Isn’t it a joke that nobody understands jokes?
The joke is very important. It’s the often the first thing that pops into your head, disguised as the worst thing you could possibly say. It’s not always funny.
They are the truths we often try to avoid. It’s uncomfortable to say them out loud with any sense of propriety. That’s why we make them into jokes.
I take them seriously. In fact, I start every brief with the same question.
“Isn’t it a joke that…”
Without fail, it cuts right to the heart of what people actually care about and finds what moves them. Every idea I’ve sold. Every pitch I’ve won. It always started the same way. Five words that can unlock any brief. It’s worked every time so far.
‘Sam and Suraj are a dream team. They mine killer insights like nobody else. They think big, bold and different. And they're one of the nicest, hardest-working, craft-focused teams in London. I was lucky to work with them. The whole creative department were lucky to work with them. When they're not crafting campaigns for some of the world's biggest entertainment brands, they're devising proactive ideas to take the agency and our partners in bold new directions. They're restless in the very best way. Thank you for everything, Sam and Suraj. I can't wait to see what you do next. I know it'll be massive.’
-Chris Goddard, VP Creative, Jellyfish.
These are nice things people have said about me.
‘You know you're working with a great creative team when their ideas constantly surprise you. And Sam and Suraj were certainly consistently doing that. Always on brief, but brilliantly off the cliche. They are also super pro-active in their approach, so whether it was a brief that they'd go beyond, or a news story they saw an opportunity in, they'd always be pushing their creative ideas to the max. And as if that wasn't enough, they're genuine, honest, super nice guys.’
-Ady Thomas, CD, Jellyfish.
‘Sam and Suraj are the kind of creative team you want to work with, boundless energy, tons of ideas, and a genuine hunger to seek out opportunities wherever they can. I had the pleasure of working directly with them many times and always found their enthusiasm and passion for ideas to be infectious. They're also great lads to be around, polite and a pleasure to work with. If you get the chance, hire them before someone else does!’
-Andy Stone, CD, Jellyfish.
‘Sam & Suraj are everything you want from a young creative team: hungry, smart, brimming with ideas and above all, willing to learn. They bring a huge range of thinking to every WIP and their work at FCB has been bought on several occasions – not least the pitch-winning idea for 32Red. What’s more, they’re great company.
If I ran an agency. I’d hire them.
It’s that simple.’
-Kris Wheater, CD, AMV BBDO.