Nearly two decades, multiple countries and a string of top agencies have given Blake Crosbie plenty of perspective on what makes a great creative business tick. Now leading TBWA\Sydney and +61, he’s set on building an agency culture that believes in creativity first.
In this week’s Fast 10, B&T’s very own David Hovenden and Crosbie talk all things career highlights, standout work and coming home to build.
1. You’ve had an amazing career, from spending nearly a decade in the US to group managing director at TBWA\Sydney and +61. If you had to pick only one, what would be your career highlight so far?
Blake Crosbie: A moment I will never forget is walking into TBWA\Chiat Day in LA for the first time. As someone that loves creativity, it was a pinch me moment. The work was the best in the world; the calibre of talent was intimidating. As an account guy from NZ, I was woefully overdressed, in a suit and shirt, for an agency run by Lee Clow.
2. Australia’s agency scene versus America’s, what’s the one thing we do better, and the one thing we don’t?
BC: There are pockets of good and bad everywhere. Regardless of geography, we need to lean into ideas that travel. And that is hard to do. With such a fragmented media landscape and a constant battle for consumers attention, you can’t rely on buying your way to relevance.
3. You started at TBWA in the US, working on major brands, then left for Droga5, Anomaly and CHE Proximity. What brought you back?
BC: I love building things. At Droga5 I built an 80+ person team to run Sprint. The chance to build +61 from scratch was a huge appeal, and now taking those learnings and applying them at TBWA is equally as exciting.
4. What’s the hardest part of stepping into a leadership role at an agency that’s had a fair bit of change at the top recently?
BC: Belief. Believing the changes we are making are the right ones. Helping the team who have gone through the change, believe in the new path ahead.
5. I love the work you’ve done for Telstra. What’s your favourite work that you’ve done in the past 12 months?
BC: There are too many to name. The Into Art campaign becoming part of the permanent collection at the NGV was not the plan, but it was incredible. It’s amazing to think there are permanent Telstra “ads” in one of the nation’s most prestigious galleries.
6. As an industry, what’s one thing you would change to make us all better?
BC: We need to remember creativity is a driver of business growth. It has been proven time and again. Yet too often marketing and agencies are seen as a cost to the business. When done correctly, both agency and marketing department work together to create customer and business value.
7. If you could ban one buzzword from the industry permanently, what would it be?
BC: Matching Luggage. It’s not really a buzzword, but it is a lazy way of thinking about an idea within a communication ecosystem.
8. What’s the best career advice you’ve been given?
BC: “Go to places that make great work”. Funnily enough, that was from Brent Smart nearly two decades ago.
9. What’s one thing that’s not on your LinkedIn profile?
BC: I can play the bagpipes. Does that count?
10. Important last question: Do your parents really know what you do?
BC: They know enough to regularly call me to talk about ads they saw on TV, but they don’t see mine because they live in NZ.
Do you know a great agency executive who’d like to get their very own 10 quick questions? Email [email protected].
