“The Key - Quick Conversations on Creativity” Alex Robertson (Editor Complaign & Art Director)

❓ The Key 🔑 to Great Creativity ❓

🔎 “Opportunity. Finding a little gap or a spot of something that somebody is not thinking about.”

Alex Robertson, Senior Art Director and editor of #Complaign Magazine

‼️ Recently a new online magazine really grabbed my attention: Complaign

👀 What grabbed me were the brilliant illustrations (serious Gerald Scarfe vibes), the long-form format, that it felt a bit old-school…but in a really relevant way, it had a real edge to it…and was created by people who actually work in the ad industry.

⚡ I thought it was really brave for someone to launch something like this in today’s low-attention world, where there is so much information delivered in increasingly “bite-sized chunks”, so I had to find out more.

I contacted the Editor Alex Robertson and asked if he would be up for a "Quick Conversation 🎤".

He said yes…and I got to ask him about "The Key 🔑 to Great Creativity" and learn more about Complaign.

Alex Robertson’s Key 🔑 to Great Creativity?

💬 “Opportunity.”

But not opportunity in the obvious sense.

🧠 “You can spend loads of time filling your head with research and come up with a really sensible idea…”

✨ “…and then creativity and magic happens when you just do the complete opposite of that.”

For Alex, creativity comes from identifying:

🔍 “A little gap or a spot of something that somebody isn’t thinking about.”

And to me, Complaign feels like exactly that.

A brilliantly observed, funny, satirical and beautifully art directed publication that captures the kinds of conversations creatives actually have:

🍻 In the pub

🏢 In the office

📅 While trying to book meeting rooms

😩 Complaining about small talk

As Alex Robertson puts it:

💬 “It’s a trade press magazine written by the creatives who make the advertising.”

But importantly, Alex asks contributors to:

✅ “Please just try and end on a positive note.”

What I also loved was Alex talking about the importance of format in the experience itself.

📖 In a world of endless scrolling and disposable content, he said:

“It’s really nice to have something that someone has spent a lot of time making, for you to spend 5 minutes flicking through.”

💪 And the fact this has been built in evenings and weekends alongside the day job makes it even more impressive.

Thank you, Alex, for your time.

I love what you are doing with Complaign and I hope more people find it and enjoy it.