Tomas Ramanauskas

Director at NEW! Creative Agency

Photo creadit: Tomas Adomavičius

CREATING IDEAS FOR PLEASURE AND MONEY

We saw and heard about New! before we knew…New! And what struck us about them was not only their creativity, but the relationship they create between the product and its target audience. Doubletakes are common when you encounter their work, explained Tomas Ramanauskas. Each piece contains some carefully constructed hook that demands a second look. PASSPORT examined the allure in the following interview, where Tomas explained the philosophy behind a medium that is o en criticized:

How would you describe your business?

We are in the business of ideas. We founded NEW! to create meaningful fame for whatever project we are working on, be it brand creation, BTL campaign, digital presence, branding, design, newborn start-up or even creating products ourselves. Fame, because a brand needs attention above all, is magnetic. Fame is exciting, and, as it turns out, fame is even more effective. Meaningful fame means many things to a brand, but it will most surely contain human truth seen in a fresh way. It will move mountains of ignorance for you to shine through the clutter, and it will be a long-term foundation for growth. We are named NEW! because new is terrifying and because it explores uncharted territories. We abhor conveyor belts in communication, the lazy ways of ad-land, and the “magic agency tool” approach. e biggest magic is CuriosityTM and Common SenseTM. We’d like to trademark those.

What/when was the turning point (to set up this business)?

We just did it without overthinking. We added ambition, stamina and the desire to create something bigger than one ad. We shrugged: “Why not? What’s to lose?” After all, we’ve got this notion that whatever happens, we will still find other jobs in the industry, so we felt at ease. Let’s do it the best way we can and if someone’s up for this journey, we’ll have some nice passengers. We didn’t tank, we didn’t nosedive, and we’ve done well because we weren’t pushed to succeed unconditionally.

How do you go about reinventing while maintaining your own spirit?

You tell yourself that you are creating new worlds, a different one for each different brand, client. You never know how it will exactly happen, because you must reinvent. You must do things no one has ever done. If you won’t do it, there’s a line at the door, and they will. e effervescence and the scope of this business is what makes one invent and reinvent.

How do you connect with your customer?

With honesty, surprise and the uttermost respect.

What makes you tick?

A challenge to mix white and black without getting grey.

What keeps your business on its toes?

Its dynamism. It has been said that any agency is two calls away from bankruptcy. We are always alert and focused. You get all comfy and lazy and the next thing you know, you are on the street. Also, absolute hatred for most ads. I know that the only way to fight this dread is to create something better.

What are the biggest challenges?

Using the ever-evolving media landscape to the greatest impact. It’s so new, there is no rulebook, and that makes it more exciting and unpredictable.

What makes you passionate about your work?

Insatiable curiosity.

What would your advice be to those who want to start their own business?

Please do. But read some books before you do, and don’t get too cocky if you succeed.

If you could turn back time, what would you had done differently?

I would have not worked with clients who need soldiers and ones who don’t value commitment. I’d spend less time micromanaging. Also, I’d be more careful what I put my heart into.

What are the keys to success?

Like Woody Allen famously noted – turning up. And working like a maniac on weekdays. And never on weekends.

Working like a maniac on weekdays. And never on weekends.

Tomas Ramanauskas

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