By Mark Simon
You did a commercial with Barack Obama. What was that like? We heard through one of his aides that the President was a big fan of our Fatherhood campaign for the Ad Council, and he asked us to write a commercial for him. Tip: If you’re going to make a commercial with the President of the United States, don’t show up at the White House and tell security, “We’re here to shoot the President.”
You had a brief career as a hand model. How did you get into that line of work? We were on a shoot for the Chrysler 300, and we needed to get a shot of someone working the gearshift. I like to think that in 2.3 seconds of screen time, my hands told an unforgettable story of power and precision. Unfortunately, given the irregular distance between my metacarpophalangeal and interphalangeal joints on my index finger, I was forced to retire from the world of high-stakes hand modeling.
What is one challenge currently facing advertising agencies that they need to address in order to remain relevant? The business is changing every day and agencies need to live at the intersection of marketing, technology and entertainment. As Bruce Mau said, “The prerequisites for growth are the openness to experience events and the willingness to be changed by them.”
What’s been your most embarrassing moment in advertising? You need to develop a thick skin to survive in this business, but one moment that stands out is when I hung up on Lee Clow. At the time, my partner and I were being recruited by Chiat Day. One day, I came back from lunch and there was a message on my desk saying that Lee Clow had called, and there was a number for me to call him back. I assumed it was a joke, but I called the number and the person on the other end said, “Hello, Lee Clow.” I immediately panicked and hung up. Ultimately, I did call back and we had a very nice conversation. We didn’t take the job, but I wished I had kept the number just so I could call him up occasionally and hear him say, “Hello, Lee Clow” and then we could talk a little bit and maybe hang out.
What skills do young creatives need to succeed in advertising today? Take on anything and everything. No assignment is beneath you. Never stop learning, but trust your instincts.
What is the advertising and creative scene like in Detroit? How does it inspire you? I’m inspired on a daily basis by the people who are making a difference in this city. The people who refuse to take no for an answer. The ones who see beauty and opportunity where others don’t. The ones who don’t give up. The ones who aren’t afraid to fail and pick themselves up and start again. Detroit is one of the most interesting cities in the world right now.
Who are some Detroit artists or creatives you find inspiring? Tyree Guyton is a Detroit artist who created the Heidelberg Project, an open-air art project on Detroit’s East Side. Through the power of creativity, he transformed a blighted neighborhood into a wonderland that people come to from around the world to experience. Whenever I’m stuck for an idea, I’ll walk around there for an hour.
Carl Craig is a Grammy-nominated DJ and music producer. His ability to combine musical genres is on a whole different level. We did a presentation together recently at Cannes—#DetroitReboot. For an international superstar, he’s a very unassuming guy.
Then there’s Veronika Scott. As a 23-year old college student, she created a coat that turns into a sleeping bag for the homeless. Now through the Empowerment Plan, she employs formerly homeless women to make the coats, giving them a job that leads them to not being homeless. I find that incredibly inspiring.
You had a brief career as a hand model. How did you get into that line of work? We were on a shoot for the Chrysler 300, and we needed to get a shot of someone working the gearshift. I like to think that in 2.3 seconds of screen time, my hands told an unforgettable story of power and precision. Unfortunately, given the irregular distance between my metacarpophalangeal and interphalangeal joints on my index finger, I was forced to retire from the world of high-stakes hand modeling.
What is one challenge currently facing advertising agencies that they need to address in order to remain relevant? The business is changing every day and agencies need to live at the intersection of marketing, technology and entertainment. As Bruce Mau said, “The prerequisites for growth are the openness to experience events and the willingness to be changed by them.”
What’s been your most embarrassing moment in advertising? You need to develop a thick skin to survive in this business, but one moment that stands out is when I hung up on Lee Clow. At the time, my partner and I were being recruited by Chiat Day. One day, I came back from lunch and there was a message on my desk saying that Lee Clow had called, and there was a number for me to call him back. I assumed it was a joke, but I called the number and the person on the other end said, “Hello, Lee Clow.” I immediately panicked and hung up. Ultimately, I did call back and we had a very nice conversation. We didn’t take the job, but I wished I had kept the number just so I could call him up occasionally and hear him say, “Hello, Lee Clow” and then we could talk a little bit and maybe hang out.
What skills do young creatives need to succeed in advertising today? Take on anything and everything. No assignment is beneath you. Never stop learning, but trust your instincts.
What is the advertising and creative scene like in Detroit? How does it inspire you? I’m inspired on a daily basis by the people who are making a difference in this city. The people who refuse to take no for an answer. The ones who see beauty and opportunity where others don’t. The ones who don’t give up. The ones who aren’t afraid to fail and pick themselves up and start again. Detroit is one of the most interesting cities in the world right now.
Who are some Detroit artists or creatives you find inspiring? Tyree Guyton is a Detroit artist who created the Heidelberg Project, an open-air art project on Detroit’s East Side. Through the power of creativity, he transformed a blighted neighborhood into a wonderland that people come to from around the world to experience. Whenever I’m stuck for an idea, I’ll walk around there for an hour.
Carl Craig is a Grammy-nominated DJ and music producer. His ability to combine musical genres is on a whole different level. We did a presentation together recently at Cannes—#DetroitReboot. For an international superstar, he’s a very unassuming guy.
Then there’s Veronika Scott. As a 23-year old college student, she created a coat that turns into a sleeping bag for the homeless. Now through the Empowerment Plan, she employs formerly homeless women to make the coats, giving them a job that leads them to not being homeless. I find that incredibly inspiring.
Since joining Lowe Campbell Ewald in 2000, Mark Simon has played a huge role in attracting many of the agency’s clients. His campaigns for clients such as Kaiser Permanente, OnStar, The United Navy and Postal Service, USAA and the Ad Council have garnered Simon awards from Cannes, CLIO, The One Show, Communication Arts and London International. Based in Detroit, Simon is passionate about the ways in which great ideas can transform our lives and our communities. “Detroit: Reboot City” was a presentation he made recently at the 2014 Cannes Lions Festival about how creativity and hard work are contributing to the rebirth of the city.
