149: Dave Dye on the philosophy behind creating ads people actually enjoy

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This week we just kept on making the logo bigger and bigger (and bigger) until we caught the despairing eye of legendary art director, author and, let’s face it, visual Jesus, Mr Dave Dye.
The art director’s art director, Dave is the architect of some of the coolest advertising you’ve ever seen – with a hit-list of iconic ads for everyone from Adidas to Volkswagen to The Economist. He’s also a champion for advertising with more wit and brains, expertly rummaging back through some forgotten ad masterpieces via his wildly popular blog and podcast, Stuff From The Loft. Finally, he’s the co-author of the excellent The Howard Gossage Show, a book created with another friend of CTA, Steve Harrison.
A guest so entertaining we genuinely forgot there was a running time, Dave shares the stories behind his most memorable campaigns, the lessons we can all learn from past masters, a philosophy that’s all about making ads people enjoy and his optimism for the creative future of the industry.
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Rummage around Dave's Stuff from the Loft
Timestamps
(05:00) - From Paperboy to Trying to Get a Job in Advertising
(08:04) - Creating His Own Ads
(10:25) - Changing the Approach to Cover Letters
(12:33) - Getting Interviews and a Foot in the Door
(20:03) - Being Bold and Distinct in Job Applications
(25:27) – Optimism and Naivety in Advertising
(30:02) - Challenges of Working with Established Brands
(31:18) - The Potential of Digital Advertising
(34:47) - The Origins of Stuff From The Loft
(36:58) - The Purpose of Archiving Work
(40:12) - Transitioning to a Public Archive
(43:10) - Accidental Evolution into Podcasting
(56:50) – Listener Questions
Dave's book recommendations are:
A Self-Help Guide for Copywriters by Dan Nelken
The Howard Gossage Show by Steve Harrison & Dave Dye

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