Kyle Swoyer

Creatives promoted to leadership roles, but aren't mentored on how to manage/lead can harm the work their teams put out. How? Struggling to connect and manage the needs of their direct reports --> leads to frustrated creatives who don't feel understood or heard --> which leads to lower motivation and performance --> which leads to poor creative output --> and can eventually lead to losing great creatives to other opportunities. Help your new creative leaders grow into the amazing managers they're meant to be by setting them up for success.

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You'll want to check out the #RealChemPod covering some of my favorite things from some amazing creative colleagues (hey Frank Mazzola | Tom Richards | Lauren Pollina | Christopher Charles 😎 ). I promise, despite the title, this convo isn't (all) about Cannes. It's about moving the industry forward, crafting work that makes an impact, and positively helping the lives of patients. If you're at all interested in the magic that happens when you purposefully mix creativity, marketing, and healthcare, tap this link right here: https://bit.ly/3XNhcgz

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It seems that Instagram is dead as a creative networking tool. In a recent Creative Boom article, a poll held on X spelled it out: "When asked, 'Is Instagram dying for creatives in terms of reach and engagement?' a staggering 75.8% of you replied yes, with only 11.9% believing 'It's still good' and 12.4% saying 'It's the same.'" So, what does work? Going back to the good old person-to-person contact. Go to events, talk to real humans, have a portfolio ready to show when needed. Know your worth and your expertise area. In a time when nobody can trust what we see online as having been created by an actual human, creative marketing needs to fall back on the basics. Do you still use Instagram for your marketing, and is it working? Or have you started to transition to new tactics? https://lnkd.in/e6X7r-mF

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NEED // FREELANCE BRANDING CD We’re building a new category brand for a big client. We’ve got 3 brand territories defined on paper, but need an experienced, easy-to-love, just-gets-on-with-it CD to write them up and Art Direct the hell out of them so we can quickly test them. Bog standard stuff. Write up a manifesto. Lock down design, type, and imagery approaches. Put together mood boards and light mood film for testing (we’ll have an editor, unless you can rock that too). This is about building the initial brand idea before even going into brand identity design phases — so brand Platform work, not brand Advertising work. Just putting ideas in front of peeps to see if they like the one that does “this”, or the one that does “that”. 'Think Different' or 'Just do it' kinda thing. Starting in the next week.  If available or know someone, please share book in comments. ❤️ 

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I was lucky to have 1 or 2 CDs & an EVP mentor who actually *taught* me how to be better at my craft, even in the midst of being a workhorse creative. I’m lucky to have an example to call on. As we become more seasoned creatives & leaders, it is our job to help juniors strengthen their creative muscles & navigate these wild waters. We can’t be out here using & abusing creatives just to make the assets without helping them learn & sharpen their skills. That’s how you leave them with atrophied muscles, dull instincts & likely a team with open roles. Being a good creative leader requires more than other departments may require. In ways that data can’t always measure.

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Remember that big Netflix gamble with ads? Looks like it's paying off! 🤑💸 Those mid-show ad breaks we've all gotten used to (or maybe not so used to) are finally contributing some serious cash to Netflix's piggy bank. Their ad-supported membership is a key driver of their profit margin growth. This isn't just about the money, though. It seems a whole new wave of viewers are choosing the ad plan, especially those who might be a little more price-conscious. This means Netflix is reaching a wider audience than ever before! Sure, the average revenue per user (ARPU) isn't skyrocketing yet, but things will pick up as they build a stronger ad tech platform. Think of it like this: Netflix is building a toolbox specifically for advertisers. Better targeting, personalization, and measurement? Check, check, check! This will make Netflix ads even more attractive to brands, giving them more ways to reach the viewers they want. Ultimately, this is a win-win for everyone: Netflix gets a new revenue stream, advertisers get a wider reach, and viewers (hopefully!) get content they love (with a few ads sprinkled in). What do you think about Netflix's ad strategy? Is it a smart move, or are you still on Team Ad-Free? #netflix #advertising #adtech #streaming

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Some people are into vegetables. And some people are REALLY into vegetables. ( Im not either of those people...) Check out some fun new work me and Kyle Douglas Harrison got to make with Instacart!! As a freelancer, it’s so amazing to see your work come to life, especially when the idea starts as, “what if we make a campaign about people who are, like, weirdly into vegetables? That could be funny, right?”” Check out the whole series here! #advertising #work #creativeindustry #instacart #design

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Strong writing can entice people to shrug at low production value.

