Our first profile here for the Creative Boom is a man who's been in and out of our studio for a dozen years, working on a wide range of projects and brands. In addition to his brilliance in the ad world, he has a twitter account on which he posts a poem a day, which makes him one of our all-time favorite tweet-ers. (Follow him here.) Without further ado, some Q-and-A with the lovely Brian Brooker.
Brian Brooker Creative Boom
What do you do again?
I am the Chief Creative Officer at Bernstein-Rein in Kansas City. I steer the creative ship. I get to look at the work. I get to be amazed a lot. I try to provide calm. My job is to create an atmosphere where great work happens.
What inspires you?
I’m inspired by my wife, my kids, movies (anything by Martin Scorsese, Wes Anderson, Quentin Tarantino), hiking the mountains, photography (black and white), the incredible Bruce Lee and music – mostly Dylan.
How lucky are you and why?
Very. I’m in the position I’m in because somebody believed in me.
What do you love about Austin?
Where do I start? The Tex-Mex, the beauty, the music scene. I probably love Town Lake trails the most. I’ve logged a lot of miles around those trails with a lot of wonderful friends.
What were the major turning points that got you where you are?
I would say working at GSD&M was a turning point. The talent was tremendous across the board. It definitely made me better to try to keep up.
What helps you access your creativity?
I seem to have the most success when I focus on the project at hand and then distract myself with something else. Like ping pong. Sometimes I drive home from work and the idea hits me. Creativity is seldom a straight line.
What are a couple of your most memorable projects?
I had the opportunity to spend a few days on the ranch with Larry Mahan, six-time rodeo champ. We were promoting Larry Mahan boots. We rode horses and told stories by the fire. It was magical. I also presented Health Care ideas to Hilary and Bill Clinton. He and Roy Spence have such a strong bond. It was a surreal experience. I stole a White House napkin to prove I was there.
Give me 2 truths and a lie about you.
George Brett and I share the same ping-pong coach. I own every Dylan CD ever recorded. I’m actually a decent singer.
What’s the most fun part of your job?
Looking at ideas. Shaping them. Knowing you have something special before you produce it. The peanut M&Ms at focus groups.
What do you think Austin needs most to help its production community succeed nationally, internationally?
Austin has everything it needs to succeed. It’s the music capital of the world. Start with that and anything is possible.
What’s your favorite date night place in Austin?
I’d say watching the bats at dusk emerge from the Congress bridge and then a trip to Amy’s ice cream.
If you could shadow anyone for a day, who would it be?
Probably Houdini.
Franklin’s BBQ or Salt Lick BBQ?
I’m from Kansas City. I choose not to answer.
Favorite place to hear live music?
Continental Club. Or Wally’s house.