Some I talked to thought it rocked. Some thought it was an embarrassment. But none could deny it was a party. A party that brought a ton of ad folks together to celebrate as a community. Which begs the question… What’s the best way for any local advertising community to celebrate their creative work?

A sit-down dinner with a host and Oscar-like presenters?

How about a gallery show and presentation ceremony?

Like Chicago, a good old-fashioned party with a band?

Or, should they even celebrate it at all?

The first few questions are debatable, but the last one I know for sure. Celebrating great creative work should be done often, more often, and then over and over again. And it’s not so much about the work as it is about the creative minds being exposed to the work.

Award shows and other creative recognition are more for the people who aren’t winning than anyone else. Being exposed to “the chosen” work inspires non-winning creatives by setting instant, visible goals for them. And that inspiration is what makes ideas fresher, newer and more exciting the next year. It’s the constant evolution of great creative ideas. And agencies, clients and even consumers benefit from it. Sure, we need the winners. But we need the losers more.

So, I say, celebrate the work. As much as possible and however you want. And invite as many people as possible to witness it. Because next year’s better idea will likely come from one of this year’s attentive losers.

I can only assume our seven years of helping change behavior and culture in Ohio through our Ohio Tobacco Prevention Foundation work was ever-so-slightly edged out by Ground Zero’s nine years of the same in California. It was a fair fight and we lost. Which brings me to my request of you, Ground Zero:

Don’t make it a fair fight in New York.

Big Tobacco isn’t fighting fair, why should you? Have you seen Camel’s dissolvable tobacco, candy-like Orbs? Or Virginia Slims’ glamorous, lipstick-like purse packs? I’m concerned that you seemed possibly a little too nice during our quick exchange at the Albany airport. I’m hoping there’s a mean streak in there.

As I told the panel at the pitch… Ever since one of my very best friends in the whole world—my Grandpa, LeRoy Knapp—died from lung cancer a few days before Christmas when I was ten years old, this cause has been personal to me. And as we poured our passion into the Ohio movement over the years, it only got more personal.

So, Ground Zero, though you’re 2500 miles away from Poughkeepsie, make the work you do for the state of New York personal. Don’t care about awards or recognition, though I’m sure you’ll get much of both. And don’t care about fighting fair, though politically it will be hard not to. I just ask that you care about one thing—ending tobacco use. That’s it. Make it your mission. Make it a movement. Just make it happen.

Everyone expects an Executive Creative Director to be brilliant. To see things that others just don’t see. To shape and mold good work into great work. Jeff Warman does all of those expected things. What’s maybe not so expected is for an Executive Creative Director to be warm and engaging, to genuinely care about the people who work for him and to put his own creative ego aside. Jeff does all of those not so expected things, too. But, what’s REALLY unexpected (drum roll, please) is for an Executive Creative Director to actually listen to clients’ concerns and perspective about the work. That’s the Jeff Warman trifecta. Now, he may not always agree with you and he’ll tell you when he doesn’t, but he’ll never be a jerk about it. And that’s what’s really cool about Warman.

As Executive Creative Director, he leads the ideation team to deliver singular creative ideas that move on to become the driving force behind integrated, media-neutral campaigns. Warman’s work for clients like Long John Silver’s, Brown-Forman, Mentos Candy, Kentucky Lottery and the Ohio Tobacco Prevention Foundation has won a long list of national and international awards. Adweek praised his work as having a “certain weird genius” and Cincinnati Magazine dubbed him the poster boy for a new generation of outstanding creative talent. But work’s not his only creative outlet – he recently completed his first screenplay, which is in its initial production phase.

Follow Warman on Twitter or visit him on Facebook and LinkedIn. Or call 513.762.1718.