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Do you have an in-house creative team and need a Creative Director to nourish their talent but have limited budget? What I’m offering will help, and it’s different from other fractional Creative Directors in that I will mentor your creative team to evolve their skills and capabilities rather than do the work. For me it’s about using my decades of skills to help other creatives reach their full potential for you, your clients and your bottom line. My mentor programme is about supporting your people to fulfil the work you need to the highest level. What’s the ROI?… - No need to employ a full time creative director - Ongoing design development for your studio - Greater team creativity and capability - Improved client design work - Increase in team efficiency - Better employee retention - Culture development and team bonding I have a 1 pager that I can share if you’d like to know more and can’t wait to help you. #CreativeMentor #Fractional #CreativeDirector

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NEW EPISODE!! Ep. 12 // Bop Sh’Bop, Little Shop thebrandmuffin.net It wasn’t so long ago that if you wanted to do the best work, you went with the big shop. Larger agencies always had the upper hand. More budget. More resources. More three-martini lunches. But as tools and technologies are increasingly democratized, smaller teams are leveling the playing field. And brands are shifting dollars to engage more niche agencies who aren’t necessarily full-service, but fully capable of getting the job done. So while we don’t expect big agencies to go anywhere, when it comes to opportunities for the “little shop”, we suddenly see more.

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Are non-disclosure agreements a must in the creative industry? I don’t think so. At least - not every time. Because of an NDA, some of my best work won’t be shared, ever. I get it, pretty much anyone in the creative industry faces this. But does it have to be that way? I understand there’s sensitive business information. But most often, an agreement is so strict that creatives can’t even mention the client, let alone show a snippet of their work. I’d say everyone benefits from sharing: you, as a client, get extra publicity for the amazing work we’ve done together, and I, as an expert in my field, get more amazing clients like you. ❤️ What do you say about strict non-disclosure agreements in the creative industry: yes or no?

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Struggling to break down silos and achieve brand consistency across departments? Join The Unified Brand Podcast this week as we chat with Hugo Timm, Senior Creative at Frontify and former Design Director at WeTransfer and BBC Creative. Hugo dives deep into the challenges and solutions for building a strong, consistent brand in today's digital world. Listen to the full episode and learn how to break down silos and unify your brand experience: https://lnkd.in/e-8Qwjag #BrandManagement #InternalBranding #MarketingStrategy #DesignThinking #TheUnifiedBrandPodcast

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Really loving that the in-house creative model is gaining steam. Our recent survey with MMA Global found that 30% of marketers moved creative work in-house in the last year, and another 30% plan to in the coming year. Nobody understands the soul of a brand better than those inside it, so I'm a big believer in this model. Building in-house means you can continually evolve and better a brand – and your own craft – with every project. But one thing I’ve learned is that it’s easy to fall into the trap of drinking your own champagne. That’s why pressure testing is so crucial. At Canva, we threw out the traditional ad making playbook, and instead decided to apply the same testing strategies from our product building playbook instead. One example of that is how create lo-fi prototypes of our ads, put them through testing with people outside of the creative studio walls, iterate and test again. This is one of the ways it helps build creative that’s as easy to comprehend as our product is easy to use. For other #marketers and #creatives leading with the in-house agency model approach, how do you ensure checks and balances and pressure-test ideas?

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The sad thing is I have been told by too many people over the years that they have received this response, I even got it early in my career. Leading creative people is not an easy job, but if you’re not cut out for it get out of the hot seat. Many are great at the role and some suck at it. The ones that suck at it are not only damaging people’s careers they are also damaging the agency and doing a disservice to the clients. The second part of the title is the most important - ‘Director’. Imagine a feature film shoot. An A-grade actor is in front of the camera and does a scene, it doesn’t work out and the top-notch Director says - “Nah, don’t like it, keep trying.” It wouldn’t happen. The Director would give “direction”, explain why the scene isn’t working, and give some inspiration to help guide the actor towards delivering the best performance possible. Also, the Director would not suddenly jump in front of the camera and take over and do the acting themself. Something some Creative Directors sometimes do, even from the outset. An agency Creative Director needs to behave the same as a top film Director and ‘direct’, the majority do this, but alas there are many who don’t, and that leads to dissatisfaction from creative people who are missing out on growing their careers. Whenever I am asked by people I mentor and coach what they should do when they find themselves working under a crap Creative Director, my advice is always - “Start looking for a new job with a Creative Director who knows what they are doing.” Titles are not just titles, they are responsibilities. Work with the people who take the role seriously, you’ll learn a lot from them and grow, and in fact, they will also learn and grow by leading you. It’s a win-win for all. ⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡ If you’re looking for creative coaching and guidance, I work with people looking to take the step up to leadership and with those who have suddenly found themselves in the role and want to get it right. I have a couple of openings for June, get in touch and we’ll chat. #creativity #creativedirector #creativecoach #creativecareers

