Richmond – Creative Director Terry Taylor was a guest lecturer at VCU’s vaunted Adcenter today. Addressing a “too cool” crowd of future Maalox-swilling ad geniuses, Terry did two things guaranteed to wow any crowd: He brought food and he broke stuff.
Eager to make the point that bad things can, and do, happen in presentations, he posed the question, “What happens when you’re standing in front of a room full of suits, and this happens?” Terry then tossed a projector across the room, scattering parts and earning a collective “whooooo” from the crowd. “All you’re left with is your idea.” That was the first point he made: Ideas win. Technology doesn’t make someone creative.
Then Terry talked about the #1 reason people last in this business: The ability to be a problem solver. “No matter what part of this business you’re in, you’ll have a long career as long as you can solve problems.”
The next point he stressed was, “Maintain balance in your life.” He told stories of living in hotels for nine months at a time as a freelancer in New York while his three children grew up without him. “You don’t get the time back…so make it count.”
Next up was the reason for the invitation: The MoonPie creative. Terry spoke about the need for authenticity of a brand and that it was especially critical for MoonPie. They had never advertised and if the commercial was not true to the brand, it would ruin 107 years of brand equity.
Terry softened up the audience further when he began tossing MoonPies into the crowd. It was easy to spot the Yankees in the crowd…most had never seen a MoonPie before.
He told the rapt audience that the commercial was made using friends, family and a tight budget. After viewing the ad, the crowd clapped. They got the point that it’s the idea that wins.
A real conversation overheard at A Movable Feast between two students who heard Terry speak:
STUDENT ONE: Wow, that guy was great.
STUDENT TWO: That’s the best speaker we’ve ever had. And he seemed so real!
To see the MoonPie ad, please click here…
