Why Archer's Sue Batterton Believes There's Room for Poetry in Advertising

'I can only be my awkward, nerdy, messy self'

With decades of experience across brands such as Alfa Romeo and Charles Schwab, Sue is the newly appointed chief creative officer at Archer after serving as TRG’s CCO.

We spent two minutes with Sue to learn more about her background, her creative inspirations and recent work she’s admired. 

Sue, tell us …

Where you grew up, and where you live now.

I grew up in Rochester, NY. I currently live (with my husband, sons and cats) in Dallas. 

How you first realized you were creative.

I lived in my head as a kid. I read every book I could get my hands on. I also wrote, drew, played music, made up songs. I spent a lot of time in the woods filming my little brother with one of the first VHS camcorders. I always felt the need to express myself and connect with others.

A person you idolized creatively early on.

Roald Dahl. I wanted Matilda’s powers. 

A moment from high school or college that changed your life.

The day I was dropped off at Chapel Hill. I was elated by my sudden independence and the chance to study anything and everything. I felt the exact same way about grad school at the Michener Center. 

A visual artist or band/musician you admire.

Filmmaker Denis Villeneuve. He builds worlds of scale, color and beauty unlike any other.

A book, movie, TV show or podcast you recently found inspiring.

I read poetry daily. (And for the record, poetry is not what you remember from grade school!) Check out Jack Gilbert, Marie Howe, Jane Hirschfield, Joy Harjo, James Tate, Jericho Brown. Jericho is just phenomenal. 

One of your favorite creative projects you’ve ever worked on. 

Impossible to pick. And the best ideas never get produced, do they? But I am proud that I was a part of Ram’s “Praise.”

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A recent project you’re proud of. 

The quirky World’s Best Cat Litter creative fills me with joy. But, I’m especially in awe of TRG’s “Second Chances Campaign” for Dave’s Killer Bread.

Someone else’s work that inspired you years ago. 

Janet Champ taught me that there is room for poetry in advertising. 

Someone else’s work you admired lately. 

David Shrigley makes me laugh. Check out his “Pulped Fiction” project.

Your main strength as a creative person.

Vulnerability. I am not afraid to say the hard thing, the unpopular thing or the imperfect thing. I can only be my awkward, nerdy, messy self. Because of that, the people around me tend to open up, too. It’s hard to find your own voice as an artist; harder still to be brave enough to sing in it. 

Your biggest weakness.

Beauty. I am a sucker for an exquisite layout, gorgeous type design, lyrical prose, the exact RIGHT piece of music that hits perfectly. I will hang onto beauty beyond all reason (or budget). So probably the more accurate answer is stubborness.

A mentor that helped you navigate the industry.

Frank Compton, one of the founders of Sawyer Riley Compton. A class act, a champion of creativity and a gifted teller of tales who always put people first. 

How you’re paying it forward with the next generation of creatives.

By not just hiring them, but assigning them to high-profile projects. I like pairing early career talent with more seasoned creatives, so reverse mentorship (and fresher, more well-crafted ideas) can happen. I can’t wait to implement this at Archer. 

What you’d be doing if you weren’t in advertising.

My mom tells me I made a poster in kindergarten that read, “I’m going to be an art teacher and no one can change my mind.” I guess I realized early on that majoring in the arts was going to be an uphill battle.