009: Mandela's '94 Campaign, Smart TV's, and BMW - A Top Creative Director's Journey with Louis Gavin

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Louis Gavin has cultivated a respect for creativity and unique approaches to advertising over his illustrious career. Hear how he was an essential element of Nelson Mandela’s presidential campaign in 1994, worked through the transition to digital advertising in the auto industry, and his thoughts on the best way to be a creative director, leader, and mentor on this episode of The Digital Marketing Mentor.
Episode Highlights

• [13:27] Being a good creative director means being able to overcome your fear of your employees being better than you and being able to shape and influence their approaches, strategies, and styles rather than forcing your own. Creating a culture of learning and mentorship is the best, but it requires a strong, confident leader.
• [20:05] Louis Gavin was a vital element of the advertising campaign for Nelson Mandela and the African National Congress to be elected to the South African presidency in 1994. Their campaign focused on educating many of the people of South Africa about the reality lived by many others and garnering sympathy while also building the image that Mandela was the voice of reason, democracy, and human rights.
• [32:05] Through his work with Wurl, Louis has seen a new approach to advertising, even within the digital age. This new approach can near-immediately aggregate advertising to a given audience who it tracks is watching a streaming program at that moment. This could lead to the lessening importance of creativity, but Louis hopes not because creativity is still where you find the magic in advertising.

Episode Links

• Guest
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
• Wits School of Art
• TBWA/Chiat/Day
• African National Congress
• Wurl

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