S5 | 464: AI and Creative Work with Toby Barlow, Lafayette American
About the Episode
Today we’re going to talk about the role of artificial intelligence in creative roles and creative work, and how they can work together, conflict, and all of the above.
To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Toby Barlow, Co-Founder and Creative Chief at Lafayette American.
About Toby Barlow
He is the Co-founder and Creative Chief of Detroit-based creative agency Lafayette American, the owner of Nora Modern, and the author of two novels. His works include Sharp Teeth, an award-winning epic poem about werewolves in Los Angeles, and Babayaga, a novel centered around witches in Paris.
In his roles as Co-founder and Creative Chief at Lafayette American, he specializes in new business optimization, sustainability, design thinking, and company culture. His goal is to connect with each account to encourage and inspire them to the next level. For instance, with Period.org, he coordinated with state legislators and grassroots organizations to launch the “Periods are Sexist” campaign, successfully combating Michigan’s tax on menstrual products. The campaign led to the repeal of the tax after weeks of its launch, showcasing the innovative and impactful work of the agency.
He initiated his advertising career in San Francisco at Hal Riney & Partners, later moving to TBWA/Chiat/Day in New York and then JWT. In the Detroit office of JWT, he ran the Ford account globally for over ten years.
While already seasoned in advertising, the decade spent on Ford provided valuable insights into what he terms "irrational brand preference," understanding how story and emotion influence the rational buying process. He gained firsthand experience with emerging new media behaviors, witnessing both the best and worst.
Despite his focus on advertising, he has remained connected to other industries, causes, and communities that inspire him. He co-founded Vote Solar, a grassroots organization supporting green infrastructure investment across the country. He is the founder of Signal Return, a letterpress arts organization in Detroit, and Write A House, an organization that transforms abandoned homes in Detroit into housing for writers. His design shop, Nora Modern, has been thriving for ten years. While he also had a restaurant, Gold Cash Gold, located in an old pawn shop in Detroit, it did not survive through 2020, a fate shared by many restaurants.
Throughout his career, he has received multiple awards, ranging from Gold Effies to CA, Cannes Lion, and One Show awards.
Outside of work, you'll find him on a walk in the woods, listening to a history podcast, or at home engrossed in some big fat old book.
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Toby Barlow, Co-Founder & Creative Chief, Lafayette American
