Luke knows everything.

Hello, everyone. Starting this time, this column has become part of the new Dentsu Inc. News. For those of you reading this for the first time, nice to meet you. Welcome to the most laid-back column in Dentsu Inc. People's Voice.

Now, this time, it's the third installment of interviews with Sasaki's colleagues from his New York days. It's Luke, the art director who worked with him locally. As someone from Asia making waves in Europe and America, he's someone Sasaki feels he should look up to. He's incredibly knowledgeable about the latest creative trends, well-versed in New York art, and knows everything, so I always ended up relying on him. So, I asked this exceptionally talented guy all sorts of things.

Sasaki: So, right off the bat, Luke, why did you start this line of work?

Luke: It started when I was in Shanghai and happened to meet someone in advertising. I went to workshops and stuff like that. That's probably where it began. I'm an art director now, but I want to do work that involves creating all kinds of things. I want to create unique experiences.

Sasaki: Me too. In this day and age, you don't have to be tied to a specific job title, right? I also want to create all kinds of things, not just be confined to the domain of the company I belong to. By the way, are you originally from Shanghai, Luke? When did you come to the US?

Luke: I'm from a much smaller town. I left China and came to the US when I started college.

Sasaki: Your English is perfect, so I thought you'd been living in the U.S. much longer... That's amazing.

Photo of Luke at the New York office. By the way, Luke apparently always asks for the Strongest Beer when he goes to a bar while traveling. I see. That sounds like a fun way to discover beer and a city.

Luke: I like to talk, you see. English is a new and different way to express myself, so it's fun. I came here thinking I had to step out of my comfortable zone and challenge myself. America is the best country for advertising-related work, after all.

Sasaki: Hmm, I'm so used to sitting in lukewarm water I'm starting to get mushy... Anyway, changing the subject, Luke's been building this Tumblr site packed with the latest creativity. How do you gather all this info? Looking at it really sparks all kinds of inspiration, it's great!

Luke: Yeah, it's a pretty time-consuming process. First, I find areas I'm interested in, then I follow various people active in that genre, subscribing to their blogs or Twitter. When I find something interesting, I add it to my library and organize it. There are just so many sources now, it's hard to search through them all.

Sasaki: Thanks to Luke, I've learned about all kinds of cutting-edge expressions. Thanks. I mostly just skim through bits of info online, but organizing expressions into a library like Luke does—that process itself lets you see new ways to use media and new creativity from different angles. It seems like it would lead to great insights. Anyway, next question: Luke, what are your thoughts on this whole online and digital creative scene?

Luke: Digital, the internet, mobile—they're just tools. But they're incredibly interesting tools because they can create truly unique experiences. I see them as media that can create experiences, not just campaigns.

Sasaki: Exactly. That's precisely why I'm focused on digital—because it allows us to create experiences, not just convey information, unlike traditional advertising. It's incredibly fun work. Luke, what kind of work do you plan to continue doing going forward?

Luke: I definitely want to keep creating unique experiences. But not just in advertising—I'd like to try product design, theater, and more. I want to create emotional, memorable experiences.

Sasaki: In Japan, work often feels like "working for a company." But in the US, people move between companies as a given, so they naturally focus more on "doing work they want to do." That makes a huge difference for personal growth. I wish Japan would change in this area too. So Luke, finally, any message for everyone reading this in Japan?

Luke: The world is getting smaller. Diversity and all kinds of interesting things are packed tightly together, like they're about to explode. I really want everyone to come to the center of that explosion.

Sasaki: Thanks, Luke. Keep being a Crazy Man!