Ten Trips Around the Sun with Brian Hucek
Marking a Matchless Creative Director’s Planetversary
When Brian Hucek joined our merry band in 2012, he was a clean-shaven copywriter with an eyebrow-raising portfolio. Today, he’s typically got at least a week’s worth of stubble befitting an ad man who many years ago rose to the rank of Creative Director, courtesy of a knockout run for clients like Duluth Trading Company, Pancheros, and EatStreet.
We’re damn lucky that Brian’s called Planet his professional home for a full decade, and we hope he never tires of trying to get every new Planeteer to buy into one of his ever-growing list of pet conspiracy theories.
To mark this momentous occasion, we’ve got some stuff lined up here at Planet, but first we wanted to share some of Brian’s most memorable moments as a Planeteer courtesy of a Q&A.
We asked, he answered…
What do you remember from your first day at Planet?
The desk I was seated at had an outward-facing screen. I knew this was a situation that would need to be rectified soon.
Funniest moment?
Maaaany years ago an art director split for the night and left a not-quite-ripe banana on his desk. That’s when I found a banana decomposing in my backpack. I switched the bananas. The look of abject horror / confusion that came from the AD the next morning upon making the grim discovery was PERFECT.
Most interesting on-location story?
I’ve had the chance to make a lot of Alaska trips. And meet a lot of characters. One of my favorites being (the heavily armed) fixer, claiming that the John Rambo character was based on his life story. I was never able to confirm or deny.
Oddest Business Expense?
A tiny Toastmasters Trophy. Because we needed it for a shoot. And if you can’t earn it legitimately, just expense it.
Thing you’re most proud of accomplishing at Planet?
I’m hugely proud and grateful to have a hand in keeping the Duluth Trading work coming. Being able to make work that I actually like, along with people that I actually like, doesn’t get old.
Something about Planet that’s made you stick around?
The whole advertising industry can be pretty gross. Planet’s found a way to make it far more palatable than not.