Creative Minds: Craig Bailey could be a Rubik’s Magic world champion

Name: Craig Bailey

Place born: Hanover, Germany

Places lived/worked: Farnham, Guildford (UK); Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane (Australia)

Pronouns: He/him

CV:

Executive creative director, Five by Five Global, Sydney, 2017—present
Creative partner, DDB, Sydney, 2013—2017
Creative director, Pusher, Sydney, 2009—2013
Art director, BMF, Sydney, 2005—2008

How did you end up being a creative?

I didn’t want to follow in the footsteps of my Sgt Major father so I looked for something completely opposite. Advertising or authority? Hmmm.

What's your favourite piece of work in your portfolio?

No budget or time led to a legitimately viral piece of work. This agency Xmas card was—at the time—cutting-edge use of tech. Shared originally with 100 people and ultimately viewed millions of times, this digital card prompted you to add a home address only to see your actual house covered in falling snow through a festive window. It used Google Street View which was a nascent technology at the time. Simple. Brilliant. Viral.

What's your favourite piece of work created by someone else?

The Mini work back in the 2000s was groundbreaking in its thinking and use of technology to elevate ideas. The Mini ‘Av a word’ work was a stake-in-the-ground for user-defined video sequencing and set the ball rolling for a slew of similar techniques in the digital content space.

Who are your key creative influences?

Innovators and trend setters that find new ways to merge great storytelling, film and technology. Chris Milk and his work with Beck and his collaboration with Google, Aaron Kolbin and Arcade Fire; and again with Aaron Kolbin on the The Johnny Cash Project are perfect examples of this.

Who’s on your dream dinner guest list (alive or dead)?

Daley Thomson, Carl Sagan, and Ricky Gervais.

What career did you think you'd have when you were a kid?

Architect, astrophysicist or athlete. A clear correlation with my dream dinner guests.

Do you work best under pressure, or when things are calm?

Under pressure. Navel-gazing can be a creative cancer.

What really motivates you?

My kids thinking I’m better than I am.

Do you have any secret or odd talents?

I can complete the Rubik’s Magic in ‘almost’ world-record time.

What movie/show do you never get tired of?

The British TV show Only Fools and Horses. I grew up with it, I know all the words verbatim, it still cracks me up. It’s comedy-writing genius. It’s also a great source of inspiration for my own writing.

What app do you wish you could delete?

Facebook. I detest the media echo chamber it has become but I still produce work that uses it so it’s got me by the short and curlies.