Creative Karmic Lessons from a Creative Director

Kash’s philosophy about “remaining stupid” is meaningful in a world where everyone calls themselves experts. He says “If you go into a situation knowing the answers. There's a very good chance - like a 100% chance, that you won't come up with a new solution.”
 
It’s important to grow and to continue being curious in your field of business. That’s how I established a relationship with Kash in the first place. My curiosity for connecting with creatives in the advertising field lead me to develop a strong relationship with him. It’s amazing how interconnected we are through Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and email.
 
By connecting with others, the paradigms shift in your world. You begin to open up a whole new potential of possibilities. Never in a hundred years could I imagine myself & a Creative Director speeding down a Connecticut highway in a Nissan Skyline GTR. It was like a movie while Kash spoke to me about the importance of creative thinking, and the work that’s revolved around it.
 
Hidden agendas are something that most people don’t usually talk about but Kash says “It’s important to think about. Look at Twitter or editorials. Digital agencies saying TV is dead. Look who gains from that… That's right digital agencies.”

Big Agencies talking about global perspectives. Who gains from that? Big agencies.
He continued saying people say big agencies can’t keep up with marketing trends but you can bet someone from a small agency said that. Everyone is trying to one-up each other in the most “helpful” way possible.
 
Then I wonder how could agencies create better work & get noticed. Kash emphasized that “They need to be brave again and take risks. They need to understand what ideas are. They need to know that technology is not an idea and it doesn’t build brands.” He couldn’t be more right about this. Crispin would give their clients ideas after ideas and they would be new little breakthroughs in technology. This is not how to build a long-term sustainable platform for brands. It’s a tiny new way to do things but doesn’t help brands BUILD MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE PUBLIC.
 
Creatives have to produce this sustainable voice that allows a story to be told.
Some digital agencies are better at broaching this than others and it’s usually one’s where they have strong design leads. People like Rei Inamoto and Nick Law are the people who are doing better at this.
 
Senior creatives deal with constant struggle to stay fresh and current everyday for their clients. So I asked Kash what guidance could you give them? He replied “Many people believe they have the answers already. But if they remain stupid they will come up with something new.” He explained that creatives who come in to present ideas and get shut down because it can’t be done is absolutely stupid. They have to believe in themselves and push the limits. They don’t know it can’t be done and that’s the thing. Remain stupid and keep that childlike playful mind in heart. Don’t become realized because that’s when you become old. He says “Stay stupid and that stops your brain from becoming old.” Because you’re always learning when you’re stupid. You don’t know.
 
Junior creatives deal with different struggles. Kash suggests that “These days they lack the real experience of creating. And touching things. They lack art. They’ve become curators and instead of creators.” He stated that drawing on paper and writing notes with your hand changes the way the brain works. “I miss the days of people getting their hands dirty and trying to make shit.”
 
Now there’s only so much you can tell a creative on their journey of becoming creative. So I wanted to know what creatives need to hear today in order to become better at their jobs. Kash stressed the fact that you need to “Get away from your fucking computers.” Go out and experience life with actual people and things. It’s vital to do this as you learn to talk to people and tell something touching, and be touched.
 
He then started discussing a writer’s workshop he did with Chuck Palahniuk. He said they were writing short stories, and some girl was writing a piece about drinking vinegar to take marijuana out of your blood system. Chuck asked her if she had actually drunk vinegar before she wrote her piece. She said “No.” and he added “It shows.”
 
Kash then blurted out on the phone “So DO IT! Go out there and do real things and it changes how you see the world and it changes the way you tell stories because you’re not impersonating - you’re talking from experience.”
 
As my time with Kash was coming to an end, I asked one last question during our phone interview. What advice would you give yourself or your closest friend in the creative field? He said “Just remember there’s a lot of money in the business and it’s important to not lose your soul. Because people will do things that they wouldn’t have done as children. They will stitch other people up, they will lie, and they will cheat.” He continues “Because there’s power involved. Don’t get into that, you still have a soul.” And added “There’s karma as well, it will come back. Be a part of what makes the industry better, not worse.”