Hello, I’m Patrick Collister
WHAT DO YOU SEE?
︎︎︎
Patrick Collister
A creative director for 30 years
In a big ad agency
In a big direct agency
In a big tech company
This is a guy who knows his onions*
Mercifully short CV here
Full, novel-length CV here
* For 3 jokes about onions, click here
Creative Matters isn’t just Patrick. (Okay, mostly it is.) There is also Dorte Collister, who runs the office. And Julie Charlton, who does the research and our marketing.
Also, as and when we put together more comprehensive training programmes, we call on a network of former marketing directors, chief strategy officers and planning directors.
CREATIVE PEOPLE LOOK AT THINGS
CREATIVE TRAINING
Creative training courses & workshops at a glance
Briefing and
Appraising Ideas – ISBA, Waitrose, British Airways, Tesco, Newell Brands
Better
Briefing – Newell Brands, Co-op Bank
Creative
Judgement – Britvic, Dairy Crest, Bacardi
Generating
Innovative Ideas – Lever Bros, Grundfos, LEGO, Cannes Lions
Brands and
Branding for Beginners – Kimberly-Clark
The Creative
Process – COI
Making Mail
Work – Royal Mail, Anpost
Making
Branded Content Work – Paddy Power
Creative training courses & workshops for agencies
The Business
of Ideas – how to have ideas, from strategy to creative execution
The 7 Ideas – how to generate a campaign idea
Presentation
Skills for Creative People – how to make sense of the idea
Selling
Creative Ideas – learn to sell what your clients want to buy
How to create
Branded Content – seven different ways to engage
Programmatic
for Creatives – the right message to the right people at the right moment
Making the
most of YouTube – both in and on the platform
Oh Sh**! I’m
in charge! - What to do when you become a creative director.
Writing
for Advertising
Creative training courses & workshops for clients and agencies together
YOU’VE GOT A BRAIN
so why not train it to think big? ︎︎︎
WHAT ELSE?
Directory
Patrick and Dorte Collister have published and edited Directory magazine and resource since 2009. directnewideas.com
Every quarter, Directory showcases 40+ case studies of innovative ideas in marketing communications. It means all the work Patrick uses in his training is bang up to date.
____________________________________________
The Caples
With Duncan Gray, former worldwide creative leader of Proximity, the team looks after The Caples Awards. A show run by creative people for creative people, we give respect and honours to work that actually sells stuff. caples.org
____________________________________________
Public Speaking
Can’t shut him up.
Patrick talks about direct mail, how print is adapting to a digital world, the digital revolution, the new rules of communication, the joy of data, blah-de-blah.
The 7 Is of Brand Building
Brand Bubble
Ideas that Sell
Great British copywriting
Directory seminar at Cannes Lions
____________________________________________
Creative consultancy
In recent times, I’ve been a freelance creative director (won a Gold at Cannes for the agency), devised the strategy and the work for a Danish bank, led agency pitches, written TV ads, integrated campaigns, mailshots.
____________________________________________
Author
How to use innovation & creativity in the workplace
>Click to buy on Amazon
____________________________________________
NEWS
Recent articles
A Love Letter to Mail
http://www.thedrum.com/opinion/2018/02/28/love-letter-direct-mail-and-its-breakable-rules
Is advertising important?
http://www.thedrum.com/opinion/2017/11/27/advertising-important
Is art advertising?
https://creativepool.com/patrickcollister/articles/is-advertising-art.18067
Quitting Google
https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/veteran-ad-man-patrick-collister-leaves-google/1456010
Why isn’t advertising funny any more?
http://www.thedrum.com/opinion/2017/07/31/why-isnt-advertising-funny-any-more
Hero Hub Hygiene in Bristol
http://www.thedrum.com/opinion/2014/11/14/rethinking-classic-campaigns-today-imagining-future-brand-bristol-vision-2014-day
CONTACT
︎patrick@creative-matters.com
︎+44 (0)7946 707992
CREATIVE MATTERS
Creative training courses and workshops

Fitness classes for your brain.
The brain is a muscle. Our creative training courses and workshops can help you generate, judge and share idea, pumping them up from good to great.
© 2025 Creative Matters.All rights reserved