On My Radar: Ryan Kutscher

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

Man, I really don’t know. Maybe because of targeting sophistication now I’m not seeing stuff that’s not meant for me. I’m not seeing a lot.

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

Imgur. It’s like reddit without all those pesky words. You get an idea of both what’s popular culturally around the world, and some hilarious memes about it. Go with the SFW version.

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

I bought something called the Whistle, which is like a Nike + for my dog. It tracks his exercise and intensity level. Then it broke, and I realised, oh I didn’t need that at all.

And I got the Samsung Gear 2 [below], which is a smartwatch. It’s almost useful. But then my dog ate the charger, I stopped using it and realised I don’t need it at all. There’s a trend here.

What’s your favoured social media platform?

Bumble when I’m single. Seamless when I’m hungry.

What’s your favourite app on your phone?

Maps.

What’s your favourite TV show and why?

I still like Deadwood. They went all in. Great show, great characters, great scale. Very dramatic. It holds up. I liked The Getdown a lot as well, because it was a risk. It’s like a hip hop, dance, musical, period-piece, drama. They checked every box, and it feels like there’s no way it should work, but it does.

What film do you think everyone should have seen and why?

The Big Lebowski. I hated it at first, then I learned to appreciate it for what it was, which is nothing.

Where were you when inspiration last struck?

In bed, at night, when I should have been asleep.

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

Social media.

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

I’d urge people to use their gut to interpret analytics as much as their brain.

What or who has most influenced your career and why?

The Book of Gossage. I recommend it to everyone as the only book about advertising worth reading. It goes in and out of print.

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

Well, I answered all these questions on a survey once. You won’t believe what happened next.