Michael Huang & Chike Ume: On Brief and For the Culture: A Look at Modern Creative Strategy | SIC 2024

So much has changed in the way brands communicate. So much has not. Michael Huang and Chike Ume of Milli will provide a unique, slightly hot take on what modern creative strategy is (and what it could be), inspired by their unique experiences and history within (and outside) the industry. A fireside chat, but the only fire is the opinions, due to safety concerns.

1. ON BRIEF AND FOR THE CULTURE:
A Look at Modern Creative Strategy
With ChikeUme & Michael Huang
SEATTLE INTERACTIVE 2024

2. This is Mike.
Seattle Born & Raised
90’s kid
Public Schools
UW, Go Dawgs!
New York, Big Advertising
Founded Milli in 2014
Film Commissioner in 2023

3. That’s Chike.
Nigeria born, Seattle Raised
90’s kid
Public Schools
Former spoken word artist
Razorfish, Saatchi, etc
Joined Milli in 2024
Unfortunate fascination with puns

4. Oh No.

5. “DEI Hires”.
Mike & Chike

6. What is Creative Strategy?
First.

7. … it depends.
Well.

8. “ Tactics is knowing what to do when
there is something to do, strategy is
knowing what to do when there is
nothing to do.”
—SaviellyTartakower, chess Grandmaster
Break it down.

9. Creative Strategy is…
...a good brief with some ideas driven by insights
and logic that is purpose-built for the people
who will build it all out (writers, designers,
developers, producers, directors, etc.)
In a Nutshell.

10. It’s about rejecting the binaryof thinking
(strategy) vs doing (creative)
Instead, creative strategyasks “what to think
about”and “how to do"
Deeper.

11. And that’s what a lot of folks are starting to adopt.
But here’s the rub:
It’s not enough.
The true final boss is strategically redesigning both the
way you approach strategy and creative to erase the line
drawn between the two practices. They’re not different.
Lets do better.

12. There we go.
From:
•Tool to people
•Vendor to trusted partner
•Acting on trends to shaping culture
•Diversity and inclusion as an initiative to a norm
•Narrative shift to narrative change
•Vanilla content to better, more purpose-built output

13. In a world of tools, be human.
Tool Person

14. Honestly, everyone.
Who is that for.

15. The future is not AI.

16. Its us.
“The role of the artist is to
make the revolution
irresistible.”
-Toni Cade Bambara

17. And our own innovation.

18. When your work
values not just the
thing but the who,
DEI becomes less of
an ornamental
initiative, and more of
a superpower.
DEI hires included.

19. Creative strategy is a
mixture of the rational and
irrational.
The emotional truth and
logical conclusion.
What was missing here?
All so you don’t do this.

20. And instead do this.

21. In a world of tools, be human.
“A revolution doesn’t
happen when society
adopts new tools. It
happens when society
adopts new behaviors.”
-Clay Shirky

22. •People over things:
•Things can only be just good, it’s when everyone buys in that
something becomes great
•Tools are just that: tools. AI is just a tool. People drive everything.
Invest in people.
•Purpose is paramount:
•Creative is nothing with meaning
•Strategy derives meaning from people, not things
•Insights, tensions, narratives –they’re as steeped in emotional
truths as they are in logical ones
Tips.