Screaming Creativity: The importance of safe spaces while challenging for great work

In this inaugural episode of the WPP-produced podcast, Rob Reilly hosts Ogilvy’s Devika Bulchandani and Mondelēz International’s Jon Halvorson to discuss what they love about the industry and why creativity is the world’s most valuable asset.

The magic and potential of advertising is what lured Jon Halvorson into a career where—as a client—he works with the advertising industry daily. He says everything is possible within the four walls of an advertising agency. Clients buy into that.

Bulchandani—on the other hand—tells a story of immigration and the rejection of the choices that traditionally go with that journey. Her choice—to enter advertising—has made her deliriously happy. She describes advertising as having the art of the possible; as well as achieving the seemingly impossible. It’s all about challenging clients to bring you what has never been done before and wowing them, she says.

Halvorson talks of the desire to be great—as a brand—and the importance of committing to relationships with creative agencies to produce work that is bold and leans unapologetically into an idea. He says, however, it is important the agency can win…and to congratulate them when they do so. But there has to be a sense of safety that comes from the client, says Bulchandani. This is what allows creative teams to be bold.

If the best creative ideas are the ones that land in culture—as Reilly insists—then, he says, they should be loud, loved and spread widely. The secret to creating ideas that the world cannot ignore, says Bulchandani, is simple: a shared ambition that comes from the top. Getting that right does both the right thing for the client and delivers a return for the agency.

Halvorson points out that creativity can take a brand from low single-digit growth to 20% annual growth. This brings opportunities for brands, it opens doors and it creates conversations. But it all relies on a big idea—an idea that you then make stronger.

And this is one of the few industries where new talent can do many things in the pursuit of those great ideas, points out Bulchandani. Art direction, design, using AI —all these things move the world forward; and they can help change policy. This is an industry with the power to make things happen.

And yes, Bulchandani shares a candid tale of what she thought she needed to do growing up to be 'one of the boys', which renders the room speechless. 

Screaming Creativity is available on Spotify, as well as Apple Podcasts, Audible, Google Podcasts and YouTube.