Our Industry Profile takes a look at some of the professionals working across the advertising, ad tech, marketing and media sector in Australia. It aims to shed light on the varying roles and companies across the buzzing industry.
This week we speak to AnalogFolk Sydney executive creative director Richard Morgan.
Time in current role?
In NASA terminology; launch phase.
How would you describe what the company does?
A modern creative agency that creates fame, builds brands and connects audiences across the analog and digital worlds.
What do you do day-to-day?
Create, craft, manage, think, fight fires, shoot for greatness, learn. Repeat.
Define your job in one word:
Icarus-like.
I got into advertising because:
I was interested in too many things to pin down to one thing. Creativity combines many different aspects of the arts and business challenges … and it’s constantly evolving, which I love.
What’s the biggest challenge you face in your role?
Convincing people that greatness isn’t desirable – it’s a necessity.
What’s the biggest industry-wide challenge you’d like to see tackled?
Amidst fundamental change, an industry that’s brilliant, diverse, future facing, effective and sustainable is only possible if it can articulate and ultimately charge for the value it creates. Compared to other professions, it hasn’t, and desperately needs to.
Previous industry related companies you have worked at:
In order: Publicis Mojo, AMV•BBDO, BMF, Holler, DDB, 303 MullenLowe.
Notable campaigns you have worked on?
Captain Risky, XXXX Island, McDonald’s to Maccas.
Who has been a great mentor to you and why?
Fortunately I’ve had many and I sincerely thank them all, but working directly under Warren Brown for seven years was probably my PHD in understanding both the creative and business sides of advertising.
Words of advice for someone wanting a job like yours?
Go as far as you can humanely go. Then go a step beyond. Success is almost inevitable. It’s as key to landing your first job as it is to every single day of your career after, no matter how senior you get.
If I wasn't doing this for a living, I'd be:
Doing something less interesting than this. Hopefully something noble. And skiing in New Zealand.
My mantra is:
The best idea is boss.
My favourite ad is:
There are many, but I do love Nike Write the Future. Adidas had paid countless millions for the World Cup TV rights. Nike took fraction of that budget, poured it all into an epic spot that ran solely online days prior, supported by a grass-roots player’s Write your Future academy and stole the show. A brilliant human truth, beautifully executed.
Music and TV streaming habits?
Apple Music, Netflix, Fetch, Apple TV, SMH, The Guardian.
Tell us one thing people at work don’t know about you?
I’m an amateur musician and play a pretty decent acoustic guitar; often my own compositions, but too often the same Bowie / Neil Young set list on repeat!
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