About Marc Levy

As Creative and Insights Catalyst, Marc provides creative and strategic counsel to account teams and specialists to evolve program concepts from idea to execution.

Author Archive | Marc Levy

The Only Thing We Have To Fear is a Big Spider

By on February 4, 2013

As a creative director, I truly believe this: if you’re a client (current or prospective) and my ideas are not a wee bit outside of your comfort zone, I’m probably not doing my job. (By the way, this is different than me making most of the people around me, young and old, uncomfortable, but that’s another post entirely).

I bring this up today because not too long ago, I mentioned this notion in a new business pitch and there was some head nodding, but also a whole lot of nervous laughter. At first, I chalked this up to the normal, status quo response, but I got to thinking about it a little more, and it started to trouble me.

No, not the reaction – but my own premise of a little necessary discomfort.

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“Community” Died For Our Creative Sins

By on April 23, 2012

The NBC sitcom “Community” returned to the air after a brief mid-season hiatus. Let’s be clear – a mid-season break is rarely a good sign. It’s usually a device employed by the networks to avoid airing low-performing shows during the critical (and outdated) sweeps periods (which help determine advertising rates).

Many shows put on “indefinite” hiatus don’t see the light of day again. However, give credit where credit is due. NBC did one of two things:

Listened to a groundswell of fans & critics who have praised the show for its originality and creative genius;
Or some uber-smart executive at NBC recognized the genius of the show and brought it back from the dead – at least for now.  Either way, Community is back in all its glory!

And in case you were wondering, I don’t like the show.

But, let me back up a second.

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Can Creativity Be Taught?

By on November 17, 2011

Nope.

(They told me in Journalism 101 to get to the point quickly.)

I admit it’s a bit harsh and unfair, so lemme back up a bit.

Part of my role at Ketchum is to foster creativity, at all levels, throughout our organization. That’s my mandate, with the help of others — BUT that’s not teaching. That’s elevating. Inspiring. Facilitating. Not teaching. And there’s a difference.

Why do some view the possibility of teaching creativity as important? A few reasons:

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Creativity, Insights and the Fallacy of Information

By on August 25, 2011

In the Aug. 13 New York Times “Sunday Review,” Neal Gabler authored a provocative opinion piece, “The Elusive Big Idea” (which could easily have been titled, “Welcome to Marc’s Personal Hell”). In his essay, he argues, with simplicity, that “ideas just aren’t what they used to be,” stating that “we just don’t care as much about ideas” as we did once upon a time.  While I would vehemently disagree with this analysis (mostly because, well, it’s kinda my JOB to make people care about ideas), his premise is spot-on. Gabler points to the glut of information overload as a primary source of our cultural idea malaise, concluding that “While these ideas may change the way we live, they rarely transform the way we think. They are material, not ideational.”Dude. Totally.  

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I Heart Negativity

By on June 7, 2011

Now, don’t get all uppity on me. I hate negativity in a brainstorm as much as the next guy.

No, I’m talking about ideas steeped in the “negative.” Let me explain. . .

A few years ago, Odor Eaters did a contest to find the smelliest sneaker in America. Pure genius. Put that one in the pile of “things I wish I thought of.” But, I betcha someone in a meeting said, “That’s too negative. We’re all about making sneakers smell nice and fresh. Wouldn’t it be better to find the BEST-smelling sneaker in America?”

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