Nils Leonard just opened OFFF Festival with a fantastic keynote that offered pertinent advice to creatives working today. Covering a vast range of current issues with his signature disruptive style, Nils promised a view from inside the studio, something that feels like truly valuable insight given the studio in question is Uncommon – the studio he co-founded and one of the most energetic agencies around.
"The following are things I've learned, stolen and found along the way," Nils began, before detailing a whole list of gems every creative needs to take note of. I'll round up just three of the many gems of advice he shared to give you a flavour of the wisdom shared in the room at OFFF Barcelona 2026. Keep checking in for more of my coverage of OFFF as I'll be in the room for the next three days.
01. In an era of prompts, taste is the ultimate differentiator
"The vibe, the style, your taste, your energy – I think this is a really important conversation. We talk so much about the idea and strategy, all that grown up stuff," Nils said. "I think truthfully, in an age of AI, your taste is going to be the only way you make a difference."
But surely taste is something inherent? Can you really be taught taste?
Nils' response is to quote Anna Wintour: "It can be helped by the obsessive accumulation of high-quality inputs".
"Become a collector," Nils said. "Of beautiful, unusual, new and old things".
02. No-one stole your idea, you just took too long
"Because we're all on the end of the same inputs, we're all hit with the same inspiration. At that point, if you view it like that, it's a race. How quickly and powerfully can you get your idea into market?"
At Uncommon, they work on the theory that they would rather something was 80% done and "out there". Wait for 100% perfect, Nils said, and you'll get second place.
03. Your work is worth whatever you say it's worth
Take your attitude to your work's worth from art, Nils says. It's not about how long it took, or the resource that went into it. It's about how good the idea is.
"Damien Hirst covered a skull in crystals, and then sold it for a million quid. Someone said, no there's only 100 grand worth of crystals on that. And he said, yeah, f*** you, it's a million pounds," Nils says. "Your product is everything, that work you make is everything. Your ideas are your only currency."
I'll be talking to Nils later so watch out for a dedicated interview going up on site soon, with more of his insight. And enjoy the rest of our OFFF coverage.
