Gary Watson the award-winning Creative Director based in Toronto, Canada. Gary began his career in 1990 at Vickers & Benson and over the years has also worked at DDB, Ambrose Carr Linton Kelly, Publicis and Maclaren McCann. Today Gary is the Creative Director of Bos. His work has been awarded in global competitions like Cannes Lions, Clios, One Show and London International, as well as nationally in shows such as Ad & Design Club of Canada (ADCC), Marketing, Digital Marketing, The Bessies, Applied Arts and The Extras.
But more importantly, Gary is the next CD to become a Giant Hydra Believer.
Earlier this year, Gary presented the HydraHeads of Giant Hydra with an opportunity to help take one of Bos’ clients in a bold new direction. After the smoke cleared, we ended up with an impressive body of work… and high praises from Gary himself.
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Giant Hydra: What made you decide to give Giant Hydra a try?
Gary Watson: “ My first reason for using Giant Hydra was pure curiosity. It seemed like an interesting model and I just happened to have a project that I thought could use an international perspective. Especially for the category I was working on which needs some major rules broken.”
Giant Hydra: What did you think of the HydraHeads that applied to your project? How easy or difficult was it to decide on a team?
Gary: “ I was pretty impressed with the resumes and portfolios of the HydraHeads that raised their hands for the project – and yes, I actually spent the time to check them out (ok, not all of them). Plus, I got some good guidance from Giant Hydra on people that they knew would be great contributors based on prior experiences. And they were right.”
Giant Hydra: As a creative director, you’re used to giving direction to a physical team in your office. What was it like to guide people in a virtual environment?
Gary: “You mean aside from not being able to physically abuse them? (laughs). Honestly, it wasn’t much different. Same rules apply. Be honest. Provide clear direction. And motivate them.”
“For the same price as hiring a couple of really senior local freelancers, I got access to 8 highly-engaged and talented HydraHeads. It’s a no-brainer really.”
Giant Hydra: You killed Seeds and Ideas much earlier in the process than other CDs who have used Giant Hydra. What were your reasons for this, and did you find that it helped the outcome?
Gary: “ Time was certainly a factor. I only had a week. But more than anything, I think that if you know something isn’t going to fly, it’s better to jump on it sooner than later to keep the HydraHeads channeled and focused on the stuff that really lights you up. I found that doing this enabled me to get more work done on stronger ideas and executions.”
Giant Hydra: What was the biggest surprise you found in using Giant Hydra?
Gary: “ I was pleasantly surprised by the volume and quality of the ideas being generated. And it was really interesting seeing the different perspectives based on the geographical locations and cultural influences of each HydraHead.”
Giant Hydra: Your project had a faster turnaround than some of our others, yet the HydraHeads stepped up to the challenge. When it was all said and done, how did you feel about their efforts?
Gary: “I think the best answer is that I presented concepts from the project to the client and they thought they were bang on and very refreshing.”
Giant Hydra: While we might be climbing out of a recession, agency budgets are still as tight as ever. Do you feel that Bos got bang for its well-watched buck with this Giant Hydra project?
Gary: “ Sure budgets are tight. But let me put it in simple mathematical terms. For the same price as hiring a couple of really senior local freelancers, I got access to 8 highly-engaged and talented HydraHeads. It’s a no-brainer really.”
Giant Hydra: How would you see using Giant Hydra again?
Gary: “Aside from just generating creative platforms and executions, I’d love to take an existing campaign and throw it out to the HydraHeads for some 360-degree thinking. So, any weird and wonderful digital, social and stunt-based ideas that can breathe new life into a campaign and reach people in a completely different way.”
Giant Hydra: What would you tell a fellow CD was on the fence about trying out Giant Hydra?
Gary: “Simply, give it a try. It’s a smart investment. And get engaged in the dialogue happening on your project. Participate. Direct. Shape. I know for a fact that the team working on your project appreciates the involvement.”
