Tools of the Trade: OJ Deady From TwelveA.M.

Tools of the Trade is a feature to help highlight the many tools that help make advertising and marketing folks successful. The tools can be anything that helps people perform at their top form, from a favorite drafting table to the best software program to a lucky pen, a vintage typewriter or a pair of headphones. Next up is OJ Deady, co-founder and managing partner at creative content agency TwelveA.M. What is one tool you use all the time at work, and how does it inspire your work? Without a doubt, this would have to be audio notes. I know this might not be the most practical choice, especially since I have a strong Irish accent that I’ll never be able to lose, coming from Cork and all. Still, I find audio to be the clearest form of communication. I appreciate that Gmail, Slack and other tools have their place, but text takes longer and you can often lose the context. I’m constantly on the move and without a fixed time in the office, so I feel audio notes are the clearest way to convey a message. Why is it your favorite? Ironically, it’s only just my favorite ahead of a pencil and paper. I’m not overly tech-savvy so I appreciate technology that makes my life simpler, which audio notes do, rather than more complex. However, I don’t use them for communicating with myself. Contradictorily, I find writing in a notebook more enjoyable than listening to myself—something I only make others endure.I use it daily, both in my personal life and professionally. I’m not the best at keeping in contact with friends and family when travelling for work, so I communicate better through audio notes. My friends might disagree, especially given some of the airport ramblings I’ve sent their way after a long day, but I try to keep notes within three to four minutes. With colleagues, it might only be a minute. TwelveA.M. champions the speed at which we can work and deliver, making audio notes the perfect tool when we have multiple sets running simultaneously in different locations. How did you acquire your tool or hear about it for the first time? Interestingly, we used audio notes for a campaign with Tiffany&Co. We were shooting in multiple locations over a very short period of time. The talent ranged from A-list celebs to emerging artists, all speaking various languages and each person was asked to talk to or about someone they had an unbreakable connection with. But as soon as you say ‘lights, camera, action’ their responses can feel slightly contrived—you miss out on the true sense of what they want to say. To make sure of authenticity, we asked each person to respond to the question via an audio note while at home, rather than on a set with 30-plus strangers listening in.This got me thinking about using this form of communication in all aspects of life. I’m also fascinated by different colloquial expressions, which are clearer in audio than in written text. How does it help you be successful? It helps with getting to the point quicker. A phone call is now seen as a last resort if something isn’t clear, usually after a series of emails. A meeting in person has become less common, and a call might not always be possible at short notice. So an audio note bridges the gap. Now, I’m not saying it should replace calls or meetings but it’s underutilised when you’re trying to get to the point efficiently. Does it have sentimental value? Not particularly, but with friends dotted all over the world in different time zones, hearing their voices more often is nice. I have one very close friend in Hong Kong and family in Australia, so phone calls can be difficult. Do you think your tool could go TikTok viral? Why or why not? It already has, though not often for the best reasons. One famous example was Roy Keane’s leaked audio clip when he was the assistant coach of the Irish football team. Another is the hilarious audio clip about the Ministry of Defence’s plans to cook a massive lasagna at Wembley Stadium during Covid. You might need to Google those. We want to know what tools you use to make you successful. If you’d like to contribute or know someone who would want to be featured in Tools of the Trade, contact kyle.obrien@adweek.com and fill out our survey.

Agencies

Tools of the Trade: OJ Deady From TwelveA.M.

Deady uses audio notes for easier communication with friends and colleagues

Create Your Free Account

Registration Includes:

Kyle O’Brien

About

Subscriptions

Events

Publications