Dave Peterson On The Spot

Dave Peterson, creative director of Peterson Milla Hooks, the 40-person shop that has created ads for Target for more than a decade, is always looking for fresh faces. During a break from casting, Peterson, 50, discusses why he ran from traditional agencies and how design is at the heart of everything he does, including building his modern Minneapolis home. Recently, PMH won Best of Show at the Obie Awards for its "Wants/Needs" ads. This month, it debuts "oddsagainst7even.com," a back-to-school Web film series that guest stars indie bands The Hold Steady, 22-20s and British Sea Power. Q: What do you look for in talent? A: Fresh, exciting talent that really reflects the brand equities. It's usually good energy, kind of strong and usually a little bit of a twist is good, a little bit of personality, a raised eyebrow, kind of a "Target twist," we call it. All of our people are usually amazing looking in some way, but we always look for people that give that little extra, that pop or a wink or a raised eyebrow. What's the vibe?We're blessed with probably one of the best designed logos in the business. There's just so much you can do with it. You're starting with an awesome palate there.Why take "oddsagainst7even" online?The back-to-college time frame is so competetive. Target is looking for different ways to reach that audience. They are heavy online users, so we decided to go online.What are the films about?It's the story of seven characters thrown together in their first week of college. One of the things that happens is this group of kids gets involved in getting a band for a party. You've kept your agency small. Why?There's a magic in being small because everybody is highly accountable, highly energized, everybody's vital, and I think it makes us a stronger team. I find that over a certain number of people, people start to fade away. It's like bubble gum: The bubble starts out bright pink, and as it gets bigger, it gets more pale, and then it pops.What is the agency's culture?It's intense, it's fun, it's high expectation, high energy, incredibly rewarding, and I think it's rare.What do you find exciting about the design world these days? I think to me great advertising is being deductive. It's taking all the extra stuff away and that's very much in keeping with design. It's always about its simplest, boldest, purest form, and I think that's what makes for amazing ads and outdoor and television.Who influenced you most creatively? People like Paul Rand, Andy Warhol. I mean, he's an amazing designer. Early in his career, he was amazing in advertising. I think you can have [ad] work that looks like art if it's designed the right way. I kind of believe in emotional selling, where you're creating a strong emotional connection to a brand, and I think design is a way powerful weapon in doing that. How did you get into advertising?I've always loved art and design and was always painting or print-making. It's just sort of been me since the beginning. There were some struggles early on in my career being in conventional, traditional advertising.How so?I would go for the strong visual solution and more of an emotional than an intellectual sell. In traditional advertising, there was way too much information, way too much crap people were expecting to be in the advertising that didn't enhance it in any way. Copy and strategy didn't necessarily make it better communication in the end.So you decided to form your own agency?I really felt that there was no place for me to go that kind of understood what I understood, and I felt if I really wanted to do it the right way, I'd kind of have to do it my way.You've described yourself as a Type A personality—so you stay very hands-on in the work?I do. I still love to art direct, and I still need to do it because it excites me so much—and I think that makes it contagious. There's no greater high than doing an amazing ad.What is the smartest business decision you ever made?Opening my own agency.How about the dumbest?Not going with my gut. Decisions that I make with my gut have always been good. The ones where I overthink or it doesn't feel good in my gut usually aren't right.What do you do when you're not working? Well, I love my family. I love architecture. Just three years ago I built this kind of cool, modern house. … It was really exciting.Give me three words to describe yourself.Obsessive. Silly. Creative.Three words of how others perceive you? I think it's the same.What is your biggest fear?Having a real job doing something I don't believe in.What's your greatest accomplishment so far?My family.What is the most important thing you learned from your parents?To laugh.

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Dave Peterson On The Spot

Eleftheria Parpis

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Eleftheria Parpis