Animation by WNW Member Anthony Eslick
We’ve built Working Not Working profiles to be as multifaceted as you are. What that means is they’re aesthetic, adaptable, and can serve a number of roles. Here are our team’s collective thoughts, as well as the basic steps that you should follow to ensure a great profile.
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Coming from a family that spoke about ads at the dinner table with the same air of normalcy as sports, Emily Berger was always destined to become a creative titan. While interning in an ad agency accounting department and hating every second of it, she realized that she wanted to do what the creatives were doing and made it her mission to be like them.
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Our creative community wrote down more than 4,000 names. Here are the fifty agencies, brands, publications, services, stations, studios, tech giants, and more that made the cut, ranked in order.
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Partnering with Nike for the launch of NYC By You is Cultivator, a platform where creative people can tell their story through a unique medium—sneakers. The 28 limited edition sneakers are only available for two weeks.
Read MoreOvershare is a Working Not Working event series and podcast that features honest conversations with our favorite creatives about the tough stuff we don't talk about in public often enough. As Mental Health Awareness Month comes to a close, we're sharing Episode 7, which celebrates a project that builds awareness year-round. This conversation couldn't be closer to capturing what Overshare is all about. WNW Member #103 Sara Shelton sat down with our friend Claire Wasserman, founder of Ladies Get Paid, about her brave and very necessary project We Get Depressed. Having battled depression herself, and losing her brother to it, Sara knows better than anyone the importance of starting a cause that directly tackles one of depression’s false and most dangerous calling cards: that you're alone in your depression.
You can listen to the entire conversation on our podcast, sponsored by FreshBooks. Subscribe to Overshare on iTunes, and listen to all the other Overshare episodes with any other podcasting app via our RSS feed or follow us on Spotify.
Below, you can also read our Magazine interview with Sara from January 2016, when We Get Depressed was just getting started.
"I was walking my dog, thinking about how, statistically speaking, I was walking by tons of people who get depressed. And wouldn’t it be comforting to just know who they were, so we could do a little nod, like, 'Yep, I get you.' When I got home from that walk, I bought the URL for We Get Depressed, googled 'how to build an online store,' and now here we are."
In the interview below, Sara also discusses depression's link with creativity: "We’re thinkers! We over analyze and question things and sweat all the details... I try to think of it as a package deal. Being creative means that sometimes, I’ll struggle with depression. But it also means that sometimes, I’ll get to feel funny and smart and excited to make things. I try hard to be okay with that package because, for one, I don’t have a choice - I’m stuck with myself. But also because when I’m in a good place, I really like getting to be me."
Get your t-shirt here to let others know they're not alone.
Tell us a little bit about your background. Who is Sara Shelton and how did she get here? How did you become a copywriter?
I wasn’t lucky enough to be one of those kids who knew what they wanted to be when they grew up. All I knew was that I wanted to do something creative, something I cared about, and something that I could do while wearing sneakers. After growing up in Texas, I eventually found my way to Ft Lauderdale (okay, I moved there for a dude) and finished up my degree in Communications.
When I set out to find my first real job, I immediately regretted majoring in Communications. I hadn’t learned how to DO anything. But I loved writing, so I made a list of every film company, editorial house, and ad agency within 50 miles of where I lived, and started knocking on doors. My first job was as a personal assistant at a tiny, three-person ad agency. Then I moved to what I thought was a more legit agency, only to discover that it was basically scamming people with those “Click Here and Get a Free iPod” web banners. (Sorry, everyone).
My uncle is a copywriter, so I talked to him and he said, “you’re not really working in advertising, you know.” He told me about copywriting, and about Miami Ad School. I wasn’t too thrilled about going back to school, but I decided to give it a shot. After my first quarter in ad school, I was like, “okay, I love this and I want to be really good at this.” So I put my head down and got to work.
What do you do when “Not Working”?
There’s nothing I love more than sitting in a bar with funny friends laughing about dumb shit. I’m also a big lover of comedy. I’m so fascinated by standup, although I’ve never performed it. I used to do a lot of improv, but being part of a group is a huge commitment… and agency life makes that really difficult. So now I just perform in storytelling shows from time to time. It’s not as popular of an art form, but I love it. You should check it out! I also have this really awesome pitbull named Thor who I wander around Brooklyn with quite a bit. I can be a bit of a hermit, so it’s nice that he forces me to get out of the house. I actually had the idea for We Get Depressed while I was out walking him.
