Uncensored CMO Nils Leonard: Don’t Confuse S**t Ads For The Death Of Creativity
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Nov 19, 2025 
Nils Leonard, Co-founder and Creative Director of Uncommon, shares his bold insights on creativity in advertising. He discusses Uncommon's groundbreaking out-of-home campaigns, including British Airways' evocative 'Reflections' and the emotional storytelling behind B&Q’s approach. Nils contrasts the creative energies of the UK and US, urging a shift from cynicism to belief and experimentation. He challenges creators to find inspiration in pain points and reimagine traditional formats, emphasizing action over apathy to revive authentic creativity.
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Build What You Wish Existed
- Do create the thing you wished existed instead of only making client-driven ads.
- Try making narrative objects or experiences that tell brand stories better than ads.
$10.5M Cash Stunt In New York
- Nils described stuffing $10.5m cash into a New York storefront to visualise celebrity endorsement costs.
- The stunt drew crowds and global attention, proving powerful experiential marketing.
Own A Recognisable Out-Of-Home Format
- Out-of-home works best when you own a simple, repeatable format people recognise instantly.
- Make posters beautiful and game-like so consumers wish there were more of them.