John McCreery

Which world would you rather live in: One where careful scientists slowly develop hypotheses and look systematically for evidence to test them? Or a world in which our natural human tendency to magical thinking has no brake at all?Read on »

How hard can it be to work in Japanese advertising, anyway? Very, when things get lost in translation.Read on »

What does wellbeing mean to you? In Japan, it's increasingly defined by the individual, not by society.Read on »

When isn't cooperating a cultural option? Tugs-of-war in Japan.Read on »

How can we tell complex stories while writing clearly and persuasively? A deep reading of science fiction provides some clues.Read on »

In his previous two posts, copywriter McCreery asked "What is creativity?" and "How does it happen?" He now addresses creativity's politics and perks through the lens of a Canon advertisement.Read on »

Copywriters have to come up with a unique angle for every single advertisement they design. Where do they get their inspiration, and how do the elements of an ad come together?Read on »

People often think that creativity is done by creative individuals in moments of inspiration. In fact, creativity is a messy, political, social process. How are new ideas and inventions brought to light?Read on »

Contrary to popular belief, individual behaviour can be far more predictable than mass behaviour. Why? Because today's technology means that advertising can be tailored to the individual.Read on »

Japan is known for its distinctive culture, but its national anthem and many other popular songs have roots in Europe. How did music make its way to Japan - and stick?Read on »

What does it mean to say that we can explain human behaviour scientifically? Is this even possible? In The Lively Science: Remodeling Human Social Research, Michael Agar says yes, but not in the way that you might expect.Read on »