Strands of Genius: Baking in Mr. Mom’s Kitchen, The Industry’s First Lgbtq+ Oganization for Advertising and Marketing, and Inspiring with the Worlds Best Ideas
Guest curated by Scott Knox
Each year we aim to highlight 50 creative thinkers that have inspired us by giving them the opportunity to guest curate this newsletter, Strands of Genius. This edition is guest curated by Scott Knox, President & CEO @ Institute of Canadian Agencies (ICA) & Founder of PrideAM.
:: A BIT MORE ABOUT GUEST CURATOR, SCOTT KNOX ::
LOCATION: Ontario, Canada
PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT: Institute of Canadian Agencies (ICA)
After 15 years of running the UK's Marketing Agencies Association (MAA) based in London, my family and I moved to Canada in 2016 for me to join the ICA, based in Toronto. In 2015 I founded the the worlds first advertising and marketing industry LGBTQ+ organisation PrideAM (now Outvertising in the UK). We now have groups in several countries, including Australia, Canada and the USA. I am married to an award winning baker and we have two adopted, mixed race children. I am most proud of Inclusivity, Diversity & Equity in Advertising (IDEA for short), Pitch Watch and QBS Agency Search pillar initiatives for the ICA.
Editor’s Note (Team Genius Steals): We partnered with The ICA at the start of the pandemic, hosting a virtual training on writing less boring briefs (one of our favorite topics!) rather than the in-person event we had planned. It was a trying time, when none of us knew what would happen in work or in life -- and Scott and his team were warm, and full of both grace and compassion as we navigated the newly remote world together. While we're hopeful to hug it out in person one day, we're thrilled to host Scott as our guest editor today!
:: THE LINKS ::
BAKING IN MR. MOM’S KITCHEN
This is my husband's website, full of the most amazing baking recipes, including his Guardian/Observer Food Award winner and those he showcases on the Food Network's Great Chocolate Showdown. Who wouldn't like some black garlic ice cream? Enjoy! (Mr. Mom’s Kitchen)
THE INDUSTRY’S FIRST LGBTQ+ ORGANIZATION FOR ADVERTISING AND MARKETING
Produced by the amazing Canadian agency John St. This is the website of PrideAM, the industry's first LGBTQ+ organization for advertising and marketing. It makes me so proud to be working with so many amazingly talented and inspiring queer folks. (Pride AM)
INSPIRING WITH THE WORLD’S BEST IDEAS
Directory is a brilliant capture of some of the worlds best ideas, curated by the amazing Patrick Collister. I remember one UK ECD grabbing a copy of the printed edition and tearing out each page and laying it on the floor of the creative department. Everyone gathered to be inspired. Patrick doesn't just follow the pack, he has a perfect ability to spot the amazing campaigns that don't win the big award shows but are flawless none the less. (Directory)
Looking for more from Scott Knox? Those enrolled in The School of Stolen Genius will receive a deep dive from Scott in their inbox shortly! You can access all our expert interviews for SOSG here.
:: AND NOW… SOME FAST FAVORITES ::
:: Game :: Crazy Kong, a hand-held computer game I played in the 80s. A haunted house version of Donkey Kong, if you've never seen it.
:: City :: Toronto, sorry London, the people, the food, the Gay Village, oh and yes, the weather.
:: Book :: LOVING: A Photographic History of Men in Love, 1850s-1950s
:: Podcast :: I don't really "do" podcasts though I'm looking forward to my brilliant colleague Leah Power joining Blair Enns this fall for The 20% Podcast. Then I will be podcasting.
:: Album :: Culture Club's Colour by Numbers, the first album I ever bought
:: UK LEAVING CARD ::
This made me laugh and captured so much. It is my UK leaving card made by Jamie Matthews' Initials Marketing, featuring my two amazing, former colleagues Tracey-Ann Christian and Suzanne Barnes.
Madonna once said "Poor is the man whose pleasures depend on the permission of another." She's so right, whether that be in terms of sexuality, music, art or inspiration. People can get very snobby in being honest about what works for or helps them. This has been especially relevant over the past two years of the pandemic. Mental health for all of us has been challenged. So, I've been saying who cares what it takes to recharge, my go to is 80s 12" singles, The War Song by Culture Club, Criticise by Alexander O'Neal or George Michael's Monkey, while it annoys my kids, it fills me with nostalgic joy. The same with watching old episodes of Dynasty or Star Trek Voyager. Fill your life with emotional inspiration as well as intellectual stimulation and don't listen to the voices in your head that say everyone is better, more creative and more intelligent than you.
Thanks for reading and thanks to Genius Steals for asking me to contribute.
Scott Knox
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It's called Genius Steals because we believe ideas are new combinations and that nothing can come from nothing. But copying is lazy. We believe the best way to innovate is to look at the best of that which came before and combine those elements into new solutions.
Co-Founders Faris & Rosie are award-winning strategists and creative directors, writers, consultants and public speakers who have been living on the road/runway since March 2013, working with companies all over the world. Our Director of Operations is nomadic like us, our accounting team is based out of Washington, our company is registered in Tennessee, and our collaborators are all over the world. Being nomadic allows us to go wherever clients need us to be, and to be inspired by the world in between.
Hit reply and let’s talk about how we might be able to work together :)