Why Skye Deluz is Equal Parts Meticulous and Thoughtful
Late last year, talented creative director Skye Deluz made a splash when she traded in Rethink for Broken Heart Love Affair (BHLA). Coming off the back of a Cannes Gold Lion win, the time was right to carry forward this momentum, and since then, she’s been quick to make an impact in her new partnership with CD Shannon McCarroll, taking on work for the likes of Kruger, Destination Ontario, and the Scarborough Health Network, to name a few.
Known for her love of collaboration, conscientious craft, and tripling the recommended garlic in recipes, Skye is constantly on the lookout for new inspiration in unexpected places, fueling work with a unique style of integrity that is truly fought for. And, this is even true outside of the office, where she works with the Miami Ad School to impart creative lessons to a whole new generation.
To discuss all of this and more, including what the first few months since joining have been like, LBB’s Josh Neufeldt sat down with Skye for a chat.
LBB> You fairly recently hopped over to Broken Heart Love Affair, joining as a creative director. Congratulations! What inspired your decision to join, and how did this come to pass?
Skye> Since it opened its doors, I've been following the work coming out of BHLA, and like most people, I was blown away by the level of creativity. What got me the most is the team’s uncanny ability to infuse every piece of work with a distinct edge of originality and an approach to storytelling that feels refreshing and smart. It’s hard to create ads that don’t feel like ads (and for the right reasons), but BHLA manages to break the mould, crafting lasting ads that resonate on a deeper level.
It takes a unique perspective to navigate through the jumble of constraints and barriers in trying to make work that you care about. When I see agencies like BHLA effortlessly transcend these limitations, I can't help but be drawn to their process. How does it manage to strike that delicate balance between artistry and ad? When you come across an agency that nails it like this, you can't help but wonder: ‘How does it do it?’, and then, of course, ‘How can I be a part of this?’.
LBB> How’re you finding things thus far? What has the settling in period been like, and what are you most enjoying about the agency?
Skye> I’m big on people. ‘If that ain’t hitting, you better off quitting’. That’s the thing I cherish most about a workplace. Coming into this new work environment, I felt the inspired part right away, even before walking through the doors, and since then, it’s expanded tenfold. Getting to know and work with all these really cool human beings has been a massive sweet treat - like a Costco-sized bag of Mini Eggs… but without the guilt or tummy ache.
I’m not shocked in the slightest that BHLA has been recognised as one of the best places to work. Most days, most people actually want to come in because when you’re working from home, the FOMO sets in and you don’t know what kind of cool stuff or weird inside jokes you’re missing out on.
LBB> Building on this, what are your main aims and ambitions, both personally and as part of the BHLA team?
Skye> I just want to keep making interesting and fun shit. There are some milestones I’ve recently hit in the last few years, and I’d love to just continue building on that and growing as a creative. I’d also just love to sit and marinate in this new role and soak up as much as I can from the people here.
LBB> Notably, you’re working alongside Shannon McCarroll, and the joke is that you two are surgically fused into a piggyback. Tell us about this partnership! What’s it like, and how do the two of you collaborate to elevate each other’s end product?
Skye> We went back and forth on that joke for a while, haha. I’m glad we pulled the trigger because it’s evidence of just how weird we are together!
Shannon and I met as juniors at Grip (now Dentsu). We didn’t work together but we did become good friends. We definitely had the same sense of humour and I always thought she was a wonderful writer. Through the years we’ve coyly tempted one another for a potential partnership, but the timing was never right. I’m so excited to be working alongside her now - it all just fell into place nicely.
In particular, one thing that has been such a joy is brainstorming with her. We both work at a very similar pace, so our process never feels rushed or drawn out. We’ll often just spend a full day hanging out, doodling, laughing, chatting, maybe bickering, and then laughing again. I think we’ve done a good job of supporting one another and creating a safe space to collaborate.
LBB> Building on this, have there been any early projects or pieces of work you’ve collaborated on that you’re proud of? Tell us about those!
Skye> The recent work made for Scarborough Health Network was such an amazing process to be a part of. Working with hospitals is something new to me - in fact, I generally try to avoid hospitals altogether. There was an admirable cause behind the work and that made the experience truly enriching for everyone involved. The clients, hospital staff, and patients we got to work with were all just as grateful as we were to be creating something that had a real-world impact and made people feel something. You could feel the tenacity, grit, and energy coming through the confluence of teams.
We also have a few things in the works right now that we’re really excited about. For one, we’ll be helping launch Canada’s first professional women’s soccer league. So, some really cool things to look for this year for sure.
LBB> Speaking a little more broadly, you’ve now been working in advertising since 2016 - a good amount of time! How’ve things changed since you’ve started? And how do you personally stay sharp with your creativity?
Skye> Wow, thinking back to 2016, a lot happened that year. Beyoncé made ‘Lemonade’, the most iconic album ever. ‘Pokémon Go’ took the world by storm. And I started my advertising career. All unequivocally, equally life-affirming events. Am I serious? Am I joking? Perhaps the mystery of whether or not my ego is actually this swollen will be more fun for anyone reading.
A lot has changed since 2016, for sure. It's been a rollercoaster ride of innovation, new technologies, global events, and cultural trends constantly reshaping the ad landscape.
For me, staying sharp creatively is all about staying curious and open-minded. I'm constantly on the lookout for inspiration in unexpected places – whether it's conversations with strangers or diving into obscure hobbies. I find that these experiences often give me that spark of a new idea and perspectives that I can bring back to my job.
