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2 Minutes With ... Lisa Bright, CCO of Ogilvy California
From Jeep 'Portraits' to her children's book and enduring love of Madonna
Lisa Bright was recently named chief creative officer of Ogilvy California and global CCO of PR for the agency. A recognized and awarded integrated creative leader, Lisa has spent her career bringing to life big creative platforms and delivering non-traditional ideas for clients including Cottonelle, Glad, McDonald’s, Wrigley and Jeep.
Named No. 4 on Business Insider’s list of the 30 most creative women in advertising in 2016, she continues to drive work that unlocks the power of great brands at the intersection of culture and creativity.
We spent two minutes with Lisa to learn more about her background, her creative inspirations, and recent work she’s admired.
Lisa, tell us…
Where you grew up, and where you live now.
I was born and grew up in the south suburbs of Chicago. Moved to New York as an adult, then back to Chicago and most recently to the Bay Area, which I’m hoping sticks.
What you wanted to be when you grew up.
A backup dancer for Janet Jackson.
How you discovered you were creative.
I was always a “performer” as a kid and I used to create skits and make my siblings and cousins perform them with me for the family. I clearly remember one of them being a commercial and jingle I made up for Paymore shoe store, a play off of Payless. I refined my craft since then.
A person you idolized creatively growing up.
Madonna. I was obsessed and still kind of am. My grandma actually sent her a letter asking her to come perform at my wedding when I got married. Didn’t get an RSVP on that invite.
A moment from high school or college that changed your life.
I actually feel like most of my life changing moments happened after college in my 20s. When I took a job as an admin at DDB, discovered portfolio school, met my husband, and got my act together.
The first concert you saw.
Grateful Dead when I was like 12. Wasn’t even my vibe really, but my friend’s parents were taking a bunch of us and I didn’t want to miss out.
A visual artist you admire.
Your favorite fictional character.
Gilly, Kristen Wiig’s character on SNL.
A book, movie, TV show or podcast you recently found inspiring.
“How I Built This” always inspires me and makes me want to create the next thing that changes the world. I’m still working on it.
Your favorite Instagram or Twitter follow.
Maybe not my fave but a consistent one is Celeste Barber.
How Covid-19 changed your life, personally or professionally.
How has it not? I honestly feel like a completely different person, living a completely different life than I was a year and a half ago. Through the panic of it all, I gained perspective and ended up changing jobs and moving my family to the city we’ve always wanted to live.
Your favorite creative project you’ve ever worked on.
So many for so many different reasons. The Jeep “Portraits” Super Bowl spot was a pretty special one.
A recent project you’re proud of.
I wrote and created a children’s book based off conversations I have with my kids and dedicated to them.
Someone else’s work that inspired you years ago.
I remember when the CareerBuilder work and then Old Spice stuff came out and being so inspired by how that work totally broke the format in a way that disrupted and shifted advertising even to this day and pushed me to always think in non-traditional ways even when doing work in the “traditional” spaces.
Someone else’s work that you admired lately.
I loved the Ikea “ThisAbles” work so much. It truly delivered on DEI from conception to execution in such a powerful and meaningful way.
Your main strength as a creative person.
Decisiveness. I like to focus, make decisions and move on, and develop ideas further, faster.
Your biggest weakness.
Decisiveness. I have to check myself and make sure that in my decisiveness I’m not inhibiting the creative process and product.
One thing that always makes you happy.
Dancing to ’90s hip-hop and hugs from my kids. Not in that order.
One thing that always makes you sad.
Other people’s pain. Too deep?
What you’d be doing if you weren’t in advertising.
That’s the million dollar question. I’ll go with hosting a late-night show.
2 Minutes With is our regular interview series where we chat with creatives about their backgrounds, creative inspirations, work they admire and more. For more about 2 Minutes With, or to be considered for the series, please get in touch.
