I create things. I've held many titles over the years. Fine Artist, Illustrator, Art Director, Associate Creative Director, Group Creative Director, Executive Creative Director, Agency Owner, Commercial Director, Inventor, Content Creator, Entrepreneur. But my favorite title—is simply Dad.
Great Art is not stagnant It moves your eye around the page or canvas and it can move you emotionally with a visual, copy or both. Whether it's Fine Art, Print or Graphic Design—a picture is worth a thousand words or even a word can become the picture. There is nothing more gratifying than creating a piece of art that provokes a thought, jars a memory or stirs an emotion that moves you.
Everyone has a great idea but few of us actually bring the idea to market. Why? Because it's hard work and costs a whole lot of time and money. It's risky business. Development, manufacturing and the hardest part of all, distribution. Oh yeah, then there's the little thing that you have to do—get orders.
Product development makes you a better marketer because you know what's on the line.
The summer before I graduated from college I worked in London as a busboy at the Hard Rock Cafe. During the days I would often go to the movies. To this day I do not remember one single film I saw that summer but I do remember the commercials. They were the most epic storytelling I'd ever seen. : I knew then what I wanted to do—30 sec. to one minute films of pure entertainment.
To lead, be curious, plus the work, connect the dots, block, inspire, pitch and win new business, deliver the unexpected and sometimes, even stay out of the way. All things a great Creative Director will do. But the most important job is to unlock the inner creative in everyone in the company not just the creative department. Creative thinking should not be reserved for only those with a creative title. Creative thinking is creative problem solving. Creative problem solving leads to a successful business no matter what business you are in. Remember the famous slogan for Steve Jobs and Apple—“Think Different”? That’s the idea behind breakthrough ideas. How? Remove your brain from the challenge at hand to solve the challenge at hand. Call it a
“Do It Yourself Lobotomy” Tom Monahan did who authored the book. Methods I learned firsthand while working with Tom Monahan as his art director partner before writing his book. Creative thinking techniques that unlock your creative potential so effective and fun—you will welcome challenges not ignore them. Have a problem? No problem.
Spread Heads™ are Character Caps that replace the caps on your condiments or package goods. Twist, squeeze and transform the ordinary into the extraordinary. As seen on the Tonight Show, Kathie Lee & Hoda TODAY Show and demonstrated by the late great Joan Rivers on the Rachel Ray Show. Ten Spread Heads™ in total have been my most successful invention and has sold worldwide in over 30 countries.
Our first Black Lab Product we brought to market was our most ambitious product we ever launched. Handmade out of wood, hand painted with an intricate set of springs, pulleys and batteries transformed a traditional Nutcracker into pure entertainment. Pull the lever on the back and the Nutcracker’s hat raised to reveal wide eyes, crossed his legs, folded his arms over his crotch and screamed in pain. A literal interpretation of one of the oldest toys in history. So unique “The Screaming Nutcracker” was demonstrated by Jay Leno on the Tonight Show as one of the most “Bizarre Christmas Gifts” of the year.
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