The A-List Podcast(Dean's List Edition): Matt Low & Mani Schlisser

On this week’s episode of The A-List Podcast, host and DiMassimo Goldstein CCO, Tom Christmann is joined by BBDO’s Matt Low and Mani Schlisser Matt is a Senior Copywriter (and resident sneaker enthusiast) at BBDO Worldwide where he has worked since being an intern for nearly five years. Matt is a graduate of Syracuse University and in his nascent career as a copywriter has received numerous accolades and nominations by bodies such as: The New York Festivals Advertising Awards, The Webbys, and his recognition earned him a feature in AdWeek. Mani has recently taken on a role as a Senior Planner at BBDO (congratulations Mani!) having previously worked as a planner at mcgarrybowen, as well as a strategist at Laundry Service and Edelman. A graduate of Indiana University at Bloomington, he’s into all things tech media and business and has become a frequent contributor to the digital publication, Medium. We are glad to have these two on for our second episode of our special “Dean’s List” edition of the A-List Podcast. On the Dean's List we interview rising, young professionals who are building their legacies in the 21st-century advertising world. This is an interesting episode as we dive into a lot of great conversation and discussion about advertising in today’s world. Tune in to this week’s episode of the A-List here: Show Notes: [0:00-2:39] Intro. [2:42-5:31] Matt and Mani talk a bit about their roles at mcgarrybowen and BBDO. [5:32-9:00] Matt and Mani on their shared upbringing and experiences pre-advertising. [9:26-13:21] Mani on discovering brand strategy and creative planning. [13:44-16:06] Matt on full time creative and tips for interns learning to excel in the workplace. [16:09-19:51]Finding inspiration from agencies' work and setting Google alerts to stay at the cutting edge. [19:52-24:52] Matt and Mani's perspectives on industry changes and shifts. [25:00-27:50] Moms, millennials, and the importance of communication in the modern age. [28:00-32:28]Combatting instant gratification and developing skills outside of work. [32:30-38:10] Finding connections and inspiration from the world around us by unplugging here and there. [38:17-41:29] Discussing the modern workflow of an ad agency. [41:30-51:40] Matt and Mani's goals for their future in the industry. [54:09-58:17] Outro.

The A-List Podcast(Dean's List Edition): Alex Brueggeman & Ivan Whitted II

[0:00-2:01] Intro. [2:31-5:31] Alex and Ivan talk about theirupbringing in Georgia, Haiti and Tuscon, Arizona! [5:32-8:22]Alex talks high school influences and his discovery of anthropology at Howard. [8:27-11:00] Ivan discusses early inspiration in the performing arts and discovering PR and advertising. [11:01-13:04] Alex discusses Howard University and the value of HBCUs. [13:10-15:58] Ivan discusses life after college and being inspired to jump into copywriting. [16:00-21:07] Alex's switch into advertising. [21:14-27:43] Ivan's experience in ad school and moving to NYC. [27:52-34:56]Alex's work at 72andSunny and developing diversity initiatives. [35:30-40:20] Ivan's take on diversity and agency culture. [41:30-46:18] Alex and Ivan's thoughts about the future of representation in advertising. [48:30-51:13] Outro.

The A-List Podcast: Gerard Caputo

[0:00-2:06] Intro [3:01-7:55] Growing up in Little Falls, New Jersey [10:52-14:00] Discovering photography in school and creative writing. [14:01- 18:35] Transitioning to advertising and becoming an intern at Mullen [20:17-26:36] Building his book, ‘finding the fire’, and becoming an art director. [28:12-31:30] Emerging as a creative and moving on to Fallon, in Minneapolis. [32:18-34:01] Tips for young people who relocate to new cities [34:30- 38:20] Being stubborn and pushing to make great ads. [40:14-44:00] On the rise of digital storytelling [45:00-50:33] Leaving Fallon for BBDO and meeting Tom! [54:24 -1:00:23] Leaving BBDO and evading complacency [1:01:12- 1:06:55] Moving to BBH and the challenges of being a senior level creative. [1:07:00-1:10:30] Outro

