Sitting in a room full of over a hundred eager students, folks within our 10+ person panel seem relaxed and at home. In true Wieden fashion, the advice we are given is quick and digestible, while still being strikingly profound. “Take a moment of ‘oh that’s true, and wrap it in entertainment’” says ECD Karl Lieberman. “Things can be true but still boring as fuck.” “Everything has to be shorter,” says Matthew Herman, a copywriter. But more of all, Wieden employees want us to know about Culture. “Creatives have to do a ton of research,” says Liberman, “watch films, read books, and ask yourself, what makes this interesting? Why am I plugged into this television show right now?” All of this is necessary to not compete with other advertising agencies, but with culture. “We aren’t making commercials that compete, we are making cultural moments that compete with music videos and films on their own” he says. How does one start doing something like this? “STOP WAITING. Make something cool yourself. Permission will never be given to you,” he says, I miss the end of the lecture, already frantically scribbling ideas.

Caden Bohn