From the moment I moved into the Dad bracket, life turned upside down (see Uncommon’s magnificent B&Q spot ‘Flip’) and with it so too my motivations, fears, anxieties; not to mention my reference points into culture and the wider world. All these changes are mad and scary but I can’t deny that they’re a brilliant shakeup for anyone in a creative role. As a Dad I see the world from a new place. Being fortunate enough to become a parent is by no means a comfortable reset, but for all the sleepless nights, poo-stained carpets, and existential crises about one’s own mortality, there are without doubt one or two perks. I no longer read Dazed, remain as dutifully abreast of London’s art galleries or watch quite so many subtitled films, but where one door closes another more parent-centric portal of unexpected reference points has opened. In Parentland, my inspirations are refreshingly new. I may now be knackered, but my stockpile of sources are all the better for it. Have you seen Moana? It’s incredible!

And that’s just the small stuff. The heightened sense of vulnerability, sensitivity, and duty that parents feel when becoming the guardians of little people has a shaping effect on our wider work. Overnight we become obligated and wholly responsible for our children’s needs and dreams. And with this comes the feeling that life is sharper than it used to be - more uncertain. I worry more about ‘big shit’. I try to see this as a good thing - excellent fuel for the melting-pot of day-to-day creative thinking. 

But let me tell you the absolute best thing about being a parent and working in advertising. It’s them. The littl’uns, specifically. When I say goodbye to my creative partner at the end of the day I know I’m coming home to another in the form of my daughter. Don’t tell her, but Tilly is a phenomenal well-spring of ideas in a job that demands a curious mind and an emotional lens on the world. On her day (and I say that, because sometimes she just wants to watch Bluey) her spirit of enquiry and playfulness around a problem is up there with some of the best creatives I’ve ever worked with.

Nb. To be clear, she’s not actually an advertising creative. She’s a 6-year-old with a lateral mind who got a bronze in the egg and spoon yesterday. That last bit she asked me to include.

Kids come at the world differently - they haven’t yet fallen into the routine modes of thought that blight our adult years. And my daughter  wears this quality well. Whether it’s a twist on language caught in conversation or a school drawing that captures life in an innocent new light, it’s phenomenal to see her mind playing with the world around her and express it back in beautifully simple ways. That’s the very essence of advertising after all. Tilly will often ask me “What are you doing today, Dad?” and I love it. Her interest reminds me why I do what I do. It’s a game. A riddle. And every brief is a sport that demands to be played. She loves problem solving as much as I do, so we often kick around “Dad’s work ideas” together. This exercise forces me to reframe the brief, to de-adult it and ask her opinion in a way that she will understand and be able to build on - what would make you want to eat more vegetables, Tills? How would you describe the feeling of being stuck in a traffic jam? Can you draw ‘happy’? Where do cats go at night? What’s the best thing about Christmas? How are fishfingers made? Where’s crypto going to be in five years? Ok, so there are some limits to Daddy/Daughter creativity hour, but still, its scary how even a 5 minute conversation with her about biscuits can lead to the kernel of something worth presenting in a boardroom (yes, I can assure you she gets credit!). With this in mind, it baffles me when precious Creatives cling to that title as though it's somehow only their remit to be the fountain of original thinking. Anyone is capable of creativity, but kids do it every single day. They bring the alchemy just as much as any copywriter or art director. Admittedly, the latter are better at crafting it and massaging client egos, but still, there’s so much to be said for the creative leaps that kids so frequently bring to the conversation. I just wish I could help her in the same way with her homework. From the mouths of babes. Cheers, Tills x