The Firehouse Salon

I was interested in what was going on with Openclaw and heard that Lan Wei, a PHD at MBZUAI had won a hackathon experimenting with the edges of a new technology. Turns out her keen interest is the intersection between AI and storytelling.  We talked about the reasoning behind creative choices and explored the idea of chaos in agentic systems ad their iteraction with humans creatively.  We debated...

I came to Eduardo's office expecting to talk about cells and data. What I found on his wall were the illustrations of Ernst Haeckel, a 19th-century German naturalist whose drawings of jellyfish, radiolaria and embryos were so beautiful they shaped how an entire generation understood life on earth. That felt like the right place to start. What followed was one of the more honest conversations...

Drawing on a 1960s speech by Howard Luck Gossage that contrasts money-driven business builders who want repeatable formulas with creative people who become more exploratory and less controllable as they earn more. Ashley, our host, connects this to curiosity as a driver of ideas, citing Stephen Johnson on creativity and Charles Babbage, and argues that in an AI era, adaptability, resilience, and c...

After a five-month hiatus and a move to Abu Dhabi to take up the role of Head of Creative at the AI university MBZUAI, I've finally worked out why I got stuck with the Salon, and what it should become. A conversation with Richard Tseng reframed Gossage's relevance for me. He drew a connection between the post-war age of propaganda, when Howard fell into advertising as a new medium, and t...

After 2 years on BBC sounds the link to our radio show is no longer working... so... the opportunity to share it with you here. One of the advantages is the opportunity to share with you a new 'director's cut' - a little shorter, and some additional elements we decided to put in. Enjoy! Back with the next episode after a summer break. Ash & James

In this episode of Firehouse Salon Live, we discussed creativity and the process behind it with our guests: Filmmaker Philip Rachid - https://www.linkedin.com/in/philiprachid/ and Designer Dave Officer - https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-officer/ We talked about the balance between spontaneity and structured creativity, the role of AI in the creative process, and the importance of producing authen...

In this episode, we dive into the legacy of Howard Luck Gossage and explore creativity, environment, and unconventional thinking.  Guests: Ali Grant - Designer and inventor of the Halo -  https://www.instagram.com/halosoundsystems/ John Kieselhorst - Co-Creative Director of Geezer Creative - https://www.geezercreative.com/ Ali discusses his pioneering work with Halo Sound Systems and his focus on...

The Firehouse Salon: Exploring Creativity and Environment In this episode of the Firehouse Salon, hosts James and Ashley delve into the 1960s world of Howard Luck Gossage's and his work environment at his firehouse ad agency.  We talked about the impact of physical, interpersonal, and psychological environments on creativity. We explored the balance between freedom and constraint, and how dif...

In this episode we explored the topic of magic and communication, particularly how persuasion and manipulation shape media and advertising. Our guests: Maz Farrely - Exec Producer of so many shows you've watched Lindsay Campbell-Crafts - Communications Manager Ben Dietz - Chief Strategy Officer, former Partner at Vice Media have eclectic experiences in television production, community, creati...

In this episode, we delve into the theme of magic in human belief, particularly magical thinking and its impact on advertising and communication. The hosts explore Howard Luck Gossage's ideas on how magical thinking has been leveraged in marketing, juxtaposed with real-life examples from their own experiences in storycraft. We discussed the responsibility of using magical thinking ethically,...

In this episode of the Firehouse Salon, host Ash, along with our guests: Sophie Whippy - Tediophobes Jérémie Maret - Artist Shane Elliot - Sculptor Guillem Gallego - Chief Marketing Officer delve into the process of ideation and creativity. The guests, ranging from artists to entrepreneurs, share their unique perspectives on how ideas are born, developed, and brought to fruition.  We talked about...

In this episode, James & Ash explore Howard Luck Gossage's sixth chapter from 'The Book of Gossage,' examining his critique of traditional advertising and his belief in advertising's power to spread meaningful ideas. They discuss creative approaches, the emotional impact of effective advertising, and practical strategies for idea generation. The conversation also covers Gos...

In this episode of the Firehouse Salon, host Ash chats to this Eps guests: Jenna, a documentary filmmaker with a background in neuroscience; Ammie, a multidisciplinary artist; Abdallah, a cultural expert from Abu Dhabi working on the Saadiyat Cultural District; and Mick Wilson, tech editor of DJMAG UK Global.  In this episode, we dig into how human behavior and cultural influences shape each other...