What led you to start this project?
Depression has been a “thing” in my life since I was in high school. I lost my brother to suicide when I was 16, so I’ve spent years thinking about his depression, and playing out ways I could have saved him. But since then, I’ve also struggled with my own depression, so it’s always top of mind. There was a time about four years ago when I had just moved to LA and out of nowhere, I got really depressed. Like, really depressed. I remember meeting my aunt for dinner and just hoping she’d be able to tell because I was too embarrassed to bring it up. Luckily, she noticed immediately, and she and my cousin put me in touch with a professional. I got on medication for a while, and once I was feeling better, I thought a lot about how ashamed I had felt for feeling depressed. I didn’t want to inconvenience anyone with my problem, and I was honestly too exhausted to google “therapists in Santa Monica”. Keeping it a secret had been so important to me, which in hindsight felt really messed up.
So when Robin Williams died last year, I posted something on Facebook, encouraging friends to get help if they need it. The last part of it said, “And don’t think, for a second, you’re alone. There’s probably more of us than there are of them, just no one ever talks about it.” I got so many messages about that post. Friends basically saying “hey, that’s really brave of you to admit that you get depressed. Nobody knows this, but I’ve struggled with it too.” I realized admitting it wasn’t just a problem for me, but for others as well.
Then a few months ago, I was walking my dog and thinking about how, statistically speaking, I was walking by tons of people who get depressed. And wouldn’t it be comforting to just know who they were, so we could do a little nod, like, “Yep, I get you.” When I got home from that walk, I bought the URL for We Get Depressed, googled “how to build an online store,” and now here we are.
We Get Depressed directly tackles one of depression’s false calling cards, that we’re alone in our depression. Do you see that feeling of loneliness in feeling alone as the most dangerous effect of depression?
I do, and social media doesn’t help. Online, we all present ourselves as these perfect people loving every moment. Depression makes you feel like you’re the only one on the planet who’s such a mess, so you go out of your way to hide it from all your “perfect” friends. Which, I’m telling you, is absolutely exhausting. And only makes it worse.
There seems to be a general consensus that depression is particularly prevalent in creative individuals. Why do you think this is? How has your creativity helped keep depression at bay? And how has your creativity perhaps opened the door to depression?
Because we’re thinkers! We over analyze and question things and sweat all the details. Creative people have heightened emotions. Sometimes that can work to our advantage, and other times it’s the opposite. That’s just the way it is. So I try to think of it as a package deal. Being creative means that sometimes, I’ll struggle with depression. But it also means that sometimes, I’ll get to feel funny and smart and excited to make things. I try hard to be okay with that package because, for one, I don’t have a choice - I’m stuck with myself. But also because when I’m in a good place, I really like getting to be me.
What’s been the reaction since you started this project? Any unexpected effects from sharing it?
The support has been so reassuring. Not only are people buying the shirt, but they’re wearing it. I found wearing it to be a bit intimidating at first, so I’ve been really inspired by those who throw it on like it’s nothing. It makes me feel like I’m a part of something, rather than just a lone wolf trying to make a point. One thing I wasn’t expecting to happen was how many people would reach out to me, and share their personal experiences with depression. People seem to really want to open up about it. Makes sense, because it feels pretty liberating.
What are some top tips you can give to fellow WNW members who suffer from depression?
I don’t know if I’m qualified to give tips, but here are some things I wish I was better at:
Who are some other WNW members whose work you admire, and why?
There are so many! I’ve always admired Brian Moore, Rahul Panchal, and Graham Douglas for each having this fearless attitude towards making ideas happen. I’m a big fan of Tommy Noonan and his new bodega project. I’m obsessed with Donnell Johnson’s writing. And nobody has a better eye than Elizabeth Dilk. Anything she lays out, I want to buy.
