On My Radar: Greg Bruneau

What is the most creative advertising idea you’ve seen recently?

There is a lot to choose from, there’s some great work out there. But actually there are two. The first one is the Extra Gum spot. Along with the rest of the world, the anticipation of emerging from lockdown has been palpable, so when I saw For When It's Time, I loved it immediately, and I think we can all relate to it in some way. It was funny, relatable and dare I say, a little emotional. Or was that because it was set to a Celine Dion track?

The second is a kind of music video from the hip-hop group Alaclair Ensemble called Mets du respect dans ton bac, which was for a campaign from the City of Laval in Quebec to highlight the importance of recycling. The lyrics explain the significance of putting the correct waste in the correct bin, and I think it is a really cool way to get the message across. Plastic pollution is a serious issue, and any communications around tackling that through recycling is well worth it.

What website(s) do you use most regularly?

For work, mostly AWWWARDS and FWA to get a healthy dose of the most creative experiential and design work out there. It’s always good to know what new projects are being created. I must confess that YouTube is my favorite website. I like channels which talk about art, music, gaming, movies, physics and a lot more… It’s really impressive at the end to see how passionate people are to share knowledge. 

What’s the most recent piece of tech that you’ve bought?

I’ve been trying to buy a PS5, but I actually think I have a better chance of winning the Euromillions Lottery. So, really, the question should be: what's the most recent piece of tech that you’ve almost bought? Otherwise, I recently purchased a robot vacuum which helps keep my floor clean without having to lift a finger. This is mostly helpful when applying all concentration to the highly technical work of trying to lay my hands on one of those pesky PS5s.

What product could you not live without?

My coffee machine. Not a unique one, but nothing can start in my brain without a good coffee.

What’s the best film you’ve seen over the last year?

I don’t have a favourite film, but I do have a favourite animated Netflix series: The Emmy award-winning Love, Death and Robots just blew me away. It is a collection of animated short stories spanning several genres, but mainly science fiction. It's also very funny, more like a dark comedy, and each episode explores different topics such as life for robots in a post-apocalyptic city, and world domination by a super-intelligent yoghurt! I love everything about this series and even the art direction is super-cool. 

What film do you think everyone should have seen?

Arrival. From the director Denis Villeneuve, based on the book Story of Your Life. I like the conception of time in this movie, the linguistic relativity (also called sapir–whorf hypothesis), and it demonstrates the importance of language and how languages affect the cognitive skills and perceptions. And what great photography and soundtrack composed by Jóhann Jóhannsson. 

What’s your preferred social media platform?

YouTube. For me, it's a one-stop shop for everything! You can find out how to do literally anything! I can look up how to change a washer on my bathroom tap, then find out how to get to the next level in a game whilst watching a medley of brilliant music videos. There is something for everyone of all ages and all interests.

What’s your favourite TV show?

Well, you may have guessed by now that I’m a sci-fi fan, so it won’t surprise you when I say that it's a sci-fi show! It’s called Tales From the Loop (Amazon Prime), and the universe in the programme is based on the art book of the same name by Swedish artist Simon Stålenhag. I'm a fan of Simon’s work, and this show brings his work to life just perfectly.

What’s your favourite podcast?

Cosy Corner. It’s a French gaming podcast created by two TV and gaming journalists and presenters who used to present a gaming programme. The podcast talks about their life, entertainment and games both past and present. A very nice piece of fun!

What show/exhibition has most inspired you recently?

Unfortunately not very many, thanks to Covid. But Les Bassins de Lumieres has inspired me. It was a submarine station during the Second World War and has been derelict since. It has recently undergone intense restoration work but, in keeping with the original features of the site, has been miraculously transformed into a centre of immersive art and culture.