On My Radar: Mark Simon

Mark Simon is chief creative officer at Detroit-based agency Campbell Ewald and with a career stretching over 20 years his work has garnered gongs from the likes of Cannes to the Clios for a mix of clients.

Simon says his primary focus is on creating real-world results and he advocates the creative philosophy of searching for “human truths" in his work.

Below he reveals some of his inspirations away from the office and ponders why he can't necessarily win every pitch he and his agency strive for.

What’s the best ad campaign you’ve seen recently?

It isn’t necessarily the best ad campaign I’ve seen, but I smile every time I see the Arby’s campaign.

The focus is squarely on the product (a tough thing to do when you’re selling three roast beef sandwiches for $5.00). The choice of Ving Rhames as the VO is inspired. The line, We Have the Meats, is hilarious. Anytime you can get “meat” into a tagline it’s a win.

What’s the most recent piece of tech that you’ve bought and why?

I bought a Henge Dock that allows me to plug everything into one place. It’s the single biggest thing I did to remove clutter from my desk. Unfortunately, I need more than one single thing.

What’s your favourite app on your phone and why?

Find my iPhone. Thankfully it’s on my iPad.

What’s your favourite TV show and why?

Ray Donovan. Because he would be the greatest account person ever.

What film do you think everyone should have seen?

The Big Lebowski. Tattoo it on your forehead.

Where were you when inspiration last struck?

Downtown Detroit. It’s alive with inspiration. All you have to do is walk around.

What’s the most significant change you’ve witnessed in the industry since you started working in it?

The number of times people ask you what the most significant change in the industry is since you started working in it.

If there was one thing you could change about the advertising industry, what would it be?

The way we pitch new business. When an agency wins, clients are effusive in their praise. “You had us at the anthem video.” “Your analytics person is a rock star!” When agencies don’t win, they should understand why not.

They spend an enormous amount of time and money trying to solve clients’ business problems. They set up focus groups. They book travel. They put forth great effort that would have otherwise been dedicated to their existing clients (or families). The least clients can do is spend a fair amount of time giving agencies some insight into why they didn’t win.