In this episode of the Firehouse Salon, we delve into the complex world of culture with Howard Luck Gossage and his 'firehouse gang'. We discuss how culture is often something to support rather than genuinely enjoy, and explore the insights it provides into our past, present, and future.  The conversation covers the impact of Gossage's work in advertising, the role of authenticity i...

Time to have a conversation with the man at that started our journey with the Salon - Howard Luck Gossage. And time for us to reset our approach in our second year. Feel free to take a look at our vision & format for 2025 - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UJg43IlSKAh53WJzLdpWYwASB6OEcL3ZyjN9HE7WsYs/edit?usp=sharing

This time our  highlights one of Gossage's notable campaigns for Blitz Weinhardt Beer during the Oregon centennial, which humorously proposed reforesting Times Square to compensate New Yorkers for the beer's unavailability.  The campaign garnered massive attention despite its outlandish nature. Furthermore, Gossage's playful and inclusive copywriting style, often featuring collabora...

In this episode, we delve into the lively discussions from the latest Firehouse Salon Live held in London. Host Ashley Pollak brings together three intriguing guests—Oliver Turnbull, a technology consultant and comedian; Ash Bhardwaj, a journalist and author; and Barnaby Cook, a video production expert.  The conversation spans a variety of topics, including the importance of asking questions, the...

In this edition of the pod we discuss the influence of Howard Luck Gossage on modern advertising with guest Johan Gustafsson, Partner at the Swedish creative agency Differ.  Johan shares insights on Differ's ethos of creating impactful and sustainability-focused campaigns. We explore examples of their work -  'Gotland's Ugliest Lawn' contest, an initiative to conserve water, an...

Exploring the power of honesty and authenticity in Tech, Business, and Art.  Our panel includes  Elizabeth - An Olympic athlete with experience combining comedy & tech pitches. Julian - Tech entrepreneur and Immersive Storyteller Dee - Talent & HR expert - fromer Amazon/Goldman and now working at UCLA and Ian - story scientist & former Head of Video Strategy at Conde Nast Key topics in...

Your hosts James King and Ashley Pollak dive into Gossage's legendary work, where he flipped advertising on its head by embracing radical authenticity. Ever heard of an ad that doesn’t even mention the brand? Gossage did just that. Join us as we explore how Gossage’s wild ideas can inspire today’s advertisers to embrace honesty, absurdity, and a touch of chaos. 

This episode features a rich discussion on building and sustaining interconnected, resilient communities transitioning from virtual to in-person interactions. Set in The Firehouse Salon at The Hub co-working space, the dialogue includes insights from Amy (PR consultant), Sam (co-founder of The Hub), and Will (head of production at Pasha).  Key topics include the significance of capping memberships...

In this episode, hosts Ashley Pollak and James King discuss the lost art of letter writing. Turning to their patron saint, Howard Gossage, they explore how his letter writing turned ink into conversation and later collaborations with iconic figures like John Steinbeck and Marshall McLuhan. From putting pen to paper to sending voice notes, Ashley and James share how they have used unconventional fo...

This episode features an insightful conversation with Andy Pearson, VP of Creative at Liquid Death. Discover how Liquid Death's unique approach to humour-driven, engaging, and purpose-driven marketing parallels Gossage’s philosophy. Andy shares his journey from ad school to building a radically creative brand, discussing standout campaigns and the strategy behind Liquid Death’s success. This...

Our latest monthly online meetup bringing together diverse minds come together to discuss topics aimed at broadening perspectives. This episode host Ashley Pollak brings together a fantastic group of humans - Motorbike Innovator Hugo Eccles , Comedian Pierre Hollins , Creative Craftsman Jamie Bell and my Tediophobe Sophie Whippy   We delved into the concept of absurdity, particularly how it can be...

In this episode hosts Ashley Pollak and James King explore the groundbreaking work of advertising legend Howard Gossage, focusing on his use of absurdity and humour. They discuss how Howard challenged industry norms with campaigns like the Qantas Airlines promotion, where he offered a live kangaroo as a prize, and his partnership with comedian Stan Freberg on the Contadina tomato paste ads, which...