The A-List Podcast: Mark DiMassimo

[0:00-3:00] Intro. [3:01-7:25] Mark talks about growing up in NJ and his early upbringing. [7:26-9:29] Mark’s imagination and first forays into creativity as a profession. [9:29-13:46] Mark’s super-dark childhood short story and learning how to express himself. [13:47-16:11] Wayne Dyer’s ‘Erroneous Zones’ as a Marketing inspiration. [16:13 -20:23] SUNY Fredonia, majoring in music, and discovering the library. [21:17-24:45] Transferring to Cornell and Industrial and Labor Relations. [24:54-27:44] How he made the switch to communications and ultimately deciding on Advertising as a career path. [25:00-32:30] BBDO Direct and Mark’s first job working on brand accounts in advertising. [32:31-40:20] Mark discusses his first creative experiences as a copywriter and being challenged for the first time. [40:42-49:00] Being laid off, freelancing, and getting copywriter positions. [49:15-55:59] Mark on his rise through the ranks and deciding to start his very own agency. [56:00-57:37] Outro.

The A-List Podcast: Steve Sandstrom

Show Notes: [0:00-2:33] - Intro [2:34 - 7:40] How to pronounce ‘Oregon’ and Steve’s upbringing in Portland. [7:41- 9:52] Steve’s early inspirations and first exposure to art through his family. [9:52- 14:17] Learning design fundamentals in school and discovering graphic design in college. [14:18 - 17:33] Steve’s first design job as an illustrator and standing out in class. [17:34 - 21:00] for the love of drawing. [21:01 - 26:50] University of Oregon and developing a unique style at the Daily Emerald. [26:51 - 30:17] Deciding on commercial art and getting notable exposure for designing. [30:18 - 34:15] Starting a design career in advertising and advice to young artists [34:16 - 37:10] Turning a local radio station into a design opportunity. [37:11 - 46:33] Being picked up by Nike and working as a creative director. [46:34: 53:59] Starting Sandstrom Partners and discovering a design niche [54:00 - 1:03:40] Problem solving and favorite challenging projects [1:05:55 - 1:07:22] Outro

The A-List Podcast: Michael Bierut

[0:00 – 1:56] Intro [1:57 – 4:27] Growing up in non-starstudded Ohio and discovering his drawing talents. [4:28 – 7:20] Serendipitously stumbling on the book “Aim High for a Career in Graphic Design / Art by S. Neil Fujita” at age 14 and starting art as a vocational trade. [7:21 – 12:10] The benefits of social ineptitude and the nerve to push yourself creatively. [12:10 – 17:57] The curse of ‘knowing the rules.’ [17:58 – 26:16] For the love of rules and parameters. [26:17 – 28:16] Helvetica and 70’s font style at the University of Cincinnati [28:17 – 33:35] The magnetic pull to New York City and working with mastermind Massimo Vignelli. [33:36 – 36:10] The healthy side of a workaholic. [36:11 – 38:16] Wisdom gained from 10 years with Vignelli and the importance of compelling ideas. [38:17 – 43:08] Leaving Vignelli to become a partner at Pentagram in 1990. [43:09 – 48: ] Working on the top-secret Hillary Clinton campaign logo. [52:49 – 54:59] Outro

The A-List Podcast: Mike Lescarbeau

[0:00 – 2:22] Intro [2:23 – 7:50] Writing 200 headlines with Tom McElligott and growing up in Minnesota [7:51– 18:14] The natural ease of writing copy and early advertising experiences [18:15 – 25:50] Moving from advertising to HR [25:51 – 31:25] How to make interviews safer spaces [31:26 – 37:42] Embracing Millennials and dealing with hard clients [37:43 – 50:10] Breaking down barriers with other people and being inclusive [50:11 – 58:17] First steps in helping a company hire [58:18 – 1:00:07] Outro

