Ewald Perspective: Advertising Professor David Ewald is More than Design Expertise
In the first lecture of Creative Strategy, an advertising class, David Ewald mentioned bands like Fugazi, Cocteau Twins, and Gang of Four, showcasing graphic nuances of album covers and giving some shoutouts to creatives. All very cool things, but I was mostly amazed at Ewald's exceptional taste in and knowledge of music. I pitched Ewald on a project with Align Music and asked him to make a playlist. He was happy to, saying, “you are speaking my language.” It solidified the value he places on music, and it was nice to talk about something not related to advertising, academics, or work, however interesting the communication field is. It showed me how important it is to have outside hobbies and experiences to cultivate creativity and bring new ideas to the scene - and how music is its own mode of communication.
We caught up with Ewald to learn more about his relationship with music.
INTERVIEW: By Isabella Thomas
How did you first get into music?
I have been really lucky to live in music places. I’m originally from the midwest, and Wisconsin had great record stores which always had recommendations. My hometown of Beloit, Wisconsin had a college station that I would listen to all the time. There was no internet growing up, so radio was the main source for finding new music. My friends and I got a show in the summer - from 7th grade and well into the future. It started as you might expect for a 7th grade radio show: prank phone calls, people would call in, free for all with a little bit of music. It eventually became more music-centered, interviewing bands on air. They were really bad interviews, but we did them nonetheless. Our time at WBCR allowed us access to every new record, lots of new music.
Where do you find inspiration when finding new music?
I have centerpieces where I feel comfortable and then start to venture and see what’s out there. I try stuff out, I'll dive into a new record if it has a cool cover or it’s someone I've never heard of. Very exploratory.
Somewhere in the mix in college, I started a record label. I was working with different people and radio stations. It was a whole arc of my life that really centered around music. I was pressing CDs and a number of 7-inch records and had global distribution. Some records were bigger than others, none of them financially successful. We toured the country a few times with different bands and ran ads in magazines that we would send out to college stations.
As a jack of many trades, with extensive experience in social/environmental causes/climate activism, what role does music play in that aspect of your life?
When I was growing up, Wisconsin had a great punk and hardcore scene, and with it came punk/hardcore activism. The band Fugazi, even today, sticks out as inspiring to take a stand when needed. That group has stayed with me. They were one of the most politically active bands in the world and have cemented themselves in my mind in some way that you have to push back.
When it comes to music and your work, both are very creative fields. Do either influence each other?
I don't know that it plays a direct role, but I always think about music. If I was making something, a print piece, a movie…anything, I definitely think about what song goes with this and what works with this. I think about soundtracks all the time - how to juxtapose work and music to make it worthwhile. The right song makes all the difference.
Every summer I go out and do a photo excursion for a few days and typically, I find myself in a tunnel of a specific type of music that I think influences the photography.
Within your lifespan, how have you seen music transform? Is there anything that sticks out?
My impulse immediately goes to advocacy. When I was a kid, “We Are The World” came out. It plugged me into global issues and how music can play a role in activism.
What is your overall outlook on music and its influence on culture and society?
For me, I think it's the only art that I have ever truly connected with on a long-term basis that doesn't feel like work. I don't know some of the names of our friends' children, but I can tell you the bass player of a band from 1995 without hesitation. I don't know why that is, but I think it's because it means a lot to me. I've always seen music as a way to connect with people. You go to a show and you're all seeing the same thing, together at that moment.
For example, I remember seeing a band called Advance Base just before COVID, but everyone in the room felt it. Something was in the air. We knew big things were happening. That was the last show he played before canceling the rest of his tour.
I am really happy there are still record stores. The more we can get out of digital and support an artist directly, the better. If you look for it, the culture I grew up with is still there, whether it’s the radio station here in Eugene, in Wisconsin, record stores, etc...
END OF INTERVIEW
After sharing his playlist, Ewald said, “I've found myself listening to a mix of things these days and intentionally taking time to sit for a more focused amount of time. This list centers on an album by Nala Sinephro, Endlessness, that I consider to be more of one larger piece spread across an album than it is a series of songs. I like that it allows a bit of focus.” I was able to sit down and fully listen to the playlist in depth, and it was seriously incredible for focus, with a meditative sound and a lot of 80s influence. It was very thoughtfully done - with purpose and intentionality, as all projects in advertising should be. I thoroughly enjoyed chatting with Ewald about outside passions that allow for creative liberty and different modes of communication. It was a great opportunity to hear an interesting perspective from a creative professional with broad experience in the industry.
Give his playlist, “Ewald Perspective,” a listen on Align’s Spotify.