Flo Heiss

CREATIVE DIRECTOR DARE, LONDON, ENGLAND

What do you think are the most important qualities an advertising creative needs—above and beyond being good at their job?

Be interested. Watch everything, read everything, listen to everything, eat, sleep, smell everything—be a sponge. Don’t edit your life. Don’t be a culture snob.

You studied extensively—in Augsburg, Urbino, and the Royal College of Art in London. What did you learn at college that helps you today?

I learned that I don’t have the patience for a proper job such as a graphic designer.

Your agency puts a big effort into recruiting, via the Dareschool project. What are the behaviors and attitudes that make you want to hire a team? Why do some people get hired relatively quickly and others take longer…or maybe never get hired at all?

I am not interested in teams that have “wouldn’t it be great if we did this…” type of ideas. I will hire teams that make big ideas happen. Teams that are daring and realistic at the same time. Admittedly they are as rare as Germans with a sense of humor. Also—make it absolutely clear which part of a campaign you were responsible for. I see so many portfolios from different teams with the same campaign in it. Be honest. I will find out. I know where you live.

Do you think certain types of people are more suited to certain types of agency… or should anyone be able to work anywhere?

I really don’t know—I have been at Dare since 1876.

What’s the hardest thing about being a creative, and what’s the best thing?

The best thing is that you are always “on”—thinking about stuff. The hardest thing is that you can never switch off.

Everyone describes Flo Heiss as one of the “nicest” guys in the industry. Is it important for a creative to be nice?

You need to be able to tell someone in a nice way that their ideas are sh*t.

What is the right time to move agencies?

When you find an agency with that b2b account that no one wants to work on. Move in, make it yours. Or if your CD tells you in a nice way that your ideas are sh*t and you know he’s wrong.

We work in a fun business. But some people claim it is getting less fun than it was. What do you think?

Consumers have become participants. The rules of advertising and marketing have changed. It is more difficult to create cut-through work that engages people. But if you crack a problem and your idea is flying round the globe it’s more rewarding.

You are a prolific conference speaker, awards judge, and industry socializer. Is it important for creatives to “put themselves about”?

Talk to people, learn from your peers and heroes, but don’t take yourself too seriously. It’s only advertising.

Outside interests. Is it essential for a creative to love advertising, or is it healthier if their passions lie elsewhere?

I find creatives with a passion for advertising highly suspicious.

Do you think it makes a difference how a creative person looks or dresses, or does it not matter at all?

Of course it matters. Just look at my impeccable dress sense.

Why do some creatives make it to creative director and others don’t?

Being a good creative doesn’t automatically make you a good creative director. The clue is in the job title. A creative director needs to be able to spot a good idea in a pile of lameness and direct the creative to make it amazing. Some people have a natural ability to do this and some don’t. (I nearly said the creative is the musician in an orchestra and the creative director is the conductor. I am glad I didn’t because that’s such a poor analogy.)