In this week’s Needle Drop one of the greats of the industry gives a masterclass on how to solve the triad of doom.

KW: Give me a brief with a set of limitations and I'm off and running. I like to use the 'must be and must have' scenario to spark new thinking.

For example, last year a client asked that I find a less costly alternative to a track that was up for renewal. This happens in the advertising world when a spot's use no longer justifies the expense of a top shelf licence.

The brief? Find something good, fast and cost effective. We all know this triad of doom. Pick two, sure. All three? Rarely. The original track was an iconic pop song that helped drive the concept, my approach was to find something recognisable as well.

Given the budget I went with classical. Music in the public domain eliminates one side of the 'all in' equation. After digging deep, I found that Brahms's Hungarian Dance worked a charm. But, I was looking for more – something unique that would heighten the comedic tone of the spot. I dug deeper and came across a version of the dance on YouTube performed on the banjo by Jamie Dupuis, a young jazz guitar virtuoso from Canada. Now that's unique.

I edited the track to the cut, presented it and got a resounding thumbs up. Mission accomplished. This gig had an added benefit. Jamie was nothing less than gobsmacked when I offered him our total budget. It was May of 2020 and the lockdown had his public performances at a stand still. It's not always the big sexy budget gigs with big time exposure that are the most rewarding.

As for the creative aspects? Check out the clip's before and after. Did I crack the good, fast and cost effective challenge? You be the judge.

Read Karl’s full bio HERE