<div class="gn-article"><div class="gn-hero gn-reveal"> <div class="gn-hero__image"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/687a235da6861294eec73166/69fa71006c4745b8fce399d7_jack-brough-whats-the-one-thing-banner-68b06b19b3225940290264.jpeg" alt=""></div> <div class="gn-hero__head"> <span class="gn-kicker"><span class="dot"></span>Expression</span> <h1 class="gn-title">What&#39;s the One Thing? ... with Jack Brough - BAFTA nominated Creative Director</h1> <div class="gn-meta"> <strong>The GO Network</strong> <span class="pip"></span> <span>25 August 2025</span> <span class="pip"></span> <span>3 min read</span> </div> </div> </div> <div class="gn-body"> <figure class="gn-fig gn-reveal"> <div class="gn-fig__media"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/687a235da6861294eec73166/69fcb00976650680aa1a0d46_69fcb0077cc9aac8d92f8f7d_jack-689b4eec971b6744098908.png" alt="Jack Brough, BAFTA Nominated Creative Director"></div> <figcaption>Jack Brough, BAFTA Nominated Creative Director</figcaption> </figure> <p class="gn-lede gn-reveal">Jack Brough is a creative director and brand strategist with over 15 years' experience shaping campaigns, content, and brand platforms across broadcast, digital, and advertising.</p> <p class="gn-reveal">His career spans leading creative roles at agencies including Edelman, Joint, and venture studio Founders Makers, alongside earlier work in TV production with Talkback Thames, The Moment, and TwoFour. He's developed standout campaigns for brands like Amazon (Prime, Alexa, Music &amp; AWS), Vodafone, DFS, Naked Wines, TripAdvisor, Vue Cinemas, and Levi's, blending cultural instinct with commercial clarity at every stage.</p> <p class="gn-reveal">Jack brings an editor's eye, a strategist's focus, and a creative's energy to everything he works on, helping brands cut through noise with ideas that stick.</p> <div class="gn-divider gn-reveal" aria-hidden="true"></div> <h2 class="gn-reveal">What's the one thing you wish you'd known before starting out in your career, and why?</h2> <p class="gn-reveal">I really wish I'd known to buy bitcoin when I first heard about it!</p> <p class="gn-reveal">As well as that, if I had a regret, it would be that I wished I paid more attention to brilliant experienced people who were always generously giving great advice. If I'd listened, I could remember what it was…</p> <figure class="gn-fig gn-reveal"> <div class="gn-fig__media"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/687a235da6861294eec73166/69fcb00976650680aa1a0d3a_69fcb0070a7b35485c1771a0_7-689b4eec7d9b4390760392.png" alt="Illustration accompanying Jack Brough's interview"></div> <figcaption>Accompanying illustration from the interview series.</figcaption> </figure> <div class="gn-divider gn-reveal" aria-hidden="true"></div> <h2 class="gn-reveal">What's the one mindset shift that helped you get better at what you do?</h2> <p class="gn-reveal">Oscar winning screen writer William Goldman: "No-one knows anything".</p> <p class="gn-reveal">It's reassuring (and terrifying) to know that really, no-one knows if any idea is going to succeed or not. It opens up the need to question everything and to keep digging in. It's also valuable to remind yourself that anyone can be right, and that you can definitely be wrong yourself, so shut up and listen.</p> <figure class="gn-fig gn-reveal"> <div class="gn-fig__media"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/687a235da6861294eec73166/69fcb00976650680aa1a0d43_69fcb00711ca0fdff018c133_williamgoldman-nobodyknows-689b4eec9719f586141726.jpeg" alt="William Goldman quote: No-one knows anything"></div> <figcaption>William Goldman's maxim: "No-one knows anything."</figcaption> </figure> <div class="gn-divider gn-reveal" aria-hidden="true"></div> <h2 class="gn-reveal">What's the one talk, article or idea you return to again and again, and why?</h2> <p class="gn-reveal">Ken Robinson's TED talk "Do school's kill creativity?" is just the most incredible talk and I return to that every year or so like a great album.</p> <aside class="gn-quote gn-reveal"><q>If you're not prepared to be wrong, you'll never come up with anything original.</q><cite>Ken Robinson, as cited by Jack Brough</cite></aside> <p class="gn-reveal">It's nearly 20 years old now but still as relevant as ever. Not just for the heart-breaking reality of how messed up education policy is, but his ability to be so funny and so perceptive about how we think about creativity is so pertinent to the Creative Industries and how any organisation is run.</p> <p class="gn-reveal">If you've never heard it, immediately stop reading this and head to <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" class="text-primary underline decoration-primary" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG9CE55wbtY">YouTube</a>. (Then come straight back to the wonderful GO Network.)</p> <figure class="gn-fig gn-reveal"> <div class="gn-fig__media"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/687a235da6861294eec73166/69fcb00976650680aa1a0d49_69fcb008fda8211fa387d05d_ttj-689b4eec8e96b178118652.jpeg" alt="Ken Robinson TED talk reference"></div> <figcaption>Ken Robinson's TED talk, a repeated reference point for Jack Brough.</figcaption> </figure> <div class="gn-divider gn-reveal" aria-hidden="true"></div> <h2 class="gn-reveal">What's the one skill or mindset the next generation will need that we're not teaching enough?</h2> <p class="gn-reveal">Obviously, AI looms large, and the combination of AI with two other super technologies, Robotics and BioTech looks set to cause enormous change to how the world works.</p> <p class="gn-reveal">We can't predict the impact of these changes, just that they are likely to be vast.</p> <p class="gn-reveal">Jeff Bezos did ok for himself by focusing not on predicting what will change but what things will persist. I think when we can't control the changes, we can control how we are equipped to respond.</p> <p class="gn-reveal">I really do believe that real creative and real human understanding are the skills that will be most valuable, as they are built on adaptability and curiosity.</p> <div class="gn-divider gn-reveal" aria-hidden="true"></div> <h2 class="gn-reveal">What's the one thing people are always surprised to learn about you at work?</h2> <p class="gn-reveal">Apart from having a couple of webbed toes, there's always a surprising moment when someone uncovers that I used to be in comedy and can be found in Little Britain clips on YouTube. Computer says no.</p> <figure class="gn-fig gn-reveal"> <div class="gn-fig__media"><img src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/687a235da6861294eec73166/69fcb00976650680aa1a0d40_69fcb008e6b4b9f9702de747_2058-689b4eec9ab94933447036.webp" alt="Jack Brough in Little Britain"></div> <figcaption>Jack Brough can be found in Little Britain clips on YouTube.</figcaption> </figure> <div class="gn-divider gn-reveal" aria-hidden="true"></div> <h2 class="gn-reveal">And finally: what's the one "What's the one thing" question you would like to see us ask future guests?</h2> <p class="gn-reveal">If the industry you worked in vanished and you had to do something totally different, what would it be?</p> <div class="gn-divider gn-reveal" aria-hidden="true"></div> <p class="gn-reveal">Thanks to Jack for sharing his thoughts, stories, and sharp sense of humour with us.</p> <p class="gn-reveal">From BAFTA nominations to webbed toes, agency strategy to Ken Robinson, his answers are a reminder that curiosity, creativity, and not taking yourself too seriously might just be the most underrated career tools out there.</p> <p class="gn-reveal">If you'd like to take part in <em>What's the One Thing?</em>, we'd love to hear from you, <a target="_new" rel="noopener" class="text-primary underline decoration-primary decorated-link" href="https://thegonetwork.fillout.com/whats-the-one-thing">submit your thoughts here</a></p> <p class="gn-reveal">Thanks for reading <em>What's the One Thing?</em></p> </div></div>