Brynna Aylward's Winning Ways
By Alixandra Rutnik on Jul 21, 2020
Last year's Next Creative Leaders winner is ready for this year's class
Next Creative Leaders is here! At The One Club for Creativity we're all about highlighting the talented women and non-binary creatives in our industry who are thriving in their careers. Since 2015, we have been partnering with The 3% Movement to discover all the Next Creative Leaders – now five years later, it’s 2020, we’re in the middle of a pandemic, but NCL is still going strong.
From winning Next Creative Leaders in 2019 to now being a part of this year’s jury, copywriter and creative director Brynna Aylward has had quite an exciting "in-between." With the deadline to become The Next Creative Leaders is fast approaching, and we’re hopeful that Brynna’s story of success will inspire people to enter this year ASAP!
Talk to us about your career journey since winning Next Creative Leaders last year. You moved to NYC right before The 3% Conference and then only three months later you were off to Miami to work at GUT! How has this last year been for you?
This past year has been a whirlwind. I moved to NYC from Chicago right before The 3% Conference so I could get experience in other markets. But then right after the Next Creative Leaders announcement I received an email from GUT Leadership, which led to an offer for a Creative Director role in Miami that I could not refuse. So just three months after moving across the country, I picked up and moved across the country again to join the GUT team. It was an intense few months (only magnified by the craziness of 2020), but I’m so happy it all happened and I couldn’t be happier at GUT.
Chicago, New York, and Miami are all very different cities. How are you adjusting to life in Miami?
I love Chicago and I have a ton of hometown pride, but I have big goals for the future and I knew I needed to leave Chicago to accomplish them. It’s tough to move cities as a creative– even if you think your book is ready, often work alone isn’t enough to get you hired or noticed. In the year before NCL I found myself getting to many final interview rounds at great agencies in other markets, but ultimately I wasn't selected because someone else was local or a “better fit.” So, getting opportunities in two different cities back to back was amazing.
"I love Chicago and I have a ton of hometown pride, but I have big goals for the future and I knew I needed to leave Chicago to accomplish them."
Miami is very different from Chicago or New York, but unfortunately I haven’t been able to explore or experience it as much as I’d like due to the pandemic. While I am adjusting to the city and the “new normal” as much as I can, I don’t think my hair will ever fully adjust to the Miami humidity.
How does it feel to move from an internal agency like Red Fuse to an independent agency like GUT?
GUT is different from anywhere I’ve ever worked. I’ve never worked for an independent agency before now and working for one that actively prioritizes people over clients is extraordinary, especially in times like these.
Another factor that comes with being independent is trust– the amount of trust given at GUT is both inspiring and humbling, and it undeniably leads to great work. I know it sounds like I’m gushing, but I really can’t say enough great stuff about GUT.
"Another factor that comes with being independent is trust– the amount of trust given at GUT is both inspiring and humbling, and it undeniably leads to great work."
What is your go-to creative outlet during this pandemic?
It can be really hard to stay inspired these days, but seeing great ideas from the people I work with and other people in the industry has helped revive me when I feel like I’m stuck in a rut. Also, just stepping away from my computer to go for a walk or to play with my kitten can make some brain space and help my ideas to start flow.
What advice would you give to creatives who are thinking about applying for Next Creative Leaders this year but may be hesitant to submit their portfolio?
Don’t hesitate to enter! And don’t hesitate to nominate yourself! There is literally no downside to entering Next Creative Leaders and it has the power to change your career.
"There is literally no downside to entering Next Creative Leaders and it has the power to change your career."
Are you a talented woman or non-binary person with creative work to share? You should enter Next Creative Leaders! The deadline to enter is July 31st.
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