Interview with Pat Feehery, Creative Director – Part 2
What are you most proud of in your portfolio?
I worked on the recreation of Domino’s, the ”Oh yes we did!” campaign at Crispin that revolutionized Domino’s from the standpoint of changing the way they thought about their own business. I’ve worked on Burger King, Vitamin Water, Motorola, Infiniti. We went all over the world to create a virtual reality concept for Infiniti and it was unlike any other production.
Favorite campaign?
I love what Geiko is doing, it seems like they don’t have rules, but I know they do. They keep their briefs simple which creates some iconic work. I also like Grey’s Direct TV work with Rob Lowe and the NFL.
If you could work on any client or business?
I want to work on a quality brand that is not cool yet, one of those blank canvas brands. But the product has to work, has to be good. Dan Weiden told me his favorite campaign was the one that hasn’t been created yet. It sounds so cliché but it’s true. Old Spice, smelled like Old Spice before W&K, but now it’s cooler.
Where have you worked?
Crispin Porter, EVB, The Martin Agency, 72 & Sunny, Razorfish, BBDO, Deutsche LA, Vitro, Grenadier, Victors and Spoils, Barkley, Mullen….
Career highlights?
When the massive flooding happened here in September of 2013, I read somewhere that money was what they needed most. People in advertising want to do good things but don’t have time. I started “Freelancing the Flood” to help them out and I was proud of the fact that I was able to give back. I was still freelancing and donated $14,000 to flood victims. I was still getting my name out there, networking without sacrificing all my time or going dark for that period.
Best boss quality?
Being genuine, honest. Lots of bosses aren’t. I didn’t always like what I heard, but I could always respect the honesty.
One former boss of mine, Bart Cleveland, approached client feedback as creative problem solving. If a client came to you with a problem, you don’t just throw up your hands, you solve that problem, creatively.
Highest compliment your new teammates can pay you?
I would want them to say that I am fair and honest. Even if they don’t like what I have to say, it’s coming from an honest place, and I’m just trying to make the work better.
What might surprise us?
Most people don’t know that I come from very conservative family and that both of my parents worked for the FBI. My mom was the third female FBI agent ever hired, my brother was a Navy Seal and is now in the FBI. My mom was always encouraging me to do something that I was really passionate about; if I didn’t have that from my mom I think I would have settled for a career that I didn’t enjoy and I would not have found this work that I love to do.
