Having to constantly come up with new ideas is anything but easy, especially when you’re a creative for the biggest brands in the land. Chief Creative Officer at Bastion Shine, Richard Maddocks, has worked with many of those and says he loves the challenge of a good brief.
How would you describe your creative process when coming up with fresh ideas for clients?
Nothing beats the excitement of a new brief, because you’re about to embark on a mini act of discovery, but you need to be clear on the problem, level of ambition and any ‘watch-outs’ first – clarity you only gain from open discussions. That’s where you get all the good clues.
Then I’m free to go away and make a complete mess. I usually fill pages and pages with half-thoughts, insights, scribbles, lines and scenarios for a few days, and try to exhaust every possible angle. Most of it’s complete rubbish, of course, but that’s the point, really.
After that, I go back and start editing to find out what’s worth building on, but it’s important to have the space to really explore first. Who knows what you’ll find?
Of everything you’ve worked on, what would you call your most creative project, and why?
It’s difficult to point to the innovation of past projects because things just date so quickly, but right now, we’ve got a collab with an AI artist in the pipeline that we’re really excited about.
When you say you “exhaust every possible angle”, does that ever result in creative blocks and, if so, how do you overcome them?
I run into a block every single day – and it’s called the afternoon. Everything happens in the morning for me. After lunch, I generate ideas at the speed of dial-up. It’s torture.
If I run into a real block, I go back to the planning team to discuss the brief again. They love me.
Where do you like to go to find inspiration for your work?
I’m lucky to have a job that aligns with my very small number of interests – film, TV, music, news, culture – so most of my time outside of work ends up being creative fodder on some level. I also get a lot of energy from being around other creatives. I once tried to write a novel sitting in a tiny office above a café and drove myself mad. I need people to bounce stuff off – and to be bounced off too.
Quick fire five
1. Favourite album of all time?
It’s a dead heat between about three Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds albums.
2. Summer or winter?
Summer. Can’t ski, can’t wear polo-neck jumpers.
3. Three things you’d take to a deserted island?
My wife and two adult children – and boy are they going to be pissed with me when they get there.
4. Best concert you’ve ever been to?
I sat on the same stage as Nick Cave at the [Auckland] Town Hall while he answered audience questions and played songs on the piano. I’m such a fanboy.
5. First thing you did this morning?
Escorted our dog outside to attend to her affairs
This was first published in our March/April issue.