Whether you were homecoming queen or thought high school royally sucked, there seems to be a consensus that what you learn in the classroom often fails to prepare you for what comes next. "XQ: The Super School Project" looks to change that by entirely rethinking high school. Funded by Laurene Powell Jobs and Emerson Collective, XQ is a $50 million initiative whose goal is to inspire educators and students, as well as leaders from other sectors, to brainstorm, build, and implement new approaches to high school education in an ever-shifting world.
We spoke to WNW Members #9904 Heather Larimer and #10213 Danielle Flagg, who (with a lot of talented support) were tasked with the tall order of creating the brand and voice of XQ. Their goal was to establish an identity that would engage the national community to weigh in on how to evolve high school education from its archaic, factory-based model. It's great to hear that Heather and Danielle, who put so much of themselves into this project, were given just as much in return. As Heather puts it, "I really felt like it was the most holistic, brain-stretching experience of my entire career, or uh, career(s)." Danielle adds, "It’s ironic that this brand is about rethinking education, about teaching and learning--because the process of building this brand radically 'schooled' me (in a good way)."
Heather: I’ve been a copywriter for about ten years, but before that I’ve been a journalist, a fiction writer, and a writing instructor at a community college. So working on this project was such an incredible, almost serendipitous opportunity for me. I was able to bring a very unique set of skills to the table: the journalistic ability to find a compelling angle and tell a story in a powerful and well-paced way, my first-hand experience with how badly our high schools are failing to educate kids, and then brand-building, conceptual, and copywriting skills. I really felt like it was the most holistic, brain-stretching experience of my entire career, or uh, career(s).
Danielle: I have been in Adlandia for 25+ years, After graduating with an art history degree from a liberal arts college, I began as a creative director’s assistant in NYC, then became the first employee of a creative start-up, where I did a crazy range of things: interior design, HR, office management, I.T., eventually honing in on design and art direction. Next was Wieden+Kennedy for 17 years, followed by 6 months in Ethiopia on the Nike Foundation Girl Effect, and most recently TBWA\Media Arts Lab (Apple) and MAL\FORGOOD! I’ve realized over the course of my career that I gravitate towards chaos, situations that require a lot of spontaneity, multifaceted skills, and CAN DO spirit. The XQ Project fits my life’s path perfectly in this respect! It was constantly evolving, always challenging, and so meaningful. It’s ironic that this brand is about rethinking education, about teaching and learning because the process of building this brand radically “schooled” me (in a good way).
Finding the right name was like threading a needle at arms’ length; it took us months! The education field is pretty cluttered with names. We wanted something modern, enduring, and even “curious”, that didn’t sound like a “product” or, conversely, a government initiative. We had epic naming sessions and, in one of them, Member #1880 Kevin Li threw out the odd-sounding term "XQ." We then started thinking of that as an interesting way of delineating knowledge that diverges from the “fixed” notions of IQ or EQ. To be successful today, students need knowledge that's variable, and flexible, not static or easily quantified--but that’s not what they’re getting in public high school. The ambition of the project is to create a new, more relevant kind of learning and knowledge. And in doing so, supercharge our schools for the future.
It’s such a rare opportunity to do a piece this length vs. an “ad”. So that was thrilling, to be able to tell a deep story, and pose an argument. We knew that this video would potentially get used in a variety of ways: to pitch to policymakers and activists, to explain the project to people in the field, to galvanize constituents, etc. So, we felt that the two most important things to establish were that A) American Public high school is in crisis, totally failing to prepare kids for the future, AND that B) the crisis of high school has a massive impact on the entire world- on global technology, public health, economic stability, and so on. Visually, it was interesting to try to find images that were inspiring but not directive or overly specific. Because the whole point of the project is that NO ONE really knows what a Super School will look like--it’s all going to be new and revolutionary. The process of the video was intensely educational for us—we didn’t know how antiquated the system was, or how well-meaning and democratically minded its origins were. Once we started to learn the real story, we felt so passionate about telling the world how ineffective this vital public system is. We really put our hearts into it!
So many things. Working together was incredible; we learned a ton from each other, and had such complementary strengths. Both of us came from Wieden+Kennedy, so we had a shared language and approach that was really important when things got intense. It almost felt like we were bringing a metaphorical baby into the world, with all the ups and downs and a total inability to “let go” (ha!) And the agency MAL\FORGOOD, and our incredible clients at Emerson Collective, are mostly women. Brilliant, passionate, creative women. It was so completely enlivening to be able to spend time with them and put our brains together on such a critically important project.
