Thom Glover of American Haiku on Building Whole Worlds For Brands

He discusses 'Grey Days' for New Balance and 'Email Bill' for Yahoo

Thom Glover is founder and CCO of American Haiku, developing campaigns for New Balance, United Sense of America, Yahoo, Chase Sapphire, Sakara and Away. During his time at Droga5 in New York, he led the Meta/Facebook team and crafted ads for Hennessy, Harley-Davidson, Under Armour and Lululemon.

We spent two minutes with Thom to learn more about his background, his creative inspirations and recent work he’s admired.

Thom, tell us…

Where you grew up, and where you live now.

I grew up in Ealing Broadway, London, the last stop on the District Line. I live in Greenpoint, N.Y.

A moment from high school or college that changed your life.

One rainy Friday in Double English, Miss McLaren decided she couldn’t be bothered to teach us The Handmaid’s Tale, and put on a VHS of Takeshi Kitano’s Sonatine instead.

Your most important creative inspirations, and some recent stuff you love.

I like sweating over things where I can’t work out how they did it: Saul Bellow’s sentences or Tony Allen’s drumming. I’m obsessed with videos on Instagram where they show you how “Shook Ones” or “Get Ur Freak On” are just two notes from an obscure soul record pitched down three octaves and run backwards.

One of your favorite creative projects you’ve ever worked on.

I love projects that feel like you have the chance to help build a whole world for the brand. New Balance’s “Grey Days” was exactly that.

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A recent project you’re proud of. 

“Email Bill” was American Haiku’s first Super Bowl campaign. An unbranded :15 spot that invited viewers into a surrealist personal email exchange with Bill Murray as he attempts to unravel the mystery of his reflection being a dog. It was very weird, and a huge success for the brand. 

Someone else’s work that inspired you years ago.

Dave Dye’s blog where he talks through the process of making his work is something I go back to again and again. There’s an obsessiveness and energy to his approach and his taste that is so exciting. Also, he introduced me to Jean-Paul Goude, for which I will be forever grateful.

Someone else’s work you admired lately.

Normally when I see something new that I like, my old boss Felix Richter (CCO at Mother London) has had a hand in it.

Your main strength as a creative person.

I still find the whole thing very exciting…

Your biggest weakness.

…I can’t understand when other people don’t. 

A mentor that helped you navigate the industry.

There are several. Jessica Kingsbery for teaching me how to manage relationships, Daniel Wolfe for his unending energy. David Droga for showing how to approach creativity like an elite athlete. And Patrick Milling-Smith for some much-needed lessons in Realpolitik.

What you’d be doing if you weren’t in advertising.

I originally wanted to be a theatre director, but gave it up when I got dumped by an actress. That was ages ago. Maybe enough time has passed to give it another shot?