How the creative director creates the most memorable marketing content

According to Alex Wilson, Executive Creative Director of Amplify creating marketing-related content is just like making anything else: it's all about grabbing (and keeping) the people's attention. "You are able to inform people through an entertainment lens" says Alex. "I think people don't mind being marketed to or advertised to as long as they are enjoying it."

Amplify is a global creative company that specialises in marketing that is experiential, generating large-scale campaigns and experiences for brands like Playstation, Netflix, Levi's as well as many other. "We have the ability to bring ideas to life across all channels," says Alex. "Historically we've been referred to as more of a brand experience agency, but content was always at the center of everything we were doing."

We had a chance to talk with Alex to learn more about his process of creation and perspectives on the current marketing landscape. Check out the highlights of our conversation, or check out the video below.

What's the name of your North Star when it comes to making video?

"Our purpose is always to inform and entertain. That's the greatest advantages that video media has. It allows you to create a compelling viewership. When someone is brought to us, maybe wants to use this technology in order to do something, we think about this moment in terms of an individual scene, or canvas within a wider piece of story telling."

How can you ensure that your product is of the highest quality? What is the thing that keeps you focused?

"Audience, always. Anyone we're talking with is what matters most. Are you speaking to them in the areas they would like to be spoken to, in the ways they would like to be spoken to? You need to start with the audience and how you can best speak to them and bring them value. To not interrupt their interaction, but rather improve it."

How do you know what sort of content is suitable for the client you are working with?

"Whether it's an immersive television show or a search for the largest fan of a certain show that's on Netflix or if it's creating an entire world centered around smartphone and breaking the format for how a retail setting can be, or launching the newest shoe, the latest game title. All our work starts with the viewers and ultimately the idea of how to bring that idea to life through a variety of platforms.

We aren't always able working to a certain outcome. Naturally, our client briefs and clients often come from that direction and that's where the compromise, cooperation, and co-creation originates from. will allow you to discover the best solution for them, even if it wasn't exactly what they believed they wanted in the first place."

What do you consider the results of your efforts?

"For us, it's about 'Did we tell that story authentically to the target audience we intended it for?' This is the only thing we have to know. We work a lot with cultures and subcultures. We have an amazing section of our organization that focuses on the culture. We've always, as an agency, been extremely in line with that.

We strive to collaborate with the individual rather than broadcasting directly to them. Instead, we invite their input to help us create the content and experiences by working with them so that it's a success for them and their viewers. The question is layered regarding what success might mean, but if we produced that content in ways that was well accepted by the viewers it's a big victory for us."

What is the most helpful advice you've ever received?

"My chief creative director, Jeavon Smith, said I was told 'Ignore the sound.' I think the ability to ignore noise is valuable in a lot of situations. I think it lets you concentrate upon what you're trying to achieve and the other things that have to offer each other and work with one another because there's plenty of sound."

How do you use ?

"Lots of employees in the studio and the agency utilize it in a variety of ways. It is most definitely one of these. The discovery of new talent is an excellent opportunity we can do for ourselves. As for internal usage, we speak about our work ultimately as a portfolio of works. In the event that we require an the source of what we have done in this article or record this in some manner it allows us to go back and access this."