Ennis Ćehić had been a creative director at R/GA and creative lead of content strategy at CHE Proximity in Australia when he left the madness of agency life for freelancing. Then he wrote a book about the madness of agency life. The book is dark. The world of making ads is ripe food for parody. And Céhić’s satire is as sharp as it is sophisticated – and vastly more inventive than the norm.

Ćehić took The Stable behind the pages of his book and inside his way of thinking:    

The Stable: Tell me about your career in advertising. What made you want to be an advertising creative?

Ennis Ćehić: There are interesting arguments that suggest advertising has a supposedly literary function. That there is a kind of fictional thread that cannot be escaped in the creation of advertising. I guess I’ve always – albeit subconsciously – agreed with this. Storytelling is what makes the industry so exciting—especially branding. I love developing a brand because the process of doing so is inherently existentialist. We have to make worlds. We literally have to “prescribe meaning” to brands with values, belief systems and a purpose. And these fictionalised ideas have to live out there in the world and find an audience that believes in what it has to say and sell. Crazy!

The Stable: Was there something specific from the world of advertising that inspired you to write the book?

Ennis Ćehić: Working in advertising, you become acutely aware of the power consumerism holds over society. I wanted to shine a light on the people that actually make consumerism desirable. That create it.

But largely, I think it is advertising itself. I feel like the industry is always one step away from being a complete satire. When you step back and pay attention to any department of any agency; it is absurd. They are factories of make-belief filled with wild and fascinating people. I’ve met developers who were in the military. UX designers who preach so religiously about empathy, they should actually hold sermons. And let’s not forget how quickly every single person can become a trained, hovering art director.

The strangest thing of all is how seriously we all take it. I’ve said this a few times, but it is the reason why I think advertising can be a victim of its own arrogance.

The Stable: Why satire? Is it style, preference or conviction? Is the satire of your work personal?   

Ennis Ćehić: You only need to distort reality a little bit to get to the absurd. This is my approach with storytelling (especially short stories). I seek the most absurd conclusion to any narrative. I like satire because it is inherently subversive. It gives us the freedom to hold things up to ridicule, especially the establishment. But it may also be due to where I’m from.

Laughter and the tragedy of the absurd are common characteristics of the Balkans.

The Stable: You were one of the inaugural recipients of the Wheeler Centre’s Next Chapter Award. What did the prize mean to you?

Ennis Ćehić: I see it, really, as the beginning of my literary career. I took the prize extremely seriously – almost too seriously – because I promised myself when I applied, that if I won, writing would no longer be second. It had to become the supreme drive of everything I did in life. I still remember when I got the call; I was so excited I cried and screamed. I also did a set of push ups for some reason. But after a moment of repose, I immediately started to work on the promise that I made myself. My life hasn’t been the same since. And I’ve never been happier.

The Stable: What’s next for you?

Ennis Ćehić: I am currently preparing to work on a novel. And by preparing, I mean I am gathering reading material, taking notes, sketching, thinking, brainstorming. I have to become wholly consumed by the idea and the concept of the book and let it own me. Existentially speaking, I really believe in meaningful coincidences. It’s why I have to will the universe into my projects. It was the same with Sadvertising. I convince myself that the universe wants me to do this, and then, every little coincidence that relates to the project matters. Every little discovery boosts my confidence. I kind of trick my brain into believing that whatever this is—it is absolute and I must persist no matter what.

So yeah, a novel is DEFINITELY next.