by Matthew Jones

It doesn’t take long to like a guy like Mike Williams.  Talk to him for five minutes, and he immediately comes across as intelligent, engaging and interested – very interested.  His curiosity about the world around him has served him very well in advertising thus far.

Williams is the creative director for commonground – an innovative cross-consumer marketing firm that has shunned the traditional agency model for a more fluid, dynamic approach to brand building. 

Williams came to commonground from numerous advertising agencies, the latest being Chicago powerhouse Leo Burnett, where he worked on blue chip accounts such as U.S. Army, Nintendo, Proctor & Gamble and Disney.  Given his tireless energy and boundless curiosity, it’s no surprise that after more than 10 years in the advertising industry, he finds himself heading up the creative effort for one of Chicago’s hottest boutique agencies.

“I always knew I wanted to do something creative,” said Williams of his decision to pursue a career in advertising. 

Before finding advertising, he spent time exploring more traditional career choices.  “Every job I (previously) had was just part of the mundane routine.”

Initially, Williams considered becoming a hospital administrator.  “Most black youth are told to become lawyers, doctors or accountants to be successful. When I was in school, hospital administration was supposed to be the new, lucrative field for black people,” said Williams.

It didn’t take long for Williams to realize that he needed a career with much more creativity to satisfy his imagination.  “I have always had a love for writing – I was an English and business minor, so after I graduated, I temped at various places instead of taking a job in hospital administration.”

His travels landed him at a few advertising agencies in Virginia, which gave him an inside look at the industry.

“I got to see what (advertising professionals) do – on the account side as well as the creative side,” said Williams.  His energy and intelligence opened doors for him to get a closer, hands-on view of the industry. “I naturally gravitated toward the creative side.  So, I put a portfolio together, crossed my fingers, and went to grad school.”

Williams hasn’t looked back since.  He has worked at some high profile agencies, on some of their most prized accounts.

Now, as William's success and reputation grow, so do his chances of reaching his ultimate goal, which is to change how the industry views, portrays and treats people of color.

A Man on a MISSION

“I’m on a mission – a mission to combat the negative stereotypes about how Black people are depicted in advertising,” said Williams, as his energy changed from playful to serious.  “It’s like every (African-American) spot you see on TV centers around Black people in barber shops or at cookouts.  Obviously, it’s part of who we are, but there isn’t that balance.  There’s a lot more to us than that.”

As commonground's creative director, Williams gets to cast his critical eyes over all of the agency's client business; and this gives him numerous opportunities to change how African-Americans are viewed in advertising.  “I get to talk to a nation,” he added.

But the change Williams desires to see in advertising is not one that he is pursuing heavy-handedly or with preconceived notions.  Williams believes positive change in the portrayal of blacks can best flow from exploring and learning.

“I hate to say it because it sounds so cliché, but I’m a student of life,” said Williams of the curiosity that fuels his creative fire.  “I’m a sponge of the world.  You have to dialogue with people.  You take all those experiences, insights and information, and then direct all of that back toward your audience in a way that connects them to your brand.”

While many creative campaigns live or die by virtue of testing every possible variable in focus groups, and ultimately finding the safest solution, Williams believes in a more gut-driven approach to the creative process.

“You have to be willing to explore, and to take risks,” he said.  “It’s a never-ending learning process.”

Apparently the risks are paying off.  Williams has collected awards at almost every major award show, including four Gold Addy’s, Gold Lions at Cannes, and Best of Show from the Chicago Creative Club.

Over the years, Williams has built a reputation for being insatiably curious.  “When we’re meeting with planners, or conducting focus groups, I get into it,” explained Williams.  “Everyone’s like ‘Oh, here comes Mike with all his questions.’”

Williams’ curiosity doesn’t end with the workday.  For example, one evening at a dinner party, he met a woman who worked as a Japanese bookbinder.  He had no idea what that entailed, so he asked her.

“She broke it down for me,” said Williams.  “She painted the whole scene.  Who knows if I’ll ever need to use (the information) but it interested me; so, I just had to know.”

