Day 1 of AWARD’s ‘This Way Up’ Festival: Damon Stapleton, The Work Behind the Work, DDB Worldwide’s Chaka Sobhani and more
Day 1 of the AWARD “This Way Up” Festival of Creativity was ignited with an electrifying keynote from Damon Stapleton, co-founder and CCO at The Monkeys Aotearoa. Known for his unapologetic approach to creativity and his award-winning work spanning over 30 years, Stapleton shared insights on what he believes are the superpowers of creativity, illustrating how it can be a catalyst for transformation. He urged creatives to not be be unboring, make obscure connections, push boundaries, embrace impossible dualities, and create something out of nothing.
His final piece of advice: “do” more and talk less.
Reflecting on Stapleton’s keynote, Rene Migliore, managing director of 303 MullenLowe Perth says: “AWARD has done a great job at curating speakers and topics that are completely relatable and interesting for anyone in commercial creativity. You know when a room full of creatives are quiet and lean in, the topics are on point. Damon was a stand-out. Full of great stories and lessons wrapped up in humour and humility. I loved his observation that many clients want the results of creativity but not necessarily the process, which can be messy. And in truth, creativity has to be messy to get to great outcomes. Businesses turn to creative agencies for the answers to big problems, but our power is in the process of finding answers, in not knowing the answers but knowing how to get to them. As Damon said, ‘the leap doesn’t come from knowing, it comes from not knowing.’ From my experience, this really resonates. It takes practice, messiness, and a shared belief from a team to make great creative solutions. And when the final ‘thing’ is made, it’s put out into the world, all the mess and hard work is worth it.”
Creative leaders Tara McKenty, Dave Bowman, Matty Burton, and Steve Coll reflected on their ventures out of Adland and into the tech industry, sharing how these experiences have reshaped their careers. Their return was marked by a renewed education in technology, a deeper sense of self-awareness, fresh energy for the advertising world, and a better understanding of client needs. They emphasised the joy and fulfilment that comes from creating and staying close to the work, the importance of investing in training—which the tech industry excels at—and the value of stepping out of comfort zones to think bigger and achieve goals faster.
The “Work Behind the Work” session highlighted award-winning campaigns by M&C Saatchi and The Monkeys, showcasing a shared dedication to passion, creativity, and the courage of their clients. M&C Saatchi unveiled the strategy and creative journey behind ‘The Plastic Forecast’ for the Minderoo Foundation, emphasising scientific accuracy and collaboration to address the impact of plastic consumption on the planet. Meanwhile, Barb Humphries, ECD, The Monkeys and Michael Richie, MD/Owner, Revolver shared their experience delivering “Play It Safe” for the 50th anniversary of the Sydney Opera House, capturing the scale, artistry, and timelessness required to honour such an iconic milestone.
The day concluded with a keynote by Chaka Sobhani, global chief creative officer, DDB Worldwide, who spoke of the power of connection, humour, and emotion in creativity, encouraging creatives to infuse their work with heart to make it truly impactful for the brands they work with.
