How did you discover your love for creativity and get started in the field? I guess I always had a love for creativity. When I was a kid, I looked up to the older guys doing graffiti and started doing it myself at a very young age. I went on to art school and experimented with a lot of different techniques like film media, lithography and screen printing. I got a job at a printing house, and it was there that I decided I wanted to work in advertising, which is a lot more fun than printing T-shirts.

Tell us about Attaboy Creative, your independent agency based in Copenhagen. What led you to establish Attaboy? The idea at first was to create a collaborative space unbound from the standard structures that defined what advertising was at the time. I believe that creative communication can come in all sizes and forms, and that belief has led to a lot of very different kinds of work. Other than doing campaigns for local brands as well as brands in Tokyo and Dubai, I got to write and publish a book; did a talk show about comedy; wrote sketches for revues, content creators and award shows; and made music videos and all kinds of things that aren’t related to classic advertising—mainly in close proximity to comedy.

What have been some of your favorite projects that you’ve worked on through Attaboy, and how have they changed your perception of what you can accomplish in advertising? We’re working with a local museum where we push the boundaries a lot. Even though the work is considered advertising, it is a lot more experimental, and the more we work with them, the closer we are to creating exhibits rather than simply ads. Last year, we worked on an experiment where we tried to hack the TikTok algorithm, which was part advertising and part a digital experience. It’s amazing to get to work so close to being culturally relevant rather than just a cultural tourist. I believe we need to look at advertising that way; it’s less about jumping the bandwagon and faking coolness and more about being part of—or even driving—a conversation.

Outside of advertising, you’ve started a comedy club in Copenhagen. What has this experience been like for you? Nerve-racking, to be honest. It’s a lot harder than it looks. The thing about standup comedy is you get instant feedback: you can’t hide behind a title or a PowerPoint presentation. Either people laugh, or they don’t. Sometimes you do the same joke in a different club, and you get a completely different response. To whoever is reading this, don’t do that to yourself. But there is also a lot of learning that I bring into advertising work, like don’t overthink the joke, always have a good insight and practice landing the delivery.

In your opinion, how does humor relate to advertising? Why is it important for ads to incorporate comedy? Humor was a staple of advertising for years—and I think it still is. I know purpose took over, but it seems like humor is back. But it’s not as funny as it used to be. I’m constantly trying to get my head around why that is. Did we become less funny? I don’t think so—I think we became too insecure, too afraid to fail.

The best thing we can do is to entertain our audience on behalf of the brands we’re working for, and humor is quite entertaining. Humor lowers people’s guard and creates a bond between brand and viewer, which gives the brand a personality and builds for sticky content. The problem with humor is that everyone thinks they’re funny; sometimes, that creates some not-so-funny ads.

What is one challenge currently facing ad agencies that they need to address in order to remain relevant? To compare standup comedy to advertising, when you’re at a comedy club, it’s almost easier to make people laugh. People who go there are expecting to laugh, so therefore, they laugh easily. When you’re booked for a company Christmas party, nobody really wants you there, and it’s a lot harder to elicit a positive response. You have to be louder. You don’t have time to do a long buildup; you must deliver a setup, then a punchline, a setup, then a punchline, a setup, then a punchline, to keep their attention. It’s tough.

It’s the same with advertising today. Back in the day, people would see our ads on TV or in cinemas, and it would be part of the overall experience. Today, we pop up on YouTube at the most inconvenient time, and people scroll past us. This has caused many advertisers to believe that they need to deliver their core message within the first three seconds. We could also just make greater ads, ones that suit the ways the modern consumer consumes content, where we reframe the way we do storytelling to earn their attention.

If you could choose any product to create an ad for, what would it be and why? I have a funny idea for a digestive health supplement. Please hit me up.

Do you have any advice for creatives just beginning their careers today? Be careful not to get caught up in the echo chamber where you end up doing ads for award shows and miss out on the opportunity to do something that actually matters. In case you misunderstand what I mean, don’t do mediocre work for a big client all year round and then, once a year, do a great scam ad for a nongovernmental organization. Make great work for all clients. ca