There were so many elements to the building of the brand. The look and feel needed to be fairly consistent overall, but the campaign storytelling started with Jessica Williams “landing” in New York City as an urban astronaut, rallying people to wake up and see how damaged this system is (through confrontational humor). So while her parts were fun, the longer format piece needed to be more educational; the social needed to feel intriguing and friendly, but pack a punch. The campaign’s job was to ultimately engage the national community to weigh in on how education needs to change.
The whole vernacular is an optimistic, playful, modern, even “fun” take on the future of education. Visually, #4750 Max Erdenberger and Megan McGinley worked on the brand identity and they were very drawn to the feeling of stencils, which are by nature democratic, scrappy, ad-hoc. #10348 Mike Calvert - the lead art director who blew out the brand design, logo, and campaign - created something that feels as if it being immediately constructed, always evolving, modular. Member #8840 Christian Laniosz made it a conversational and compelling interactive experience. The language needed to be arresting; for example, the headline "America, We Have a Problem." Eventually, we were able to land on the universal call to action as RETHINK HIGH SCHOOL—which is inviting and spotlights some of the systemic problems. We rotated that construct to include lines like, RETHINK SEAT TIME; RETHINK MEMORIZATION. Linda Knight helped spark this direction and #5527 Cat Doran was instrumental in developing the voice and tone.
We both want to be explicitly clear that these were our individual experiences and in no way representative of the brand or opinions of our client or MAL\FORGOOD.
HL: I went to a great public high school in downtown Omaha. It was the best school in the state, housed in the beautiful former state capitol, and anyone in the city could go there. I had a great high school experience, but I learned so much about the state of public high school by teaching community college students for six years. I was disturbed by what they didn’t know, but I was far more disturbed at how deeply they had internalized their negative experiences- they believed that school was stupid, that they were stupid, that teachers were adversaries, and that learning was something to be avoided. When I saw how little positive input it took to turn someone around, it made me realize that they hadn’t been connecting with any of their teachers. That said, it’s dangerously simplistic to blame teachers, who are every bit as victimized by the system as students are.
DF: I did not know the depths of this archaic system until delving into this project. I knew that unfortunately people have to move their entire family or rent a zip code to get their child into a passable and supportive public high school that would prepare them for college. My high school and junior high experiences were both uniquely great, but were not public. I credit my learning to not only creative environments and exposure to new and interesting ways of thinking, but to my extremely impactful teachers. I also was surrounded by great sports programs, which I feel are a huge influence on learning and human dynamics/leadership.
Again, we are speaking from our personal observations, not the position of the brand or our client.
Money does not appear to be the problem. That’s the greatest misconception. We learned early on in the project that the world “experimental” is not a word any parent wants to hear. As much as people love the idea of a cutting-edge education, no one wants to be a guinea pig. So it seems fear has been a huge factor. And then, there’s standardization and measurement which were once really important tools of democracy, designed to guarantee equal education for all. Now those same well-intentioned ideals are a huge obstacle to change.
We'd like to extend a warm WNW welcome to the following Creative Circus graduates! They may be taken already (these grads got snapped up quick!) but we wanted to get them on your radar as they are some of the superstars of the future. Creative Circus gave us the low-down on each student and suffice to say, we recommend adding them to your WNW Dashboard now.
Be sure to mark your calendar for the Creative Circus portfolio review on September 24th and 25th.
"Give her a blank piece of paper and she will make it into something so cool Anthropologie will contract her for life."
"He was just an intern when he came up with the bucket list campaign for WaterisLife that won a Gold Cannes Lion last year… no big deal."
"First campaign out of the nest, and this is what he worked on…Beats by Dre, PowerBeats2. No biggie."
"Curly redhead from Texas who drove a 6.0 Mustang and wrote like the devil."
"Hard working creative, even harder working creative in a team. Hardest working creative ever."
"It's all good in this book, especially the Cannes Lion Bronz Xfinity, Rock the Vote,Typefaces, Flat Butts….."
"Think she is in your circle of trust already and rightfully so."
