three, or four heads are better than one. While a solo can be impactful for a good 20 seconds, you need your gang behind you if you’re going to get through to the end of the song.
LBB> What piece or pieces of this person’s work do you keep coming back to and why?
Becky> Owning ‘Spice’. Showing you are part of something while also being an individual. I’ve often thought about what Spice I would be. Curvy Spice? YouTube Influencer Spice? Or maybe even Overly Confident Spice? It’s interesting to think of what you boil down to as a person.
And as the copywriter of the duo, the fascination with zig-a-zig-ah. Total nonsensical yet when 50,000 girls, women and whoever else is screaming it at the top of their lungs, you know exactly what it means. Pure joy and liberation.
