Tuesday 23 November 2010

Kim Papworth & Tony Davidson - case study of a creative team

Kim Papworth & Tony Davidson are joint creative directors of Wieden + Kennedy London.



As of last year, they were making partners of W+K Worldwide making them the first partners in a global ad agency network in 13 years. Quite a high accolade when measured against Dan Wieden words:

"If you want to be a partner at W&K you've got to be some kind of saint and some kind of crazy. No one exemplifies that more profoundly than Tony and Kim. They have raised the bar, broken rules, lifted hearts and shocked the world," (Guardian Online. 2009. [Accessed 24/11/2010]).


Kim started out as a mushroom farmer before leaving his fungi-ridden days for art college which led to a junior copywriting position at BMP. As for Tony, although his past is not quite as intriguing, he excelled at art and went on to study Design and Communication Media at Manchester Polytechnic before meeting Kim at BMP circa-1985. They are now both famed for their string of mould-breaking work for Honda including 'The Cog' and 'Hate something/Change something'. They also take credit for a body of Nike's work including the 'Run London' campaign, the iconic 'St Wayne' poster and over-seeing the recent 'Write The Future' campaign. Additional clients under the belt are VW, Adidas and Levi Jeans.







...On creative flow

According to Davidson, "it's a weird thing, a Yin/Yang balance. Kim is the quiet more observant one. A people watcher. Whereas I'm the bull in the china shop." He adds, "Kim's dyslexic and can't really write, and I'm not a great art director. But somehow it works." Davidson later comments that him and Papworth share the same values and same way of thinking. "When Kim and I were younger, we were award-driven and probably thought less about the product than we do now. But revolutionizing a brand is way bigger than any award." As their work for Honda proves, it's possible to have both. (Boards Magazine. 2004. [Accessed on 24/11/2010])

I couldn't find a quote from Papworth about their creative relationship so I guess he really is the quiet one. But in terms of creating ads he claims, "The client gives us the stuff we really need to know: for example, he'll come and relate to us exactly what an engineer at Honda has said about a particular car." (Harrison, S. 2009. pg. 49).

Their same way of thinking is clear, as Davidson's view on the importance of the client is that, "The DNA of the company is in its founders. Stick that culture on the walls around you and try to become that company emotionally. It stops you writing ads," (Times Online. 2008. [Accessed on 24/11/2010]).



For creativity as a whole, Davidson sticks to his three rules:
  • Collect everything (hence his passion for scrapbooks and flea-markets)
  • Surround yourself with inspiring things and inspiring people
  • Get out of the office.
                                                                        (Times Online. 2008. [Accessed on 24/11/2010])


    ...On being creative directors

    Having worked together in a variety of agencies with W+K proving to be their longest and most rewarding stint, what knowledge and experience have the team taken forward into their role as Creative Directors of the London offices and worldwide partners?

    Davidson has the view that, “The temptation for creative directors is to take all the best briefs, but if you do that you are not allowing others to learn. The trick is to hire people who are better than you," (Times Online. 2008. [Accessed on 24/11/2010]).



    Papworth's philisophy still holds creativity at it's heart: "Forget the theory that an agency has to have its pile of pooh. Why can't you be 100% creative?" (Boards Magazine. 2004. [Accessed on 24/11/2010]). He says the big kick is discovering the power of the brand's voice. If no one believes him, they need to go and take a look at how distinctive and well positioned Honda's voice is in relation to the rest of the car industry.

    'Mutual pushing is the way they work. They're hands-on with their creatives but from the start at W+K, resolved not to write ads themselves. "We aren't the best writers or art directors," says Davidson. "But we've done both so we know the way to make people grow and develop is to push, let them express themselves." Their job is to make sure it's right for the brand.' 
                                             (Boards Magazine. 2004. [Accessed on 24/11/2010])


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