David Brixton Has High Hopes for VR in 2016

How would you describe and reflect on 2015 for the industry, creatively speaking?

I think, overall, the quality of advertising was quite good this past year. Advertisers seemed to get more comfortable with the variety of mediums available to them. Some examples that come to mind are the use of digital billboards and facial recognition technology used in the Look at Me Women’s Aid campaign; the New York Times’ use of Google cardboard and VR, and Geico’s fun and engaging riff on irritating pre-roll ads (below).

What about your company’s creative performance; how much do you think you’ve grown this year?

We had a great year, creatively. At last count, our work won over 65 awards this year including two Editorial wins at AICP, two Best Editing wins at Ciclope and the Cannes Grand Prix. We also edited five Super Bowl spots this year, something we’re always excited and proud to be a part of.

What has your own best personal achievement been in the past 12 months and why?  

Working with our design company Gentleman Scholar as they made their first foray into VR with the much-talked-about animation, Truffle Pig. We also launched Scholar Manufacturing to design and manufacture a range of handmade leather goods locally in Los Angeles. Lastly, our biggest achievement this year was developing and selling our first TV series, Teachers, which will premiere on January 13^th on TV Land.

And looking ahead to 2016, what are you most excited about in terms of the industry and advertising?

I look forward to clients and agencies continuing to take risks and making bolder and more engaging advertising. I also look forward to continuing to grow our relationships directly with clients. It was an exciting year for VR and I’m curious to see how it develops next year. With Google cardboard making VR accessible to a mass audience, and VR content being delivered digitally, the barriers to delivering successful and engaging VR advertising have been greatly reduced.

Give us an example of a strategy/approach from a brand you’d like to see more of in 2016…

I think the Super Bowl ads last year were a bit heavy on the whole, so I hope to see more boundary-pushing comedic work at this year’s game. The world has seen some very disturbing events lately and I think it’s important for people to get together with friends and family and be able to laugh.

Which campaign, piece of work or moment will you remember this year for and why?

As usual, some of the most interesting and exciting work I see each year is showcased at the Next Awards. This year, the piece I’ll remember most is Allstate's Social Savvy Burglar. It was such a creative idea, executed perfectly whilst remaining a very relevant piece of advertising for Allstate. I hope we see more original and groundbreaking ideas like this in 2016.

What’s your new year’s resolution, workwise or other?

As a company we need to continue to focus on “working smarter.” With decreasing budgets and steady creative needs, we need to help our clients find clever solutions with fewer resources. If anything, I’d like to encourage our brands and agencies to come to us earlier in the process so that we can work with them to really provide the most comprehensive creative solutions and help make the money go further.

What do you hope you’ve achieved by this time next year in terms of work?

Next year will be a busy one for us. We announced recently that Whitehouse Post London will move and co-locate with our respected competitor, The Quarry, in the iconic Heals building (below). We’re also excited to bring new solutions to the London market by integrating finishing into the editorial process, thus offering a seamless post-production service. We are set to move in the spring, so this time next year, we’ll be there!