Tim Nudd believes that editorial coverage of advertising should be as colorful and playful as the industry itself.
Tim Nudd emphasizes the importance of headlines and subject lines in catching his attention as a journalist.
Tim Nudd views his role as a creativity editor in keeping the advertising industry honest and providing insight to readers.
Deep dives
Tim Nut's Career Journey in Advertising
Tim Nut, the creativity editor at AdAge, has had a successful career in advertising spanning several decades. He started as a copy editor at Adweek in the late 90s and later became a freelance writer for People magazine. After joining Adweek again as creative editor, he launched Muse by Clio, a daily site newsletter and a podcast called Tagline. In his current role at AdAge, Tim believes that editorial coverage of advertising should be as colorful and playful as the industry itself.
Tim Nut's Approach to Journalism and Procrastination
Tim Nud, as a journalist, has a constant flow of emails from agency PR people seeking coverage for their work. He aims to find the most interesting and unique campaigns to write about. While he admits to being a procrastinator, he doesn't face writer's block as he always has content to write about. Tim acknowledges the importance of headlines and subject lines in catching his attention and appreciates when PR professionals make it easy for him to access materials. He regards interviewing as a valuable skill and admires those who excel at it.
The Role of Journalists in the Advertising Industry
As a creativity editor, Tim views his role as keeping the advertising industry honest, highlighting what works and what is creatively appealing. While he maintains relationships with people in the industry, he ensures that they understand his role as an objective journalist. Tim believes that a certain level of competitiveness between publications is healthy and keeps them on their toes. He sees his work as a mix of personal taste and industry knowledge, striving to cover the industry's creative product and provide insight to readers.
Evolution of Marketing Strategies
The podcast episode discusses the evolution of marketing strategies in the digital media landscape. It explores how the focus has shifted from generating high page views to providing industry-relevant content. The shift includes catering to a niche audience rather than a mass audience, as exemplified by the change in the subscription models of Ad Age and Ad Week. The episode also touches on the challenges of balancing engaging content with avoiding clickbait and misleading articles to generate clicks.
The Power of Compelling Advertising
The podcast episode highlights the impact of exceptional advertising campaigns. It specifically mentions the Johnny Walker Robert Carlyle film by BBH London as an outstanding example. The film exemplifies the craft, attention to detail, and artistry that can be found in advertising. The discussion underscores the significance of campaigns that move the audience and stand out among the majority of advertising litter. The episode also acknowledges the challenge of separating genuine creative work from cynical attempts solely focused on winning awards.
Tim Nudd is Creativity editor at Ad Age, where he covers creativity in business, particularly the advertising space. Tim has spent his career spotlighting and elevating the work that moves our industry forward, making him one of the most influential marketing reporters of this century. After graduating from Washington University in St. Louis, Tim joined Adweek in 1997 (initially as a copy editor), started writing for the magazine in 1999, and launched the AdFreak blog in 2004. He then left to pursue a freelance career, notably as a writer for People magazine and other Time Inc. titles, before returning to Adweek full time as creative editor in 2010. In 2018, Tim joined the Clio Awards, where he launched Muse by Clio, a daily site and newsletter about creativity, and Tagline, a podcast that goes deep into the making of great ad campaigns. He began in current role at Ad Age in January 2023.
Get the Snipd podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share & Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
