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BEHIND THE BYLINES: CANDIDE MCDONALD

Julie Descamps 2023-06-08
BEHIND THE BYLINES: CANDIDE MCDONALD#1

Meet Candide McDonald, founder and editor of The Stable, the Australian online trade magazine focused on advertising and marketing creativity. In this insightful interview, she discusses her career beginnings, her perspective on ageism in the advertising industry, the inspiring story behind The Stable and more...

What inspired you to become a journalist and how did you get into the profession?

I wanted to be an advertising copywriter. My father, who founded Grey in Australia and was by then Regional Director APAC, did NOT want his daughter in advertising. To be fair, it was an era in which women weren’t exactly welcomed into the industry and he knew what I would be up against. A few weeks after graduating from uni, I gate-crashed one of my parents’ dinner parties. The Managing Editor of Vogue Australia was there. We got talking and she asked me to fill in for three weeks for a young woman who had glandular fever. I became editorial assistant and then was asked to stay as assistant Beauty & Health Editor before I was headhunted to be Beauty & Health Editor of the Australian Women’s Weekly. I hated that new job. From there, I became an advertising copywriter.


What’s your role at The Stable - and what are the latest developments there?

I own and run The Stable, an online trade magazine for advertising and marketing creativity and production. It is mature now, so its massive growth spurt has leveled off to gradual growth. It is read internationally – the US, Aus and UK are always in the top 3. Other countries’ readerships vary month to month. The biggest kick I get is receiving work from creative directors from far-flung parts of the world.


What essential qualities and skills do journalists need to thrive in today’s media landscape?

Tenacity. A strategic understanding of what appeals to their genre. A flawless grasp of grammar – how else can you know when, how and why to break the rules for effect and make your stories stand out? A winning “pen personality” (writing style).

The biggest kick I get is receiving work from creative directors from far-flung parts of the world.

As a member of the Epica Awards jury, how do you approach evaluating and selecting the best creative work from around the world?

I look for the strategic thinking behind the creative and how tightly the creative is tied to that, but also difference. Strikingly different, clever ideas – especially those that use media or product creation in unexpected ways – soar to the top.


How important is the relationship between journalism and the creative community, and how can it be further strengthened?

Be friendly. Be friendly. Be friendly. 


What are the most memorable campaigns or creative projects you’ve covered and what made them stand out for you?

This is a bit of a how long is a piece of string question. I see dozens and dozens of campaigns every week. I put the ones that have really reached me into a section called Standout on The Stable. (That is not meant to be a plug.) Off the top of my head (and this may coloured by the kind of campaigns I wrote up today), Tuvalu, the first digital nation by The Monkeys in Australia and The Lost Class by Leo Burnett Chicago spring to mind.

How d’you stay informed and updated on the latest trends and developments in the creative industry?

By writing up advertising stories every day. I am sent dozens of media releases every day but I also research daily in a variety of publications for industry as well as advertising news. Awards are a very rich source of information too.


What’s the biggest challenge facing the creative industry today – and how might it be addressed?

The world economy. When money is tight, clients become 1.) more conservative and 2.) more demanding into terms of bang for their buck. This does not tend to foster great creativity, which needs freedom to explore.


What role do you see journalism playing in promoting and advocating for diversity and inclusion within the creative industry?

My big thing is ageism. It is the last issue facing a high level of resistance. I am doing my bit on The Stable. It is incredibly hard – brick walls and lip service are a minefield to navigate. Perhaps journalism can recognise that it is the last “dirty little secret” in the creative industry re DE+I and needs to be conquered.


Who are your role models or mentors in journalism and the creative world? And what’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever been given?

I admire all brilliant writers. I admire all creatives who have produced spectacular ideas. I don’t have one or two that I emulate. When Yaffa Media closed Australian Creative (where I was editor), the managing editor said to me, “You are really good at this. Why don’t you start a little blog?” I thought, “F*** that. I am going to start an online trade paper that competes with the big boys.” That was how The Stable began.

My big thing is ageism. It is the last issue facing a high level of resistance. I am doing my bit on The Stable. It is incredibly hard – brick walls and lip service are a minefield to navigate.




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