DANIEL COMAR

EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR
OGILVY & MATHER
PORTFOLIO NIGHT 7 KUALA LUMPUR PARTICIPANT
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What single piece of advice would you give a young creative before he or she sits down with you at PN7?

“Don’t try to sell yourself. Focus on improving your book.”

What was the reaction you got, the advice you received the very first time you showed your own book?

“Trim it down, show the very best only, to worry about the content not the presentation.”

Do you prefer to look at work on a laptop or in a physical portfolio?

“Physical. Whether it’s art or copy it’s always better to see the work in actual size and actual canvas.”

What the coolest thing somebody has done to get your attention (besides having an amazing portfolio)?

“Wrote an interview questionnaire herself in the form of individual cards. We shuffled them, picked up a few and she answered. Very well written and a very smart way to control the interview. I kept the deck of cards. I still use it to interview some people. And I hired her, of course.”

What is the stupidest thing somebody has done to get you to see them or their work?

“Call me to my handphone.”

List three adjectives that describe the ultimate junior creative.

“Hungry. Humble. Hard-working.”

In your opinion, is it better for new creatives to sell themselves as ready-made teams, or as individuals to be paired up with who a CD believes would be a good match?

“I like teams.”

When reviewing a portfolio with a young creative, are you more of the type to look at the entire thing before making comments or asking questions, or  do you prefer to chat and inquire throughout the process?

“I prefer comments throughout.”

How do you feel about non-advertising expressions of creativity in a portfolio? For example, photography or poetry??

“Nice to have but on top of everything else.”

What will a creative director’s job be ten years from now?

“A super-producer.”

What would you say to a person with one phenomenal piece in their portfolio, but everything else in his or her book is mediocre or worse?

“Understand why those pieces are bad and remove them.”

How do you know when you’ve just seen the best idea you’ve ever seen?

“When I couldn’t have thought of it.”