Patrick Collister‘s class was pretty eye-opening, and I wanted to share some of the cool stuff I learned:

First off, we talked about how important it is to get the branding right. Take Aviation Gin, for example – the way Angela Minko presented it was so creative that it made you want to grab a glass and experience it for yourself. That’s the kind of magic we’re looking for in advertising.

Then there was the whole “Maximum Effort” thing. It’s all about having writers and filmmakers who are dedicated to creating awesome content. The good old-fashioned advertising we talked about still holds up today, and that’s pretty reassuring.

The class stressed that 70% of your ad game should be about building your brand, while the other 30% is for the transactional stuff. Striking that balance is the secret sauce to connecting with your audience.

One thing that really hit home is that if your ads lack creativity and don’t engage people, they’ll just hate them. Remember that 30-second Apple TV ad? It nailed the art of keeping it simple and using humour and contradictions to get people’s attention.

We also chatted about the importance of effectively communicating the value of features and technology, like iPhone security, which some brands are just selling relentlessly. And guess what? Humour is making a comeback in advertising, so don’t forget to add a little fun to your campaigns.

So yeah, the class was a real eye-opener, and it made me appreciate the world of advertising and branding a whole lot more. Creativity, engagement, and understanding your brand’s value are the keys to making awesome ads. Cheers to that! 

@AnukritiSai