Karl Lieberman, Global CCO of Wieden+Kennedy, Reveals How He Survived His 20s in Advertising
“The early to mid 20s in advertising is tough. It’s a slog.”
Karl Lieberman said that without drama. He also said the quiet part out loud. “You do have to work hard.” This is his field guide to getting from confused junior to hired and trusted.
You are not reading theory. You are reading a simple operating system from Wieden+Kennedy’s Global CCO. Use it to build speed, judgment, and a book that gets yes.
Why this matters
Your first years feel slow. You do not sell much. You question if you belong. Karl’s habits shorten that valley. They create volume, taste, and momentum. Follow them for six months and your work will change.
Lesson 1: Volume beats vibe
Most juniors wait for great ideas. Karl did the opposite. He wrote and made a lot, then picked the top five percent. “You wrote a hundred things, but 95 of them are terrible.” That is fine. Volume is how you find the five that work. Set a quota. For the next 12 weeks, ship three complete campaigns every two weeks. Film, OOH, social, and a dead simple case write-up. Repeat.
Lesson 2: Build speed through smart hours
Karl learned to work longer at the start to work shorter later. He found practical hacks. Past 8 pm meant dinner covered. Past 9 pm meant a car home. That bought time to push one more round. The point is not grind cosplay. The point is reps. Work in focused blocks. Use late hours to finish, not to stall. Track start to final in hours. Then lower the time each week.
Lesson 3: Pair up and formalize the partnership
Karl’s early book was scattered. A senior at Mother London told him the truth. Start over. Team up. Pick one partner and commit. Divide roles on ownership. “If you came up with it, you got to be the copywriter. If not, you art direct.” This creates clarity and pushes pace. Agree on a 14-day cadence. Day 1 briefs. Day 3 first routes. Day 7 review with two mentors. Day 10 rebuild. Day 14 lock and publish.
Lesson 4: Stop making ads. Say something true
A creative director pushed Karl to drop cleverness and talk like a fan. “Just do this. But for the brand.” That shift shaped The Most Interesting Man work at Dos Equis. Start each brief with a personal truth. What do you love or hate about the category. What scares you. What makes you proud. Write ten lines that would make a friend nod. Build craft on top of that truth.
Lesson 5: Bend the brief without breaking the strategy
Mark Fitzloff gave Karl a phrase. Bend the brief to your will. That is not rebellion. It is translation. Keep the strategy intact. Move the execution into your voice and interests. If the insight is insecurity, you can write humor, drama, or documentary. Do not change the why. Change the how.
Lesson 6: Kill cynicism early
Karl admits he wasted energy fighting briefs he did not like. He almost passed on work that later changed his career. Train optimism. When you get a brief, list three ways it could be great within 15 minutes. Pick one and move. Save skepticism for edit rounds, not kickoff.
Lesson 7: Use social as R&D
W+K treats social like a test lab. The adult Happy Meal line began as a tweet. The Grimace Birthday work rode a cultural spark. You can do this with spec. Write ten posts around your idea. Publish on a clean portfolio account. Watch which lines hook. Build the case around what spikes.
Lesson 8: Learn from planners and real people
Karl credits planning on Dos Equis for the core insight. Spend a day with planners if you can. Sit in research. Ask for decks. As a student, recreate that flow. Do five bar interviews for a beer brief. Do five store interviews for a CPG brief. Quote one sentence in your case that only a human could give you.
Lesson 9: Move to grow skills and pay
Early mobility helped Karl. He changed shops to stretch range and compensation. If you have plateaued for six months, take calls. Do not chase titles. Chase bosses who will edit your work hard and often. One great creative director can skip you a year.
Lesson 10: Show up with a point of view
W+K hires people with opinions. Read outside advertising. Film. Literature. Sports. Fashion. Keep a weekly taste report with three takes and why. Bring that to reviews. Argue with respect. You are training leadership now.
Conclusion
Your 20s are not a vibe check. They are a system. Volume. Speed. Truth. Optimism. Partnership. Run this program and your book will move. Your confidence will follow.
Listen to the full conversation with Karl Lieberman for deeper stories, portfolio tactics, and hiring signals from W+K. Hit play and take notes.
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