Creativebrief: As President and CEO of Mekanism what is your primary focus?

Jason Harris: I focus on rallying a group of independent creative thinkers and a storyteller around a common goal – and that goal is to make incredibly innovative creative work.  I also lead the vision and future direction of where our collective group will be going next.

Creativebrief: Please share a para on your career to date – specifically talking us through the high points.

Jason Harris: I knew I wanted to be in advertising since I was a kid – ever since I saw the Kool-Aid Man break through a fence. Earlier in my career, I worked at both global (TBWA Chiat Day) and independent shops (Leagas Delaney) and then started my own production company (Plan C) in 2004. We focused on branded content – which was really new at the time – for clients like adidas and Levis. In 2006, we folded Plan C into Mekanism as a way to bring the disciplines of a digital and branded content company together. That turned out to be a really exciting offering to brands. I have been at Mekanism for the last 10 years and I still love (almost) everyday of it.

Creativebrief: What’s unique about your agency / business? Why did you join Mekanism?

Jason Harris: Mekanism was one of the early pioneers of influencer marketing – creating big ideas and then getting influencers like YouTube stars and social media influencers involved in the process of creating and distributing the big idea. Our unique model is that we take an idea from inception through production through distribution. But what is unique about Mekanism is that we are independent thinkers that believe that we can accomplish anything when we work together. That is the spirit that still drives the company today.  We believe in making stories not ads.

Creativebrief: Who are the people new to you (either within your business or externally) who have particularly impressed you in the last twelve months?​​​

Jason Harris: We just brought on a new Chief Strategy Officer, Jason Lonsdale, from Saatchi and Saatchi Sydney and we’re excited about that hire. His body of work is very impressive and Jason adds a global perspective to our work.

And I am always impressed with David Bowie. Just like a great brand, he has continued to evolve over the years yet stay true to his spirit. Next year he is coming out with his 25th studio album (Blackstar) and that is already getting mad buzz and accolades.

Creativebrief: What has been your agency’s best work in the last year?​​​​​

Jason Harris: We’re particularly proud of our work this year on The North Face campaign ‘Never Stop’. It’s a beautifully shot and executed campaign featuring athletes and world travelers shot across the world in places like Alaska and Nepal. The idea is to show the tenacity of the human spirit. ‘Never Stop’ is North Face’s first global brand campaign and we’re proud of the way it has built a real human connection to the brand. It is a beautifully crafted story that is true to the brand.

Creativebrief: Who or what inspires you?​​​

Jason Harris: I’m really inspired by artists and musicians. Kiss is one of my favorite examples of breakthrough marketing. They weren’t just a band; they had personas and created mythology and story around their characters. The story was more important than how technically skilled they were as musicians. Kiss showed the power of great storytelling and entertainment can create a powerful lasting brand. 

Creativebrief: How do you stay in-touch with the industry’s best work and culturally relevant news?

Jason Harris: A combination of seeing and noticing great work in its element, reading about it in outlets likes yours and word of mouth.

Creativebrief: What do you think are going to be the main challenges for agencies in the next two years?

Jason Harris: Agencies are going to have to continue to produce at the rapid pace of consumer media consumption and to continue to adapt to new modes and channels of communication.  The biggest challenge we will all face is how to tell brand stories consistently and simply across dozens of ever expanding outlets.

Creativebrief: How do you see the media landscape unfolding in the next five years?

Jason Harris: We’re going to see more and more branded content and entertainment sponsored by brands – almost a throwback to the old days of radio that was “brought to you by..” The number one podcast this week is the Message, which is produced by GE but has no over or even subliminal GE promotion in there. GE is basically just backing great entertainment that touches on important themes to them – we’re going to see more and more of this. The trick is to weave seamlessly brand stories into sponsorships so that the brand benefit is realized.  

Creativebrief: What’s the best pitch you’ve been involved in?

Jason Harris: One of the most exciting ones was pitching The White House for the It’s On Us campaign — a campaign we worked on last year with the goal of  eliminating sexual assault on college campuses. Pitching our ideas to Vice President Joe Biden was really a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity – and kind of surreal.  This campaign has had a massive cultural impact and has really benefited the vibe of Mekanism.

Creativebrief: In what ways do you think the industry can change for the better?​

Jason Harris: I’m really passionate about the idea of advertisers and the media using their influence for good and to change the world – especially after seeing how much influence the It’s On Us campaign has had. We’ll continue to use our creative force for good this year by working on the It’s On Us campaign and also working with the U.N. on creating marketing around the U.N.’s 17 sustainable development goals, which include ending poverty, eliminating hunger and promoting gender equality. 

Creativebrief: What’s the next big thing for Mekanism?

Jason Harris: You’ll continue to see us doing bold campaigns for clients that feel more like stories than advertising and call on the consumers to get involved.