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Neil French and his short interview

by Public Relations
Tuesday, February 27, 2007. 11:08PM
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Exclusive Highlight on TAXI Design Network Interview with Neil French

What is your perspective on Asian branding and creativity?

Neil French >> I can only talk about the rarefied world of advertising. I’ll sit, spellbound, during the rest of the speeches, believe me. But overall, one can say that Asian advertising is now one of the most potent catalysts for the worldwide industry. If I may be a tad specific, Indian print work, and Thai TV both tend to be really exciting.

How would you describe the Advertising Industry in Asia in general and in Singapore in particular

Neil French >> That question is partly answered above, but one might observe a certain inertia in the Singapore scene… but maybe that’s in comparison with the creative explosion a decade or so ago.

Is there a need for leaders in business, government and the creative industries to converse and converge?

Who can forget Neil French, one of the best and most rebellious international copywriters around, and his "popular" comment in Canada....

Neil French >> Not necessarily. For work to stand out, it must be a tad anarchic, and that runs counter to the general principles of Big Biz and Government.

I like the air of rebellion that pervades the best ad agencies in the world. If a business leader or a government is smart and brave enough to tap that resource, they can gain immeasurably…but only the truly confident can do that. It’s a matter of trust.

How important is irreverence to the creative process?

Neil French >> I think people are deeply tired of hucksterism, and one way to open the hearts and minds of the over-bombarded consumer is to surprise him, and by the trick of self-deprecation, make yourself and your brand more human and accessible.

How do you define creativity?

Neil French>> In advertising, it’s sugar coating the pill. All the skills and tricks of art-direction and copywriting will come to naught if the consumer is not cajoled into taking the damn medicine.

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Comments

 6 shown
Saturday, March 3, 2007. 01:14PM by EXIT3A .com
The role of advertising is to persuade consumers to buy the advertiser’s product/services. Creatives create disparity where there’s parity.
Saturday, March 3, 2007. 06:54AM by Sunil Shibad
I thought Mr French had vanished into the mists of time afterhis misogynist comments. Hmm.. ahh... fame!
Wednesday, February 28, 2007. 01:01PM by Marc Rapp
Tom, so what is the role of creatives? If the objective is to sell, how does selling happen. And not to defend Neil French, there is a truth that hopefully a lot of young women took to heart. All though it's buried under eog. And if it means him being a deush-bag, so be it. This industry is full of good ole boys. And is still a boys club in a lot of respects. Despite whether Neil was ethically right/worng. The statement has effectively pissed enough women off to move a little further and push a little harder.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007. 07:57AM by michael Iva
Neil is now yesterday's French toast because of one comment. So much for his rebellion. Good riddance. (Insightful comment Tom, that's how it is and how it should be.)
Wednesday, February 28, 2007. 06:52AM by Public Relations
I do not find his writing skills rebellious or even the content of his advertising strategy. The only thing/time I find him rebellious is his ego boost bad mouthing about women in advertising. I am sure, you have heard about the misfortunate escapade... He is rebellious for the wrong cause there...speaking of women like that...
Wednesday, February 28, 2007. 05:29AM by EXIT3A .com
Once again, we have a salesman disguised as a poet/artist. Advertising creatives are nothing more than salesmen in t-shirts. Hucksterism is nothing from which to hide. Sell, sell, and sell some more. Advertising’s only purpose is to move products/services. The advertising industry is full of wanna be artists who are only too glad to don the creative moniker. Agreed that some of what advertising purports to do is creative, although climbing a pedestal to spew the finer points of creativity in advertising is a tad on the narcissist side. Like advertising itself, the so-called rebel agencies are merely practitioners of illusion, and sadly, disillusion. There’s nothing rebellious about zagging when others are zigging. It’s merely the other side of the coin. And in advertising, you are either heads or tails.

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