EPISODE 1
My first ever guest on Freedom Unscripted is Creative Director, Warren Frost.
Starting his career as a Junior Designer, and then rising the ranks at some of the world’s most renowned Ad agencies and Brands, across two continents, Warren is the epitome of sheer talent combined with courage & drive.
The fact that he's the nicest man in advertising is just a bonus to everyone around him.
FREELANCING IN ADVERTISING V BRANDS V STARTUPS
You've got one of the most impressive CVs I know. What would you say are some of the differences, especially as a freelancer, going into an advertising agency versus a tech or a start-up versus big corporations?
Well, I appreciate the note on the CV. I wish you could meet a lot of the network that I know because they're equally and even more so inspiring. Regarding the big differences between what you just said, agencies, start-ups, big corporates, I grew up as a creative, as an art director, designer in ad agencies. And I think I got an amazing education because everything was about the idea, the creative.
If you're thinking about anything other than the creative and the idea, you're not doing it right. And I think that that empowered me to then take that skill set and apply that to to the same type of work, but within a different environment, as in a big corporate brand like Intel that had an internal but separate agency. That was very much a corporate giant. But we created some wonderful work. The creative leadership and even the CMO was there to push the work.
We really were empowered to do that and take steps forward and to create the type of work that was Going to be noticed by the industry by brands by competitors I would say within those moments there are probably more layers the more conversations to be had And you know, it's very much born out of business. Yes is creativity Yeah, this is a tech startup something like Airbnb, which was founded by two designers and an engineer. And it's born of creativity. It's born in a creative moment. And so I think that entrepreneurial spirit exists within every corner of the building.
What do you think about the environment affecting or enhancing your creative output?
I think it's super important. The brands that have made the best work have consistently generated those spaces and workplaces For that to happen. I don't think it's a coincidence Airbnb to call them out was one of the best experiences the environment that they created in those offices every single room was a listing from around the world and every space you went into was was inspiring and you felt like you were traveling.
Shall we go and see your London then?
Yeah, yeah, let's do it, but if it's all right with you, let's take the bikes. Yeah, no, I'm well up for that. We'll jump on the two wheels. Awesome.
FREELANCING X FITNESS X GOOD MENTAL HEALTH
I wanted to ask you about cycling, freelancing and mental health, because I know you're a big cyclist. More than a cyclist, you're a triathlete, and I know that you really push yourself in these events. Does that help in terms of how you approach your professional career? Does it help you in terms of mental health?
Yeah, I think it definitely helps with, shall we say, an endurance to keep going and just to tap into the mind a little bit more, you know, when you're creating ideas and things. There's no short way to an answer. I think you really do have to dig in and get into the zone.
I think the mind is a wonderful muscle to have. My way of tapping into it is very much staying focused outside of work, doing cycling, running, whatever it is. It's almost meditation for me. I think there is that level of just being able to release. I could have a really brutal week and be extremely tired, but the minute you go out, almost recharge your batteries by getting rid of all the energy you've got in that moment, I think is a wonderful thing.
I think cycling is such a wonderfully designed world. You know, the industrial design and the aesthetics and the engineering that goes into these wonderful machines nowadays is just fantastic. It's really inspiring.
ROOTS IN ANALOGUE DESIGN
So I brought you to this little street because on this street we have two blue plaques. Edward Johnson, calligrapher, and just up here, Sir Emery Walker, typographer.
I never knew. I have cycled and run past this a ton. I've never seen those. I thought it was very apt for Warren Frost, art director, creative director. I remember when my mum actually bought me a calligraphy set.
Yeah, I guess it was a good present. Maybe that's where it started from.
What do you think about the environment affecting or enhancing your creative output?
I think it's super important. The brands that have made the best work have consistently generated those spaces and workplaces for that to happen. I don't think it's a coincidence Airbnb, to call them out, was one of the best experiences the environment that they created in those offices every single room was a listing from around the world and every space you went into was was inspiring and you felt like you were traveling.
FREELANCING X FITNESS X GOOD MENTAL HEALTH
I wanted to ask you about cycling, freelancing and mental health, because I know you're a big cyclist. More than a cyclist, you're a triathlete, and I know that you really push yourself in these events. Does that help in terms of how you approach your professional career? Does it help you in terms of mental health?
Yeah, I think it definitely helps with, shall we say, an endurance to keep going and just to tap into the mind a little bit more, you know, when you're creating ideas and things. There's no short way to an answer. I think you really do have to dig in and get into the zone.