The A-List Podcast: Nick Law

[0:00 – 2:10] Intro [2:11 – 2:20] Growing up in Sydney, the benefits of a “feral” upbringing, avoiding school & enjoying art [4:46 – 8:18] Drawing, discovering graphic design, getting into art school [8:19 – 11:06] First jobs and how to become a master [11:07 – 12:54] Are big ideas that important? [12:55 – 15:16] The importance of not taking the first job you land, the difficulty of unlearning bad habits [15:17 – 21:58] Taking a gap year, starting at Pentagram and moving in advertising in 1988, moving to New York in 1994, entering the dot com boom and the internet [21:58 – 27:40] the “strange delicious isolation” before the internet and the unavoidable future of it [27:41 – 42:40] How creatives can use the newest tools and executing ideas at the speed of thought [42:40 – 1:05] Observe behavior before building a brand, the power of storytelling, technology connectivity [1:06 – 1:03:24] Outro

The A-List Podcast: Karl Lieberman

[0:00 – 2:55] Intro [2:56 – 7:42] Having an artistic childhood in New Jersey with a painter mother and a doctor father [7:43 – 13:00] Exposure to the advertising world, learning jobs don’t have to stuck, pursuing art at The University of Delaware [14:30 – 25:29] Interning at Mother London, getting a portfolio invention, partnering with art director Brandon Henderson and landing first jobs [25:29 – 30:05] Working with hero Jeff Kling (Miller High Life) in the creative department, writing a basketball blog, connecting the dots between writing and writing ads [30:05 – 37:35] Writing Dos Equis’s The Most Interesting Man in the World campaign [38:40 – 39:57] Working harder post Dos Equi’s campaign [39:58 – 52:40] From Gyro to Mother then eventually Wieden + Kennedy, and the importance of briefs [39:58 – 55:45] Defining “good ideas,” the future of advertising, and the power of the internet [55:45 – 59:16] Droga5 Superbowl spots Walking Dead and Game of Thrones [59:16 – 1:00:38] Outro

The A-List Podcast: Paula Scher

[0:00 – 1:30] Intro [1:31 – 2:31] How drawing became a respite from family disputes [2:32 – 3:59] Getting inspiration from beatnik counter-culture at the Corcoran School of Art in D.C. and using artistic inclination to make social connections in teen suburbia [3:59 – 5:33] Linking her talent to the field of graphic design [5: 34– 6:56] Embracing time and failure as the greatest teachers, “For me, finding what I’m good at is an ever-evolving playing field.” [6:57 – 8:13] The importance of pissing off the older generations. “To discover something you have to make errors. Discoveries look weird when they’re new. Then someone comes along and does it better. Discoveries may not be recognized, but they’re necessary.” [8:14 – 19:42] The no-formula formula for rule breaking. “Be a brat, break the norm,” and how Helvetica became a symbol of corporate culture and the Vietnam War. [8:14 – 23: 20] The benefits of smoking cigarettes in a cubicle with your boss [23: 20 – 27:01] Becoming an Art Director at Atlantic Records and designing iconic album covers [27:01 – 29: 02] Being “dead serious” about designing album covers, moving into freelance work, magazines, running a design firm, then finally joining Pentagram [29: 02 – 32:34] The benefits of learning through failure, what she’s most proud of, being unable to pick favorites, and always moving on to the next piece [32:35 – 35: 04] Teaching clients “how to see” and the benefit of taking the time to explain ideas [35: 05 -- 36: 49] Working at Pentagram for 28 years and their unique shared work structure [36: 50 – 44:40] Advice for young designers, how time constraints have changed the industry’s portfolio review system, and the consequences of large tech companies on creativity “The A-List” is a podcast produced by DiMassimo Goldstein, an inspiring action agency, recorded at the Gramercy Post, and sponsored by the Adhouse Advertising School, New York’s newest, smallest, and hippest ad school. You can subscribe and rate the show on iTunes or listen along on SoundCloud. For updates on upcoming episodes and guests, be sure to like the A-List Podcast on Facebook and follow host Tom Christmann on Twitter.