On My Radar: Chloe Cross

Chloe Cross is a producer at creative marketing agency, Don’t Panic London, the company behind recent thought-provoking work for Save the Children and Greenpeace. A keen campaigner for equality and ethics in advertising, she has also written as a regular contributor to Vice.com, penning experiential lifestyle pieces for the popular website.

Below, Cross lifts the lid on her creative radar; including a Colgate campaign we should all take note of, educational documentaries, and how her ex-school mates have inspired her in the present day.

What’s the best ad campaign you’ve seen recently?

Obviously Don’t Panic’s latest online video to help end LEGO’s partnership with Shell for Greenpeace!

Second to that is Colgate’s Close the Tap campaign, which aims to make people aware of how much water goes to waste when they leave the tap on while brushing their teeth. This is a personal pet hate of mine and I love how little dialogue is used, meaning that anyone can understand the message no matter what language they speak.

What website(s) do you use most regularly and why?

I love The Ethical Adman blog. The guy who runs it doesn’t post often, but when he does it’s always about super interesting, controversial topics. It features a lot of international campaigns focussing on sexism, human rights, activism, etc.

What’s the most recent piece of tech that you’ve bought and why?

I bought an iPad Mini at Christmas, although I really didn’t need one as I already had an iPhone and MacBook. I bought it out of pure greed and because I wanted to take a triple selfie to post on Instagram.

I always think iPads are one of those things no one ever really knows what to do with. All I use it for now is watching Netflix in bed and online shopping. I took it to Cannes Lions this year instead of my MacBook to work from which was a big mistake.

Facebook or Twitter?

From a work perspective – Twitter. It’s a great tool for news and inspiration. From a personal perspective – Facebook.

What’s your favourite app on your phone and why?

Instagram and Citymapper, but that’s a given. Other than that, MyFitnessPal because it makes monitoring your diet and exercise really easy. Also I like scanning the barcodes of everything I eat – the novelty never seems to wear off.

What’s your favourite TV show and why?

I watch a lot of documentaries on things like dinosaurs and criminals; (Orange Is the New Black counts is a documentary, right?) I don’t have the time to watch a lot of TV and when I do I’d always much rather watch something educational than something mind numbing like Come Dine With Me. Saying that, I am a huge fan of Friends but that’s strictly hangover material now.

What film do you think everyone should have seen?

White Oleander.

Where were you when inspiration last struck?

On the train back from a meeting in Brighton with one of my bosses.

What’s the most significant change you’ve witnessed in the industry since you started working in it?

How aware people are becoming of social issues. Brands are no longer just setting out to sell their product but are primarily aiming to make a social change with increased sales coming secondary, which is awesome.  

If there was one thing you could change about the advertising industry, what would it be?

Fair and equal pay, but this is an issue in every industry. All of my full-time internships that have led me to where I am now have had to take place while at University so that I could support myself via my student loan. Other interns around me at the time were fortunate enough to get by with the financial support of their parents, meaning they could focus on one thing at a time and didn’t have to study full-time, intern full-time and commit to a part-time evening job in order to make rent as well as trying to make something of themselves.

Although the intern laws have now changed, there’s still a big problem where freelancers are concerned. I have been in the position where I’ve been paid less than an intern because the laws for freelancers are pretty blurred. Agencies need to get out of the habit of paying people day rates but expecting them to commit as much as a person on a salary should, without any of the security or benefits.

What or who has most influenced your career and why?

Probably the girls I went to school with. I went to a single sex school with a lot of girls that didn’t care about their future career and were destined (and content) to only be housewives and mothers and I never wanted that for myself. I’ve always had the view that if I only get one life I want to make sure I do as many strange, funny, stupid and amazing things as I can.

Tell us one thing about yourself that most people won’t know…

I used to think I was a witch and do spells down the bottom of my parents’ garden when I was a teenager. It’s still something I believe in and if I had the time, I’d like to educate myself on it more.