But it's not just about solo exploration – collaboration is key. I'm lucky to work with a team of incredibly talented and diverse people who challenge and inspire me every day.
Ultimately, it's this blend of curiosity, collaboration, and a willingness to embrace change that keeps me afloat, and that hopefully keeps the work relevant in an ever-evolving industry.
LBB> You’ve also expressed an emphasis on collaboration and conscientious craft. Why are these things so important to you, and what do they represent?
Skye> In advertising, unlike art, you can’t create impactful pieces of work solo. When I started out, I was very much in the artist’s mindset, and very protective; valuing control over collaboration. It’s so silly and somewhat sad looking back at it now. Collaboration is the most important part of making something lasting and effective, and what makes this job gratifying. A good art director understands how to craft the best team. You need that roster in your brain of all the people you want to work with that will make this the best it can be. That includes mentees. The best thing you can do as a leader is get out of the way. Create space for the innovators and the hungry brilliant minds that are going to shape what the industry will be. So needless to say, collaboration and team building have been essential to my personal growth and whatever hopeful growth I’ll continue to have.
Conscientious craft, to me, is my sometimes problematic obsession with details. It’s my version of the job interview answer ‘I’m a perfectionist’ to the ‘What is your greatest weakness’ question. But there’s more to it. The thought came to me after a series of meticulously executed projects. I was spending sleepless nights fixated on superfluous details. While commitment to perfection can lead to the success of some projects, there was something I realised in the aftermath of this one. Conscientious craft isn’t just putting a magnifying glass to every side, corner, nook, and cranny - it’s knowing when to work smart, not hard. Conscientious craft is equal parts meticulous and thoughtful. It's about more than just creating aesthetically pleasing designs. Yes, it’s delivering something of high quality, but it’s also eliminating redundancies throughout the process and leveraging resources effectively. (Maybe even identifying opportunities for automation - shout-out to my AI overlords.)
The pursuit of perfection in design is flawed; you can’t please everyone and quite honestly, even in advertising - an industry designed to appeal to the masses - you will never create something that will check off every box. Because the boxes are as endless as they are contradictory.
LBB> You’ve also got a history of working at non-network shops, going from Rethink to BHLA. Is there something you find about indie agencies especially appealing? What makes them the right home for you?
Skye> I think that’s just how things unfolded, to be honest. I would be open to all types of work experiences - what draws me into an opportunity doesn’t necessarily come down to indie versus network. Having been at Rethink for so long, my standards for any workplace experience have been set so high. It’s tough to imagine being somewhere that didn’t hold all or most of those values. There is a special energy in independent shops that I love, a spirit that speaks to how a team builds together, and the type of work that is produced is done with a unique style of integrity and is truly fought for. There’s a sense that people come first before profit. That code always spoke to me.
LBB> Talking about your career more broadly, you’ve received a good number of awards, and a healthy amount of recognition! What’s driven this success, and what are some of the projects you’ve worked on that best embody this?
Skye> I’ve had the best mentors, to be frank. I’m really lucky to have worked with the people I have, I’ve learned a lot, and have been given a lot of opportunities that I never take for granted. That has been pivotal to my success.
I’ve always been a creative person. What drives me is creating, being playful, exploring the world around me, and being surrounded by creative and genuine people.
The projects I’m most fond of that speak to the kind of work that drives me are: ‘Add the M’, ‘Heinz Ketchup Fraud’, ‘Pass the Bill’, and IKEA’s ‘Set-The-Tablecloth’. Most of these projects involved a heavy hand on thoughtful, clever design. Being able to collaborate with talented designers, illustrators, and photographers on all of these projects has taught me so much and has enriched my career and personal life in a lot of ways.
LBB> Outside of the agency, you’re also involved with the Miami Ad School. How did you get started with this, and why is this something you’re passionate about?
Skye> I had the opportunity to fill in for Mike Dubrick’s ‘Digital Campaigns’ class a few times and just took to it. It was a surprisingly rewarding experience. (I say surprisingly because the thought of trying to get a group of mostly gen z students to like me sounds scary.)
The classes were usually filled with lively discussions, in-class workshops, and me trying to seamlessly inject trendy slang into conversation, all in an attempt to get the students to engage. Classes over Zoom as an educational landscape were unfamiliar to me - I miss the days when you had to be sneaky about being on your phone in class. It was challenging, but also fun figuring out how to make the classes not feel like we were all staring at our screens for hours.
In my life, I thrive on learning in any form. I’m a firm believer that regardless of age, it's crucial to continuously sharpen your mind by learning something - anything new. I love being surrounded by people who have that zest.
LBB> Finishing off, what helps you destress after a long day at work? And why is it important to triple the recommended amount of garlic in recipes?
Skye> Reality TV binges, playing with my Italian greyhounds, window shopping, actual shopping, nature walks, meditating (which sometimes turns into napping), and cooking for friends with aggressive amounts of garlic, of course.
Tripling the garlic is table stakes, in my opinion. For some reason, saying ‘octuple the recommended amount of garlic’ takes that quirk from charming to violent in record speed. All joking aside, I don’t really follow recipes in general. Maybe it's trust issues, or maybe it's my inability to follow dry, instructional material. Whatever it is, tripling the garlic is all about throwing away the script and cooking with your heart. To me, that's always the way to go.
