The Work That Made Me: Will Macdonald
Will Macdonald is a senior creative working at Motion Sickness in Auckland, New Zealand.
LBB> The ad from my childhood that stays with me:
Will> Around the time I first discovered my love for football (and YouTube) I became obsessed with Nike’s Joga Bonito series. It was just fun to watch—and it didn't feel like advertising. I showed my dad Ronaldinho’s crossbar challenge. He bought me the boots.
LBB> The ad that made me want to get into the industry:
Will> When I started looking at old print ads (from the 60s, 70s, 80s) I realised advertising could actually be intelligent. There was nothing lazy about it. George Lois is a hero—his attitude towards creativity inspired me.
LBB> The work that I keep revisiting:
Will> This changes by the hour but Playstation’s ‘Double Life’ and Wrangler’s ‘Ride’ are on my Mount Rushmore. I see something new every time I watch them.
I love finding things that I like—whether it's music, films, photography, design, books, magazines, art, old, new, whatever—and I think it's important to keep refining your personal taste. I have a deep appreciation for our legacy of advertising in New Zealand too.
Not all of it has aged gracefully but it’s good to go back through the archives of the iconic local work—mostly about beer.
LBB> My first professional project:
Will> I wrote something forgettable on the side of a bike helmet for an insurance company. I also spent a lot of time writing headlines for BP’s ‘carefully curated’ range of pies. It wasn’t glamorous but someone had to do it.
LBB>The piece of work that made me so angry I vowed to never make anything like that:
Will> Every job comes with its own unique set of frustrations and challenges. But moving on is a good skill to learn early. I’m still working on it.
LBB> The piece of work that still makes me jealous:
Will> Recently I thought ‘Is it even a city?’ for Visit Oslo was good. A tourism campaign through the eyes of a cynical local feels really authentic. The whole film has a nice style too.
There’s nothing wrong with a bit of irony or negativity—it’s an honest part of the human experience and we should embrace it more.
LBB> The creative project that changed my career:
Will> My portfolio.
LBB> The work that I’m proudest of:
Will> 'You’re Cooked' was a good time. The brief was to stop people from using the stove while they’re drunk or high. We made a cookbook with a bunch of recipes that didn’t need the stove but still satiated the munchies. We then tested the recipes in a kitchen built in the middle of town on a night out. Nothing makes you question your career choice like intently watching a drunk person make toast.
LBB> I was involved in this and it makes me cringe:
Will> Honestly, it's all cringe on some level. But it’s fun, so I’m lucky.
