On Being Creative | Jay Schacher

Are you being creative right now? Jay Schacher is. It's his job (officially it's Art Director at Henderson Bas Kohn). He may be the nicest guy in our industry (so says Gillian) but he knows how to play a mean prank and design an even meaner website. So cue up your favourite playlist and rev up your creative juices; it's learning time.

MINIBIO
Four years isn't really a long time. It's the amount of time between the good Olympic games (read:winter); it's how long you have to wait for a leap year; it's how long an American president has to screw up the country. In four years a maple tree only grows about four feet, the earth only travels 3750 kilometers around the sun (ok that one's pretty impressive); and yet, in only four years Jay Schacher took himself from a bewildered recent grad of Sheridan's Web Design program with a BFA and New Media certificate from York University to the suave confident and influential Art Director of Henderson Bas Kohn, one of Toronto's top ad shops. How'd he do it? Lucky us, he's here to explain.

THE WISDOM
Your job is to be creative. Every day you could be brainstorming or concepting or designing. Every day you'll need to be creative. Find ways to push your creativity, unleash your skills. Just make sure client needs and timelines are met too; possibly in creative ways.

JAY SAYS
WHEN WORKING WITH THE CLIENT
Chances are, it's not always going to go the way you want
You may love an idea or design and they may not
At the end of the day it's about what the client wants
So have a thick skin and be willing/able to adapt

SKETCH
Do it

BUILD A PROFILE
Create a brand for yourself online
Be exciting, be punchy, promote yourself
Exploit social media channels
Get your name out there
Get Found!

AFTER YOU GRADUATE

Stay close with your classmates
Network a lot (talk to as many people as you can)
Be a team player, not a hero
There are no heros!

SPECIALIZE

Understand a bit of everything but do one thing exceptionally well
You want to be a designer? Be a designer
Find inspiration
Be creative. It's your job

YOUR PORTFOLIO

Know the shop your going to and customize your book accordingly
Dress your work and your résumé for the work they do
Show the whole process
Believe in your work
Emphasize your creativity

WORKS

In his rise to the top Jay's put his time in at some pretty heavy hitters in the Toronto Ad Market, including Organic, Sonic Boom, and now HBK. A fact that is reflected nicely in the collection of work he laid before us. A repertoire that includes clients Mercedes Benz, LG, and Timex. There's much more to see at JayShack.com. 

SO?
A few lessons. Nice guys don't always finish last and creativity is the fuel that drives our industry. Jay came in a proved that it's possible to have fun and enjoy your work all while getting to work on some big name, exciting projects. The other lesson to take from this, is we are still three years away from decent Olympic coverage.

Need more? Say hi: Jay on Linkedin.