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Gus's Spencer LaVallee Lives at the Intersection of Strategy and Creative
Installing big creative ideas at the highest client levels
“Creative and strategy should never be separated,” Spencer LaVallee, co-founder & CCO of Gus. tells Muse. “The best work happens when they’re solving the same problem together, not when strategy hands down a brief and creative disappears for a few weeks before coming back with an answer.”
“A strategy isn’t finished when it looks good in a deck. It’s finished when it can become a great idea. And if the creative can’t bring it to life, the strategy probably wasn’t as bulletproof as you thought.”
Over his 15-year career, Spencer has led teams at Droga5 and FIG, among others. He’s won creative awards including the Grand Prix and Titanium at Cannes and has a short film screened at the New York Film Festival. His work is currently part of the curriculum at Harvard Business School.
We spent a few minutes with Spencer to learn about his background, inspirations and how when the operating system is creative at its core, everything else follows suit.
What’s a belief about creativity you’ve changed your mind about through the years?
I love writing and used to try to put it everywhere. I still love writing, but now I try as hard as I can to take it off.
How are you changing how disruptive work gets made?
Our favorite place to start with our partners is at the mission/vision/brand-platform level, because the higher up you can install a big creative idea, the easier every successive big creative idea gets to greenlight. If the operating system itself is creative at its core, everything else can’t help but be.
Favorite productivity shortcut?
Pacing back and forth while rubbing my hands together crazily.
What newsletter, creator or account should everyone follow?
I’ve recently become obsessed with Professor BFo. He tells behind-the-scenes stories from the writer’s room of iconic Simpsons’ episodes.
What was the last campaign that made you think, “I wish I made that”?
Nick from Loop going to Game 4. Hi, Nick!
Tell us about a recent project you’re proud of.
The work we just did for Lovesac, “Here for Life.” We wanted to move furniture advertising away from those perfect, staged homes and into the beautiful chaos of everyday life. The product is still doing the selling. But it’s wrapped in stories that are fun, relatable and human.
What would you be doing if you weren’t in advertising?
Director, musician—or a neuroscientist. Almost went that route. Is it too late?
You’ve got 2 minutes with the industry. What’s your hot take?
Stop making agencies spend a month pitching for free. Grueling pitches favor the agencies with the biggest teams and the most resources, not necessarily the best ideas. Spend less time on the beauty parade and more time getting the right people in a room, understanding the problem and figuring out if you actually want to work together. The best work comes from chemistry and trust, not a 100-page pitch deck.
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.