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Maven Creative out here designing super solid brand work that was just featured on industry powerhouse The Brand Identity. 💅 The featured work we did on Breaking is some of our best. And the abbreviated timeframe we had to name the company, define the brand voice and messaging, create a visual identity, and bring it all to life across a website made this entire project truly exceptional. It was a fun, challenging, and sometimes chaotic sprint to bring it all to life. Understandably, a lot was at stake. A company and brand situated at the heart of the bio-tech world that has immense potential to change the landscape of plastic waste. A macro problem with a micro solution. If you're into legit design work, check out the case study link below and head over to Breaking.com to learn more about the work they are doing. Hold on to your butts! https://lnkd.in/e3_PZQm3

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It’s been 6 months since I became a full-time freelancer. It has been extremely powerful taking ownership of my work and time, and I’ve learned countless lessons. But, here are my favorites: 🌎The world is small: You never know who you’ll reconnect with down the road! First (and second and third and fourth) impressions matter; how you treat people is the foundation of making new connections, which leads to building work that you love. ✏️Lists are your best friend: time-management, journaling, prioritizing tasks. Putting down on paper what needs to get done—but also *how* to achieve it, will keep your brain clear and your energy focused on staying creative. 🙏Be open to surprises: It feels easy to want to hustle and chase every new opportunity. But sometimes, letting go will make space for the right opportunity to find YOU. Perfect example? I recently had the opportunity with BroadwayWorld.com to chat with James Whiteside—something I’m so proud of and also, makes way for similar opportunities in the future: https://lnkd.in/eAkVwbtZ  

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i've cycled through i don't know how many positions, industries, agencies (3 of them being my own). i've felt ashamed that i haven't stuck to one thing long enough to reap the rewards, to be fully supported, to create stability for myself. throughout the journey, i've felt bold, confident, terrified, insecure. i've brought in 6 figures some years and barely crossed the poverty line others. i've struggled so much not understanding how no one else seemed to be struggling like me. learning about my autism and adhd (among a bunch of other things) has given me perspective, compassion, understanding. but it's also given me grief. it's given me "what ifs", it's given me "what now". i've always given 150% of myself towards work, and then blamed myself when after a few months, i inevitably burned out. i've always dove headfirst into a challenge, learning everything there is to know, tracing patterns, marking gaps, and drawing out solutions, but then blamed myself when clients/managers/founders preferred sticking to the ways that didn't work because the way i thought was "brilliant! but... too different for us". i've always felt confused. what's wrong with me? so this morning, my therapist asked me, "is it neurodivergent friendly?" when i brought up my recent lack of clarity around where to be putting in the hyperfocus, the energy, the limited (and, in many ways, unlimited) capacity i have. instead of asking myself — "what can i gain?" — he offered a reframe. "what are the costs? what forms of distress am i willing to tolerate?" i've done incredible work for incredible people — and often, it's come at a great cost to me. there's nothing wrong with me. i haven't failed (and i really don't feel like i have - i've gotten to live the things of my dreams!). it's the system, the expectations, the culture that's failed me - and everyone else whose brain works like mine does. what does it look like to center myself, instead of centering the expectations i've internalized? what does it look like to trust myself, instead of believing i'm "too antsy / rebellious / sensitive" to have stability? what does it look like to only work with those who want exactly what i have to offer, and not those who want me to change for their comfort? ... i'm not sure yet. but i'm excited/terrified to find out if you've got any tips, they're very welcome 🤗 (me dressed in dopamine with my squish ball)

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Imagine an orchestra with a rather unconventional conductor at the helm—a dog and its waggling tail! It’s definitely going to be emotional. Why? What makes dogs wag their tail is their inner feelings of joy, anxiety, agitation, excitement, etc. Each wag would mean a new tempo, a new rhythm for the orchestra. In others, it’s going to be a kind of Music of Suprise, where the instrumentalist are not sure of what to expect😃 Just a quick question, who would own the copyright?😂 This experiment was created by Pedigree, a dog food production company. #MarketingCampaigns #Advertising

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Success is in the details.

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