Craig Allen: Great Creative Work Requires Defying Conventional Industry Playbooks

As part of our interview series called “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Became A Founder”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Craig Allen.

Craig Allen is the Founder and Chief Creative Officer of CALLEN, an Austin-based creative entrepreneurial lab that is making waves in the industry.

With almost a decade of experience at Wieden + Kennedy’s Portland office, Craig has an impressive track record of working with a diverse range of brands. Notably, he led the Old Spice team responsible for the iconic “Smell Like A Man, Man” campaign, which catapulted the brand to become the definitive leader in its category and was hailed as one of the top campaigns of the 21st century.

In 2017, Craig founded CALLEN, where he and his small team go beyond traditional client work. They create innovative projects for themselves, pushing the boundaries of creativity. One of their recent ventures includes a groundbreaking NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) partnership with University of Texas running back turned first-round NFL draft pick, Bijan Robinson. Together, they have launched Bijan Mustardson, a gourmet line of Dijon mustard, and partnered to host a panel at SXSW 2023.

Under Craig’s leadership, CALLEN has won Ad Age’s Small Agency of the Year awards in 2022 and 2023. Craig has won some of the industry’s top awards including two Cannes Lion Grand Prix, Best In Show at The One Show and ANDY Awards. He’s also received two Black D&AD Pencils and the Grand Effie, and was elected as one of the 50 most creative people in the world by Creativity Magazine in 2010.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

I was at a bit of a crossroads. The only way to progress my career was to move up and enter the C-suite. Or take on a global role. To me, at big agencies, moving into that type of role entails more meetings and less involvement with the work. I always say I felt too young to retire. I still have a hunger to make and create. I want to be more involved. W+K asked if there was a way we could continue to work together and after a lot of thinking I presented the idea for CALLEN. Big ideas via smaller, more nimble teams. The chance to keep creating work and then having the power to make them ourselves was something I couldn’t pass up. An extremely wise person once told me, sometimes you just have to do it so you don’t spend the rest of your life with the regret of never trying.

Can you tell us a story about the hard times that you faced when you first started your journey?

One thing I didn’t anticipate was how lonely starting a business can feel. Suddenly everyone is looking at you for all the answers. I felt like I couldn’t admit I was unsure or confused in fear of looking dumb. Which I now know is actually dumb. Traditionally I’ve always been paired with a conceptual partner. When starting a business you lose that security blanket. You have to be completely self-sufficient. It can be very scary, alienating and stressful. I’ve learned, overtime, that it’s okay to be human and it’s okay to ask for help — even if you’re the boss.

Where did you get the drive to continue even though things were so hard?

I am a perfectionist, with extremely high expectations, who is allergic to quitting. The fear of failing was very real for me, but also very motivational. I couldn’t bear the idea of having to tell anyone that things didn’t work out. I think being successful at a founder level is actually just figuring out how to solve problems. I always say that you hear 100 no’s for every yes. Great work is hard to make but you have to be willing to fight through all the no’s no matter what it takes.

So, how are things going today? How did grit and resilience lead to your eventual success?

Things today at CALLEN have never been better. We have a strong roster of amazing clients and we’re hiring in a time when most people aren’t. The best part is that we’ve found brands that want our type of work as opposed to those we’re trying to force to do our type of work. We’re having a whole lot of fun.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

When we first started out we didn’t have an official office. We went to a co-working space here in town and leased a small office. We were swayed by all the amenities. They had free snacks! After about a week of working there with all the 28-year-old wanna-be entrepreneurs and startups we realized uh oh, we hate this freaking place. But we were stuck in a lease. We ended up working out of our managing director’s apartment for three months just because we couldn’t bear going into that coworking space. My first desk was an inflatable mattress she had in a guest bedroom. I wish we would have saved that money and did a little research first. The snacks were sucky anyways.

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

We talk a lot about being stupid smart. Producing the ideas that are so simple and smart that you feel dumb for not coming up with them on your own. I think we have a special way of seeing the world and a gift for connecting with culture in non ad like ways. That’s our true gift. For instance, Disney+ recently came to us with an ask to bring attention to their new brand mnemonic. Obviously people don’t spend a lot of time thinking about the sounds that play before your favorite shows on streaming platforms. But they had an Academy Award winning composer in Ludwig Gorrenson and a giant orchestra. It was more complex and special than anyone would ever know. So we came up with the idea to treat this like any other great piece of music and press it on a vinyl record. BUT, it’s only 5-seconds. So we made the world’s tiniest record. It was 2-inches wide and we released it on National Record Store Day and it was a huge hit. I think most people might have just done a nice social post with an assignment like this, but the amount of social currency we achieve by taking this approach instead was astronomical. I’m super proud of that one and our Disney+ friends for taking the chance.

Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?

You have to find your creative releases. For me early on that was doing music projects on the side. I directed music videos, made interactive music experiences, AR concerts, etc. and I had a blast. Sadly those things usually pay negative dollars so that’s not sustainable. Over time I’ve figured out how to bring my work and creative releases closer together. It’s not one or the other. Now we’re doing projects that are so fun I often forget I’m even working. As a founder it’s easy to remember to look out for the mental health of your employees but harder to remember to do that for yourself. You have to do that. Taking a break doesn’t mean you’re slacking off or failing. In fact, finding those things will make you even more powerful and efficient than before.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?

