My Creative Career: Trevor Robinson on making ads with cultural impact

Back then as his mother would do people’s hair from their home, Robinson would sketch their portraits. From an early age, he knew he wanted to pursue a creative career, though he wasn’t quite sure what that would look like. When he expressed this to his school careers advisor, he was told to consider becoming a bus driver instead. Fortunately, Robinson didn’t follow that advice.

Instead, he went to Chelsea College of Art in London. However, formal education didn’t suit him, and he spent most of his time “bunking off” to attend lectures and explore exhibitions at places like the London College of Fashion.

Shortly after graduating, he met his creative partner Al Young, and they began to build their book and network. Robinson says that when doors were “closed in their face” having Young there was a “crutch”. “Me and Al got hired and fired together and we laughed and we cried. He helped me to be stronger. A lot of people have to go into the industry or to work by themselves without a partner, and I think that’s really hard work,” says Robinson.

A fortuitous encounter with renowned creative director Graham Fink changed the trajectory of both their careers. Fink praised their work but noted it lacked personality. Taking his advice to heart, they revamped their portfolio to better reflect their own sensibilities.

Doing work “people would talk about on the street”

This led to a job at Howell Henry Chaldecott Lury and Partners (HHCL & Partners), a well-known London agency that has since closed its doors. “We didn’t want to get fired. We wanted to do work that not only people at the agency loved but people would talk about on the street,” explains Robinson. “Throughout my career, that’s what I’ve attempted to do.”

That level of creativity soon paid off. After being tasked with making Tango as big as Coca-Cola, Robinson and Young went on to create one of the most iconic ads of the decade. It didn’t just grab attention; it became a phenomenon.

“It was supposed to be kind of anti-advertising,” says Robinson. “Normally, you have a drink and something pleasant happens. We were saying, wouldn’t it be funny if you had a drink and something terrible happened like you got kicked in the arse or someone stole your girlfriend.”

The ‘Orangeman’ ad was meant to represent the intense hit of real oranges in Tango, sparking the now-famous catchphrase, “You’ve Been Tangoed.” The ad became so popular that it inspired a playground trend across the country, with kids mimicking the slap featured in the spot.

Robinson recalls that their former boss at HHCL & Partners dubbed it “oik advertising” – a bit of a backhanded compliment. “We wanted to create something that people would talk about and laugh at,” Robinson says with a smile. “We never imagined it would lead to kids smacking each other. That was never the plan!”

One of the highlights of Robinson’s career came when he was on a train to Northampton to visit his son. He woke up to the sound of kids laughing and chatting about the Tango ad. “I really wanted to tell them, ‘We made that!’” he laughs, “But I figured they’d think I was just some weird, half-asleep guy on the train.”

Successes at the famous London shop led Robinson to open his own ad agency, Quiet Storm, in 1995. He wanted to be able to write and direct ads from under one roof to get closer to the clients and ultimately understand their needs.

The coming years would produce another stone-cold classic, Haribo’s ‘Kids’ Voices,’ which he wrote alongside Mary Sue Mason. Robinson says he loves when people ask what he does and he’s able to cite that ad and their faces light up. “They know it, they like it,” Robinson adds. “Not saying it’s the best thing they’ve ever seen in their lives, but it’s a nice feeling to be involved in an industry where I can achieve that.”

The campaign might never have been. Robinson recalls that when they initially showed it to the client, they did not get it at all. As Quiet Storm is also a production company, it decided to go ahead and shoot a test film anyway that could be used to sell the idea. Eventually, the client came around.

“It’s weird,” recalls Robinson. “I never thought it would have legs, but it’s gone to so many countries.” The campaign has now been going on for over a decade.

Too many ideas are “researched to death”

Robinson believes that creating a cultural impact is still possible today, but unfortunately, many ideas are “researched to death,” with clients often hesitant to take risks. “You need to be bold,” he continues. “You have to take some chances. It sounds a bit profound, but you have to not be afraid to go into the dark and attempt things that might not work. I think the next big thing will be something like that, where people just think, that’s absolutely ridiculous, how have they got away with it.”

That said, Robinson acknowledges that it’s a delicate balance. When done right, it’s great storytelling; when done poorly, it’s just a bad joke. Humor and honesty are central to everything he creates.

Beyond advertising, Robinson takes the most pride in his work with Create Not Hate, a non-profit he founded in 2007 to help marginalized inner-city youth unlock their creative potential. As a passionate advocate for diversity in the industry, Robinson has seen the power of giving young people a voice.

A particularly memorable idea from the group came from Emmanuel, a 17-year-old student from Camberwell. His short film, ‘Heated Conversations,’ depicts a white couple who misinterpret an exchange they see but can’t hear through a cafe window, where three youngsters are rehearsing a scene from Romeo and Juliet.

Robinson recalls a personal highlight related to this project: “My brother texted me saying, ‘Have you seen this? It’s brilliant! You should be doing work like this,’ and forwarded me the ad,” Robinson shares with a laugh. “I texted him back and said, ‘I did that.’ It’s one of my highlights.”

Next year, Quiet Storm will turn 30. “People always ask why aren’t we bigger. But I’m just like, this makes me happy,” Robinson concludes. “I like going to work. I get excited about working on briefs, and I get excited about working with the people here.”

Like this story? Read our interview with AMV BBDO's Nadja Lossgott about her creative career.