APG Sideways
About our guest: Roman Sidorov
Roman is a Senior Strategist with over a decade of experience in shaping effective communication strategies. Prior to moving to Toronto and working as a Senior Strategist at Angry Butterfly, he spent 8 years at BBDO Moscow.
Roman has taught English to kids in Uganda, reintroduced rare animals to the wild in Ecuador, and run science shows for children in Singapore (under his "Professor Rocket" alter ego).
Currently, Roman is involved in a side project with his wife (Dogs in Yellow), which promotes ways to live a fulfilled and rewarding life for those with reactive or fearful dogs.
Previous Posts
Brilliant Weird Best
Planners are curious folks so we asked Roman to tell us the most brilliant, weirdest and best thing he’s come across recently.
Brilliant: Titan Casket’s Repositioning
Titan Casket tackled one of the most taboo subjects, death, in a fresh, unexpected way. This complex repositioning involved launching a variety of initiatives, including Grave Conversations, a new show where celebrities lie in Titan's caskets while discussing their views on death and funerals.
Weird: Big tech brands using UGC-style content in paid ads.
I get it - it comes from TikTok, where people follow content creators who aren’t professional actors. It gives the impression that this is not an ad but rather advice from someone relatable. However, what concerns me about this trend is that many of these ads are almost indistinguishable from each other and, thus, not memorable. Sure, you can push these ads to users and pay for views, but at the end of the day, will anyone remember the brand or the product? It feels like this approach is actually detrimental to the industry, lowering the bar for creativity rather than elevating it.
Best: Miro - Online Workspace
I love bringing order to chaos and creating structured systems, which is why Miro has become my go-to tool. As their ads say, it’s an infinite canvas for creation and collaboration - and it truly lives up to that. I use its Kanban templates to plan my workweek, brainstorm ideas, and map out strategies. Sometimes, it's so much easier to zoom out and see everything at a glance rather than flipping through PowerPoint slides or scrolling through Word docs. I picked this up during my time as a brand manager at a tech company, where Miro was the central hub connecting marketers, developers, UX designers, and analysts.
Top Guilty Pleasures
Not all of our consumption habits can be academic. That's why we asked Roman to give us the sources to his creativity.
It's my ultimate source of dopamine, blending sports, fun, and creativity. I'm constantly excited to see what they'll come up with next - whether it's a wild challenge, a silly competition, or an impressive trick. Red Bull has a real talent for surprising people and sparking emotions, and this is definitely something I can learn from this unique brand.
I believe video games are a new form of art, potentially even more powerful than traditional mediums like film or music. They combine all these elements while offering players the unique ability to interact and make decisions, which amplifies the experience.
I’ve recently started playing Disco Elysium, the 2020 sensation that won just about every award (for narrative, music, etc.). It’s a deeply immersive, narrative-driven experience where you take on the role of a detective with a fractured psyche, navigating a richly detailed world filled with moral choices, political ideologies, and existential dilemmas. It is as crazy as it sounds.
It has all the ingredients for a fantastic show - a celebrity guest, great questions, and an extra kick of hot sauce that makes it both hilarious and deeply human. Kudos to the brave souls who agree to be on it, as the sauces get unbelievably hot by the end, forcing famous actors and pop stars to drop their personas and show genuine, unfiltered reactions.
This month on Slack
Been MIA on the APG's Slack Channel? No worries! Catch up on all the buzz with our latest and greatest links right here!
Contributor: Michelle Lee
The article humorously captures the contradiction of modern friendships, where people frequently make plans to meet but often end up watching TikTok alone on the couch.
It highlights how rescheduling social plans can offer a strange sense of relief, a phenomenon the writer calls the "post-rescheduling thrill."
