THE IMPOSTEROUS: Paul Catmur and Toby Talbot. The Everton F.C of creativity and a Pixar character’s response to falling into advertising

This week’s double episode sees the Imposterous Toby Talbot (incoming Chief Creative Officer, Ogilvy ANZ) ready to jump into his next challenge and the Imposterous Paul Catmur (Creative leader, Agency founder, Writer) calling bullshit on being brilliant.

Paul Catmur is familiar with the stress of a blank piece of paper but he also appreciates the opportunity and excitement it brings. He recognises the joy found in the unpredictability of creativity but doesn’t miss the worry and anxiety of the job. Describing himself as the Everton F.C of advertising (‘a steady 7th’) he admits that although he was better than the lesser teams he always aspired to being one of the greats. His advice – rather than beating your heads against a brick wall trying to be brilliant it may be better to look at what you can do to build a career around the realities of the business and your true ability. Knowing our own capabilities might just save you a lot of pain.

Toby Talbot describes getting into advertising like falling down a darkened manhold, and much like a Pixar character he’s dusted himself off and got on with it. He revels in the infinite space creativity allows him. Having moved between cities and networks Toby admits that it’s being part of different places and offices that excites him most. Nurturing junior talent in the hope of finding the rulebreakers, acknowledging the job ahead is about building rather than fixing and being part of the exciting momentum at Ogilvy ANZ is very top of his agenda in 2022. Excitingly, this ship jump is no steady as she goes.

The Imposterous is hosted by Michael Knox (ECD, Roller) and Graham Drew (CCO, Grey Malaysia) and as has been created to explore the theory that even the world’s most respected creative professionals suffer pangs of inadequacy that either stifle their potential brilliance or protect them from mediocrity. Tune in to find out how Imposter Syndrome might just be your superpower, if you let it.

Paul Catmur has spent many years working in advertising in the UK, Australia and New Zealand including ECD roles at some of the world’s largest advertising networks. Paul co-founded his own agency, Barnes, Catmur & Friends Dentsu and while working he often writes articles for the business press as well as car and fishing magazines. Paul now lives on the beach outside Auckland where he concentrates on writing a column in the NZ Herald along with a couple of books. A prolific writer with many years experience, Paul is the host of New Zealand’s best podcast (IOHO) Truth and Soul Inc. And if all this isn’t enough, Paul also has a screenplay in the pipeline.

Prior to moving to Spain t0 join 14 as CCO, Toby Talbot held the role of CCO at Saatchi & Saatchi NZ for three years. Before that he was CCO at DDB Sydney, and was behind the most awarded mobile campaign in the world #comeonin for Sydney Opera House, and before then at DDB New Zealand, where he took home the coveted title of Campaign Asia Magazine’s Creative of the Year. Toby is currently the No.2 ECD in the world on the global bestadsontv Creative Rankings over the last 18 years. As CCO of DDB Sydney, Toby led a complete creative transformation that resulted in the agency being crowned as Australia’s most awarded at Cannes. During his five years as Group ECD of DDB New Zealand, he transformed the Auckland based organisation into one of the world’s most creative agencies, where it remains today. Toby is the incoming Chief Creative Officer of Ogilvy Australia and New Zealand.

LISTEN TO THE PAUL CATMUR INTERVIEW

LISTEN TO THE TOBY TALBOT INTERVIEW

The Imposterous is produced in a happy yet noisy workshop staffed by gorgeous little elves and tinkered into a glorious final product by Andrew Stevenson at We Love Jam Studios. The series is available now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play or imposterous.com.

Listen to previous episodes with Nils Leonard, Laura Petrucelli, Rob Campbell, Kitty Lun, Sarah Barclay, Fran Luckin, Jab Borgstrom, Merlee Jayme, Jo Sellars, Grant Rutherford, Shannon Crowe, Daniel Lobaton, Josy Paul & Vicki Maguire here.