Marcus Willis founded Kill Boring Dead in 2015 after a decade running a safe agency that slowly crushed his soul. Since then he has built a social-first creative agency that has picked up a Webby and, by his own account, survived 10,000 disasters without missing a beat.
In this week’s The Fast 10, B&T’s very own Greg ‘Sparrow’ Graham and Marcus Willis delved into career disasters, boring agencies and why Kill Boring Dead is exactly what it sounds like.
1. You’ve had an awesome career in digital marketing, from a social media agency owner to now as CEO/Founder of Kill Boring Dead. If you had to pick only one, what would be your career highlight so far?
Basically my career highlight is not walking into the ocean and getting to this EXACT point.
There have been so so many shit shows, Covid, getting fired by our biggest clients and countless others…
Early on in my career it might have taken me months or weeks to recover, but today it’s short, maybe 24 hours, a walk or sometimes in minutes.
I’m really proud of that, my ability to synthesise the lesson and bounce forward with a positive perspective. It’s taken over 10,000 disasters but I’m proud to announce: nothing fazes me. This feels freeing and is truly my ongoing career highlight, operating in a flow state. Plus, there was the first time we won a pitch against Publicis….
2. What’s the backstory to your name – Kill Boring Dead ?
I was in the bath, Jackson, my Co-Founder (and fiancé) was sitting opposite, possibly sketching me, I can’t remember exactly. And we just so happened to utter the words ‘Kill Boring Dead’ and we immediately knew that we needed to burn everything to the ground and buy a domain.
But to get to that point, I had to run a safe, mediocre and polite agency for a DECADE, one that slowly crushed my soul. The name is a reminder: if it’s too boring for too long, kill it. One of my top 5 memorable baths.
3. I love that you repel 99% of clients. What attracts the other 1%?
They like the fact that we’re not like anyone else they’ve ever worked with. Plus, we’re really positive and nice to be around because good ideas don’t come right after you’ve been crying.
We want our workplace to be fun and engaging for everyone here. We’re a creative agency, not an accountant. If the people making the work aren’t enjoying it, the audience won’t either, or the client. So our focus is mostly protecting that energy and then the clients naturally come to us.
4. As a young boy, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I never wanted to be anything. I liked making stuff. Doing stuff. I loved music, magic, cars, art, ideas, dogs, performance, photography, making movies, swimming. That’s what I wanted to be doing. That’s still what I’m doing!
5. You won a Webby for the Loctite’s Museum of Second Chances. What made the work a winner?
Yep. It’s weird and unexpected. You wouldn’t expect a brand like Loctite to do something like this, and that’s exactly why it worked. Massive thanks to the people at Loctite for going along with our wacky idea. The best work always needs a brave client, and they were it. And congrats to the incredible Kill Boring Dead team too – proof that nothing should be boring. And thanks to the Webby’s for hosting us, and for graciously accepting our apology about the after-after-after-party incident.
6. You would never be described as beige. What’s your leadership style?
The only thing I care about is money and productivity. I like to squeeze my creative and talented people into a system they didn’t design and don’t fully understand so that they lose all motivation to go above and beyond. That way they’re exhausted and frustrated and unsure of the future.
This combo of fear and lament generally gives me the lacklustre and safe ideas that my clients come to me for.
7. Please share a recent example of how you are driving client growth in a tough market?
Creativity is at its best in a tough market, it’s exciting for us. Right now, buying more media isn’t gonna get brands through this next period.
We’re putting established brands on non traditional platforms and in front of audiences they’d normally never touch. More and more niche, across every corner of the internet. That’s where attention is now, so that’s where we take them. Plus, creativity, ya know, kinda makes everything work better too which is a huge lever we can pull right now to nail growth.
8. What’s the best career advice you’ve ever been given?
I was at a restaurant buying an ashtray and I spontaneously asked the waitress to sign it for me.
She wrote: “Enjoy it while you can”
She didn’t offer an explanation and seemed to disappear right after. But this seems like extremely solid advice. I’m tempted to get a tattoo of this but probably won’t.
9. What’s one thing that’s not on your LinkedIn profile?
Most things about me. I love reading, yoga, spirituality, UFOs, meditation, the ocean, Lego, and loving dogs without owning any of them.
10. Important last question: Do your parents really know what you do?
My Mum’s primary focus is when I’m gonna get married, if you’re reading this Mum, I run a social first creative agency called Kill Boring Dead that I’m wildly passionate about and we still don’t have a date for the wedding.
Dad, if you’re reading this, I saw your message, will give you a buzz this Friday arvo. GO THE TIGERS!
