5 tips for building long-lasting creative partnerships

In partnership with Breaking and Entering Media, Ad Age is publishing takeaways from the “Breaking and Entering” podcast on AdAge.com. Learn more about the show at Breaking-Entering.com. Many iconic campaigns were born from dynamic advertising duos, not solo acts. The pairing of art director and copywriter, pioneered by Bill Bernbach in the 1950s, persists for a reason—every creative needs a sounding board to bounce ideas off of. For those looking to build their own talented twosome, Breaking and Entering interviewed BBDO Worldwide’s Chris Beresford-Hill, Havas New York’s Dan Lucey and Squint Consulting’s Kimberly Herrera and Mark Lester to break down what it takes for strong relationships to thrive. The common threads between these two partnerships illustrate that great collaborations take time, trust, communication and a willingness to succeed—and fail—together. Beresford-Hill and Lucey credit their seven-year partnership—which includes time at BBDO New York and Saatchi & Saatchi—to mutual admiration and aligned ambitions. “If you hate it more than I love it, it dies. If I love it more than you hate it, it lives,” Beresford-Hill explained on a recent episode. The simple philosophy empowers them to resolve disagreements while prioritizing the best ideas. Actionable advice: Establish a decision-making framework from the start, aligning shared goals and future ambitions. Beresford-Hill and Lucey’s practical approach would mean agreeing to pursue ideas your partner feels strongly about, even if you have reservations. If you set clear criteria for when to pursue or discard ideas, complement them with active listening and honest communication. To set the stage, begin with key questions such as: Gen Z Career Forum Get practical advice on launching your career and excelling in the industry Register today Networking is essential, but often misunderstood. Herrera, Squint Consulting’s co-founder and managing director, offered an unconventional, but practical tip in the Jan. 21 episode: “Start by connecting with entry-level or mid-level professionals. They’ll provide the insights you need to prepare for conversations with senior leaders.” This bottom-up approach ensures you’re better informed and ready to impress when the opportunity arises. Teaming up with your creative partner to network can also be a game-changer, especially when pursuing careers in advertising. Many recruiters hire duos, so presenting yourselves as a strong, cohesive team with a shared portfolio can make a lasting impression. Actionable advice: Networking doesn’t stop once you break into the business. Continue building relationships by connecting with other teams within your company or with duos you admire outside the organization. Review their combined portfolios, set up coffee chats and learn from their experiences. Ask thoughtful questions about their creative process, team dynamics or the challenges they’ve faced. A willingness to adapt shaped the individual careers and the shared business of Squint’s Herrera and Lester. Their Amsterdam-based strategic consultancy emerged from a desire to address the happiness and well-being crisis during COVID-19. Today, they help brands, including Ollipop, Netflix and Nike, unlock their “happy advantage,” which the duo believes is a key driver of consumer behavior. Actionable advice: Regularly assess market trends and consumer needs to shape your approach and differentiate your contributions. Focus on how your work can proactively address relevant societal challenges or cultural moments. Make the process collaborative by trying steps such as: By staying plugged into culture and documenting your thoughts, you’ll generate a steady stream of ideas to keep your work fresh, timely and impactful. Beresford-Hill and Lucey advise young creative professionals to be proactively involved. Whether brainstorming ideas or shaping campaign strategy, Lucey stresses the importance of “owning the whole process.” The same sentiment was echoed in Herrera’s guidance for aspiring entrepreneurs. “Chase bigger, better, more fun opportunities. Don’t limit yourself to predefined roles,” she said. Actionable advice: Take the initiative to expand your impact beyond your core role by raising your hand for new opportunities and exploring adjacent disciplines. Offer to contribute to strategic planning, post-campaign analysis or new business pitches for extra visibility. Proactively learn by attending team meetings, shadowing colleagues or diving into areas outside your immediate responsibilities. When you have extra time, collaborate with your creative partner to review the agency’s full client roster. Brainstorm ideas for brands beyond your assigned accounts and prepare proactive pitches. Go all in on agency-wide initiatives, especially when the chief creative officer opens a brief to everyone, as these efforts can showcase your talent, build your reputation and position you for growth. And remember, the best creatives are also great strategists. Being proactive means fully investing in all aspects of a campaign, from strategy to execution. You’re not just partners with your copywriter or art director counterpart; you’re partners with the account manager, strategist and everyone else on the team. Build a network that extends beyond your primary creative partner to foster collaboration across roles. This teamwork will elevate the work and give you a holistic understanding of how campaigns come to life, ultimately making you a stronger, more well-rounded creative. Great partnerships are nurtured, not born, and sometimes a playful atmosphere is needed to fuel creativity. “When things get tense, creativity suffers. You’ve got to loosen up and trust that good ideas will come,” Lucey noted. For Herrera and Lester, fostering a healthier work culture has been foundational. They prioritize happiness as a workplace value and a brand strategy, believing it’s a critical driver of consumer loyalty and team productivity. Actionable advice: Introduce practices that make collaboration enjoyable, like starting brainstorming sessions with lighthearted games or sharing a playlist during late-night work sessions. Celebrate small wins with team lunches or shout-outs to keep morale high. When things feel like they’re falling apart, embrace the moment together. Laugh it off and remind yourselves that the idea will come. Keep stress manageable with fun, comforting rituals, as easy as: Hear more from Chris Beresford-Hill, Dan Lucey, Kimberly Herrera and Mark Lester on “Breaking and Entering Advertising” available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Learn what it means to thrive in advertising. About Breaking and Entering Media Breaking and Entering Media is a leading platform dedicated to helping everyone better understand and break into the advertising world. Whether aspiring advertisers landing their first job, agencies winning their dream clients or production companies connecting with top agencies, Breaking and Entering bridges the gap and helps people pull off their ultimate “heist” in the industry. Founded in 2020, it quickly became a top resource for industry insights, strategies and expert advice. Consistently ranked as one of the top five advertising podcasts globally, Breaking and Entering exists to tell the stories that break down the advertising industry and empower its audience to thrive in an ever-evolving landscape.

5 tips for building long-lasting creative partnerships

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