Tara Lawall has worked at some of the biggest agencies in the world, earned a Cannes Titanium Lion, and her work has even landed a spot in MoMA’s permanent collection, but her sharpest insights might trace back to a comedy class she took at Miami Ad School.

Today, Tara is Chief Creative Officer and Partner at Rethink’s New York office, and in this interview, Tara shares how her team uncovers powerful truths hidden in everyday behavior — something they call cultural sparks at Rethink — and how those truths have led to some of the industry’s most buzzworthy campaigns.

Some of my favorite aha moments from our conversation include:

• The unique “trauma therapy” process Rethink uses to build client relationships that leads to more effective work
• Some aha moments around a spicy but not too spicy Doritos campaign with Walton Goggins
• The creative challenges of finding the perfect soundtrack for different street corners in LA, London, and New York with Epidemic Sound
• The brand love campaign Rethink developed for Mac n’ Cheese
• The Philly slang term that works in literally any sentence
• Important life lessons Tara learned growing up in her dad’s delicatessen and pastry shop 

Show Notes:

Below are links to inspiring ideas that came up during our conversation.

Books:

Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert

A Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin

Abundance by Ezra Klein

Campaigns:

Doritos: A Spicy but Not Too Spicy Plumber

Epidemic Sound: A Sound for Every Feeling

Heineken Pub Succession