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Juror Spotlight
James BuonantuonoSVP, Head of CreativeS50
Throughout his career, James has brought creativity to new and traditional mediums to maximize brand impact. He brings 20 years of expertise to S50 as the head of creative, with a diverse background of CPG and healthcare. His focus is on bringing disruptive moments to clients through cultural insights and that innovation is a way of thinking as much as executing. Nothing is too small. Nothing is too big. His love for brand building and finding opportunities for both legacy and upstart brands has found him awarded Effie’s, Lions, Webbys, Clios and more. He joined S50 after working at Saatchi & Saatchi, McCann, /Prompt, Weber Shandwick and Area23. He firmly believes that creative collaboration is how work goes from good to great.
What was your first job?
Paying job? My dad paid me $10 every Saturday to mow the lawn when I was 12. Went straight to the card store to buy comics and baseball cards. Creative job? I moved to Portland, Oregon and talked my way into an entry-level writer position straight out of college at the Willamette Week, an indie newspaper. Paid nothing but they sent me everywhere, because I said yes to everything. Write a story about hitchhiking from the coast to the city? Sure. Interview first responders at 6am happy hours? Of course. I learned a lot about hustle, about people, and about stories. Driving around the city in a beat-up Honda with a notepad. My editor was insane, and I loved it.
Do you have any brainstorming rituals?
It depends on the project. I have a different approach to each. The most important thing for me isn’t necessarily a ritual, it’s a mentality. Be vulnerable. There’s no right answer. Trying to be right kills playfulness which is a creative non-starter. I often hear “this may be stupid…” when creatives are presenting ideas. It’s our way of self-preserving our fragile creative egos but I honestly believe, and because I’ve seen it enough, that those “stupid” ideas are the most free thinking, creative and breakthrough. And way more fun.
How do you stay up to date with industry trends?
The minute I try to stay up to date with trends I bore myself because it feels like work. You absolutely must be curious in this industry or any creative pursuit. So, I seek what I’m curious about. If that pertains to the industry, fantastic. If it doesn’t, but it exists in the world, it will influence something. Find a few sources/mentors/orgs that you trust. Trends are just that and it’s imperative we discern what will be a trend, and what will have impact and then take that leap. What are your advertising peers doing that inspires you? Be curious. Be jealous.
Where do you see your field of work in the future?
For all the fear-mongering—warranted and not—about the death of creativity in this industry, I find the prospect of blurring traditional disciplines incredibly exciting. The technology at our disposal allows us to be multi-disciplinary creatives in ways we never could before. There are no longer just writers or art directors or designers or editors or videographers. To come up with test ideas or concepts, it’s all about the limits of your own imagination in terms of bringing something to life. I always want experts to execute final products, but it’s an exciting time to create.
What are you looking for when reviewing entries at the w3 Awards?
I like to call it insight-to-incite (everyone has a version). How creatively did the work take the problem and turn it into something memorable and actionable? Great work has the “aha” where judges look around with arms folded. And it’s not a long story—I’m a sucker for stupid smart. If you must give me paragraphs, I feel like I’m trying to be persuaded. Be pithy. The entry should be as tight as the idea.
The Jury is currently reviewing entries, but our community asked for more time to finish submissions. We’ve opened a brief, two-week grace period to complete your entries. Your last chance to put your work in front of experts like James is August 8th.