Dealing with the Realities of the Business

Williams knows that all the talent in the world doesn’t necessarily get you around the barriers of racism in the advertising industry.  He has faced his fair share of obstacles in the workplace, but hasn’t let them stop him.

“It’s what every person of color goes through.  We all encounter the same racism,” said Williams.  “Look at the (legal action) happening with the New York agencies.  There’s a reason why they’re saying that there aren’t enough of us in the industry.”

While it’s one thing to contend with the lack of diversity within the company ranks, it’s quite another to deal with different racial preconceptions of clients.  Those can be sensitive, and sometimes career-destroying situations.

“There was this one spot where I had cast this black family – not because they were black, but they were the best actors for the spot,” explained Williams.  “No one said it directly, but it came back to me that the client had said, essentially, that they had already met their quota (for using blacks in their ads).  My immediate reaction was, ‘OK, then, send me home!’  They eventually came around.”

Williams’ bold stance in dealing with that situation is rare – and risky.  Not everyone is willing to challenge clients so openly.  Again, Williams’ risks paid off for the better.

"It can be that way internally at agencies as well," continued Williams.  "You can be at a meeting, and when you look around, it's like 'I'm the only black person here,' and it's not hard to figure out why." 

On the flip side, Williams has had the opportunity to do the kind of work that really feeds his soul.  Every once in a while, a project comes along that is extremely close to his heart.  Williams cited a highly visible philanthropic effort as one of his proudest professional moments.

“Every year, there’s a fundraiser for Off The Street Club (OTSC) – the advertising industry has essentially adopted the organization,” said Williams.  “I led the fundraising effort two years ago – it was really good for me.  Up until that point, every fundraiser was about ‘Oh, look at these poor kids’ – like the Sally Struthers commercials with the starving children.  I wanted to take it from a guilt-driven campaign to one with a more positive outlook, where the kids could actually participate.  We did a music video, featuring the OTSC choir.  During the presentation some of the kids actually sang along to the video.  It was a moment I’ll never forget."

Not only was it an opportunity to show the kids in a more empowered light, it was also a chance to expose them to people – Black people – in a way they hadn’t seen very often.

“Everyone in positions of leadership on the film crew was Black,” continued Williams.  “We showed them new role models, in new professional roles.  If you could have seen how excited the kids were - I couldn’t even describe the experience.  And in the end, we were able to show the kids in a positive light.”

Home-style Values

Williams knows the power of seeing positive images and a guiding hand from a friend and mentor.  His list of people who have provided inspiration in one form or another include some of the more prominent African-American names in advertising, including Lewis Williams, EVP, chief creative officer, Burrell Communications; and Jimmy Smith, executive creative director, BBDO.

But like many successful people, the greatest influence, support and guidance came from his parents.  “My parents were different,” said Williams.  “They affected me in ways they don’t even know.  They’re both conversationalists. They’re both creative. They’re both sales people. I was always in that environment.”

His father is in sales and his mother was charged with winning over young minds in the classroom.  They taught Williams some very important lessons about selling ideas.

“Everything you do is selling – it’s what capitalism is based on.  I think my career in advertising is a natural extension of what my parents did,” explained Williams.  “I was encouraged to explore.  It was all about exposure.  Growing up, the focus was never on material things.  When I was in middle school, my parents put me in programs that included advertising classes, and art classes.”

Most importantly, Williams' parents taught him the importance of enjoying work.  “If you’re going to do a job eight hours a day, or in my case, 12 or 14 hours a day sometimes – you have to love what you’re doing," said Williams whose work involves a bit more than just selling ideas.  He has to create them as well.  Like most of today’s brightest creative stars, he has his own way of approaching it.

“Every time, the creative process has been different,” explained Williams.  “I rarely just pick up a pencil and draw.  I might go for a walk, get on the Web, call a friend, or maybe I’ll just do nothing.  I’ll just go about my day – and something will pop into my head.”

Keeping his mind loose is an important part of the creative process for Williams.  Sometimes, though, it all comes down to some good old fashion research.  But Williams doesn’t just rely on information from a book or off the Internet; true to form, he usually goes right to the source – the people.