I’ve been lucky to work with many of advertising’s creative legends throughout my journey. From my early days learning under Gerry Graf, Scott Vitrone and Ian Reichenthal, to my later years under people like Mark Fitzloff, Hal Curtis, Colleen DeCourcy and of course, Dan Weiden. It’s like the Advertising Hall of Fame’s hot list. I’ve been very lucky. One other person I have to mention is Dave Luhr. He is not a creative but very few have been more influential in my starting this company than him. He’s secretly been running W+K behind the curtain for eternity. He taught me a lot about business, people, money, and relationships. CALLEN wouldn’t exist today without his genius words and guidance.

How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?

I’m very aware of the fact that we make ads and people hate ads. I work very hard in trying to create things that people actually want to interact with instead of boring things that media may make them interact with. Life is hard and full of all kinds of crappy setbacks. After a long day, if something I made can make someone laugh or smile, I’ll take it every time. Outside of that we try to use creativity for good wherever we can. Whether that’s helping a brand like Liquid Death raise funds to fight ocean plastic, or helping student athletes make money in more meaningful ways through innovative NIL deals, those are the things that bring me the most joy.

What are your “5 things I wish someone told me before I started leading my company” and why. Please share a story or example for each.

1 . DON’T BE TOO PROUD TO ASK FOR HELP

I talked a little about this earlier but it’s okay to make mistakes. No one is perfect. No one knows everything. Even if you’re a founder, it’s okay to admit that sometimes you have no idea what you’re doing. No one does. Trust those around you, find your support circle in friends and colleagues. Ask questions. No one will think less of you if you do and you’ll be better for it. Also, go on vacation every once in a while. I used to think as a founder you have to work 26 hours a day or you’re failing yourself and the company. That’s an express train to Burnoutville. Also, that’s impossible. Apparently there’s only 24 hours in a day. Who knew?!?

2 . DON’T FORGET TO LISTEN

If you’re doing your job correctly you’ve surrounded yourself with smart people that make you better. Ask for their opinions rather than constantly bombarding them with your own. You don’t have to always be the smartest person in the room. Great ideas can come from anywhere. From any role, at any level. Take the time to sit with people and hear them out. Encourage them to speak up and share their ideas. Some of our best work has come from the most surprising of places.

3 . BE A HUMAN

In the early days, I tried so hard to be a “founder”. To do what I assumed people wanted out of a founder. To sit like Don Draper and have the perfect things to say in every meeting. To give perfect speeches to employees with perfect words. I was trying so hard to be perfect that I forgot how to be myself. It took me a while to realize that no one wants a perfect leader, they want you. Don’t lose yourself in the process of trying to be great.

I was lucky to have many meetings with Dan Weiden when I was forming this company. I once asked him how he knew what to do when he was first starting out. How did he come up with the beliefs that W+K was founded on and so many of us hold dear? He looked at me, smiled, and said “I never knew what I was doing. I didn’t know anything. We were just two kids, trying to figure it out. You find yourself on the way.” I left his office with 10 kajillion bricks lifted off my shoulders. Thanks Dan.

4 . DON’T FORGET TO HAVE FUN

At some point we all joined our respective industries because we loved it. Then we get old, jaded, and our pants don’t fit anymore. I can’t help you with the pants but i’d say don’t forget the fun of the thing. I’m a true believer that if you’re not having fun the work shows. Your output shows. Your meetings show. People want to work with and for people that have fun. That help them forget they’re even working. Be fun, remember to have fun and everyone around you, including your output, will benefit.

5 . MAKING MUSTARD IS HARD

We started a mustard company called Bijan Mustardson with NFL running back Bijan Robinson. We have done everything from recipe formulation, distribution to marketing. We are not mustard markers. We are not food distributors. Making a mustard seemed like it would be an easy and fun side project. Oops. To say this has been a massive undertaking filled with numerous challenges and unyielding stress would be an understatement. It has been one of the most enjoyable, humbling, craziest projects of my career. We’re now nationally distributed and are officially taking off. Wow, what a ride. I wouldn’t change it for the world, but I also wouldn’t wish it upon my worst enemy.

Can you share a few ideas or stories from your experience about how to successfully ride the emotional highs & lows of being a founder”?

The best and worst part of starting a company is you never know what the next hour holds. One minute you’re about to go out of business and the next you’re hiring and winning awards. The trick is not letting either the peaks or valleys affect you too drastically. I try never to get too excited or depressed. Riding in the middle is the only way I’ve been able to ensure my survival. On the worst days I try to go to bed early knowing tomorrow will be a whole new chance at something amazing.

You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

I’m a giant sports fan. Specifically college sports. We started our mustard company to help Bijan Robinson use his talents to create a brand that could benefit him long after his playing career is over. Instead of making fast money to hold up a variety of product and smile, we offered him a way to craft a brand from scratch. As a partner, not just a spokesperson. Helping college athletes use their athletic talents to benefit themselves in more meaningful ways is passion of mine. Not just the superstars, but everyone. College institutions make billions of dollars off these kids and I think it’s time to level the table. No one is looking out for these kids. It’s an industry of sleazy agents and brands that see them as expendable. I think we owe them more. Our mustard company has been heralded as “the best NIL deal of history” and “a true game changer” but I feel like we’ve only scratched the surface. We’re already thinking about what to do next.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

Our website is thisiscallen.com. Our mustard company is found online at bijanmustardson.com. Find both on Instagram and let’s hang out!

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!