On My Radar: Clare Styles

Following a three-year stint as creative director at Brand Union, Clare Styles is now well into her first year as ECD at the company. Leading the creative direction for key clients including Jaguar, Land Rover, Vodafone and RBS, she is now responsible for driving creativity throughout the agency.

With a solid creative background, having previously co-founded independent design studio He Said - She Said and with various other creative director roles on her CV, Styles has held a sustained and successful industry career. Below she tells us what's changed since she started out, how the ad game can improve and about some of her favourite things that keep her inspired.

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

Aldi, simple but extremely clever. The ads very quickly and directly address the target consumers’ primary needs—shopping to a budget, but in a human and personable way that everyone can relate to. Aldi is rerunning these at the moment and I still love them even after four years. My favourite is the 'I like gin'.

What website(s) do you use most regularly and why?

Google, Wikipedia—there’s always stuff I need to know! These always help shape and inform my ideas, rather than focussing on other peoples’. Beyond that I use trend focussed sites such as Trendland.

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

Sonos speakers for home. I’m lazy and controlling music via my phone from wherever I am in the house is easier.

Facebook, Instagram or Twitter?

All three, but in peaks and troughs, which normally correlates to how busy I am.

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

Pinterest. My phone is most valuable to me when I’m on the train (minimum 1.5 hours a day) as this is a great time to focus on whichever creative brief is ongoing at the time without interruptions. Although signal failure does its best to scupper my image searching. I’m curious as to why we can’t yet manage uninterrupted Wi-Fi in 2015, one hour out of London!

What’s your favourite TV show and why?

It’s rare for me to religiously watch shows on domestic TV. Personally, I think the quality of regular programming has diminished over the years. Generally it seems as though the strategy is to make more significant but periodic investment into limited run programmes such as Luther, which I loved but at the same time was relieved when it ended.

If I had to say I watched anything regularly, beyond the news, it would be Coronation Street. Not only is it part of popular British culture but it’s part of the fabric of who I am, I grew up with it; it also has geographic relevance. I enjoy the characters and the wit of how their stories are told.

Netflix is generally the thing I watch most regularly, aside from the above, it tends to be whichever is the most talked about show at the time - currently The Good Wife as I have burnt through all the others.

What film do you think everyone should have seen?

I don’t see the need for everyone to see the same thing as we take different things away from them. I also don’t get seeing a film more than once, I’d prefer to see something new. If I had to say one Think Bike—Jimmy Hill is a lesson worth learning.

Where were you when inspiration last struck?

Mauritius, working with a new client. It was more about working with a new client, although the sunshine and the Mauritian backdrop obviously helped.

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

It's faster, meaner, leaner… technology, economy, and a more temporary outlook on what we consume. All of which has seemingly lessened the importance of skill and craft, although I do think this is starting to climb back up the pecking order.

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

[It should] stick to what it is good at.

Tell us one thing about yourself that most people won’t know…

A seal nearly bit my finger off as a child at Flamingo Land!