MELBOURNE: A curious mind is the secret weapon for ad agency staffers wanting to stay ahead of the pack, according to national creative director and vice chairman of DDB Australia, Matt Eastwood.
“I believe curiosity is what makes us great. It's about being open to new ideas. Curiosity encourages us to investigate, interrogate, invent. It's about learning everything you can, such as the advancements in technology like blogs, podcasts and mobisodes and then applying it to our business,” Eastwood told the Melbourne Art Directors Club (MADC) chairman's and finalists lunch yesterday. Eastwood is the chairman of the MADC 2006 jury.
Eastwood spoke for half an hour at the lunch, showing film clips, his favourite ads, graffiti and blog concepts from around the world.
“Being curious is essential for creatives. I know it's a simple concept and there are people who will say 'yeah, this isn't new', but think about it – do we force ourselves to be curious or are we curious by nature? Those who are innately curious are the early adopters, the ones who spot the trends, sniff out new ideas and are in touch with all strata of life.”
Eastwood said curiosity is the key to transforming cultures within agencies and within client businesses.
“I've started the ball rolling by sending out a weekly email called 'What a Great Idea'. It's usually a media-related idea that suggests a way of delivering a marketing message and is an effective tool to awaken curiosity and raising awareness of advancements in our business.”
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