I think the mind is a wonderful muscle to have. My way of tapping into it is very much staying focused outside of work, doing cycling, running, whatever it is. It's almost meditation for me. I think there is that level of just being able to release. I could have a really brutal week and be extremely tired, but the minute you go out, almost recharge your batteries by getting rid of all the energy you've got in that moment, I think is a wonderful thing.
I think cycling is such a wonderfully designed world. You know, the industrial design and the aesthetics and the engineering that goes into these wonderful machines nowadays is just fantastic. It's really inspiring.
ROOTS IN ANALOGUE DESIGN
So I brought you to this little street because on this street we have two blue plaques. Edward Johnson, calligrapher, and just up here, Sir Emery Walker, typographer.
I never knew. I have cycled and run past this a ton. I've never seen those. I thought it was very apt for Warren Frost, art director, creative director. I remember when my mum actually bought me a calligraphy set.
Yeah, I guess it was a good present. Maybe that's where it started from.
OWNERSHIP & A FREELANCER'S ALLY
So as a freelancer, with the natural dynamics of any organisation, there are politics, there are people who have been there a long time perhaps that have a particular way of doing things. Like, as a freelancer, how would you advise someone just coming into a space or a place and manoeuvring and managing relationships.
Yeah, I don't know if there's any one single way to do it or a set of ways to do it. I think it's just about identifying the outcome and who are your allies. Identifying people's superpowers, right? The more senior you get, the more likely that you're maybe leading a piece, as well as just doing the piece.
And I think sort of understanding how each and every person can contribute is absolutely key. Without that, I think you'll probably be a little bit lost and you're probably not utilising the team as best you could as well, right? And to collaborate, you've got to know how everyone can, how everyone can input. And how everyone can add to making the best possible outcome and the best possible piece of work.
I like what you said about allies. I think that's really important.
Yeah, and when we say allies, I think it's, you're going to identify pretty quick who are those people that want you in their gang.
Who are those people that are open to sharing an idea with you because they think that you're going to help to make it better? And I think that's just personality traits, isn't it? I think it's just understanding who's who in the bigger team.
Do you feel like ownership is enhanced by better collaboration or more collaboration?
Yeah, good question. I think ownership comes with the ability to have input.
And that's your moment of ownership, being able to input and being able to see, see that end product and what finally goes out in the world, knowing what you've added to it. And if you can't see that moment in the work, that's okay. You move on to the next piece, where you get better and better and better.
You're going to be making a lot over your career, so don't get too hung up and don't feel too insecure in those moments.
FINDING INSPIRATION & EMBRACING THE ADVENTURE
Where do you go for inspiration?
You're in it. I'm not kidding. This is a this is one of the places, types of places, I like to come to be inspired. This is a place of passion for me. It's a happy place. And I think that that helps me with my work. If I'm in a happy mood, I'm more than likely to be more productive at work.
Do you think mood is infectious?
I absolutely think mood is infectious. I think if we can be optimistic, embrace a higher energy, a more positive energy, then yes, I think that is infectious the same way that anxiety and stress is also infectious.
Do you think that even as a freelancer, you're very senior and you come in more often than not into projects as a senior hire and so you would have people under you, people looking to you for direction and vision of a particular project. Have you found that even as a freelancer, you're able to influence mood and the way that a particular project can move forward?
I'd say I'm in control of my own behaviour and my own level of energy. So if I can start there, that's where I will every single time. I can't control nor would I want to or should I want to control how other people are feeling and acting. We're all responsible for ourselves but I think as we've spoken about if I can come in with an optimism and a positivity I hope that finds its way to other people around me and at the same time
I'll also draw on other people's positivity and energy. I think it's a two-way conversation.
And I suppose you can't say mood is infectious if you're not also willing to be infected.
Yes.
How has your career and you moving from project to project, organisation to organisation, or even in your case, moving from country to country, how have you been able to deal with that personally? Because they're pretty big moves.
Yeah, I mean look, I suppose every freelancer has to move into different situations, different projects, agencies, brands. With that comes an expectation, that person's going to come in and crush it.
I'm in awe of my wife with regard to how she has allowed me to, allowed us, and embraced us moving all over the world. You know, we've both moved to different companies. No matter where we've gone, I think we've always had the attitude of just trying to embrace everything around us, and try and embrace the people, the new people, the new places. And embrace the adventure, I guess. No matter what the brief, no matter where the place, no matter what the people, just embrace everything.
I'm very grateful for all of your insight and the very fact that you're so open to sharing of your experiences. So yeah, of course. Yeah. Thank you, Woz. It's been absolutely fantastic to do this day with you and I know a lot of people will get so much out of what you've had to say about your journey.
