Finding Inspiration: Monty Verdi on Art, Authenticity, and the Creative Path

The Fountainhead

Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead has been a book that I’ve turned to for inspiration throughout my career. The novel follows two architects—Howard Roark, a purist who designs with uncompromising originality, and Peter Keating, who craves acclaim and adapts his work to please others.

Roark’s creations are bold and unaffected by trends or approval, even if it means he remains penniless, often turning down commissions. Keating on the other hand designs for recognition, fame, and commercial success, giving people whatever they want no matter how bad the output might be.

Advertising has its own tension between these mindsets: the drive to stay fresh and authentic like Roark, balanced with Keating’s instinct to deliver what’s familiar. Each character has taught me different lessons on creativity, compromise, and the balancing act of staying true to your vision whilst meeting client expectations.

For anyone considering this book, just a heads-up - the first time I read it resulted in me resigning from my job shortly afterwards.

The Party

I find inspiration in almost any movie, whether it’s through the storytelling or the visuals. As an art director, I’m often so absorbed in the cinematography and colour grading that I have to watch films a second time just to take in the storyline.

My guilty pleasure is classic cinema, especially films from the 1960s. The Party, starring Peter Sellers, always strikes a chord with me. Sellers plays a struggling Indian actor accidentally invited to an exclusive Hollywood party in a magnificent mansion, where he unintentionally creates havoc.

As one of the small number of Asian creatives in adland I sometimes still feel like an imposter at a party that I’m not invited to, but hopefully not causing as much chaos as Sellers does.

The film is a reminder to me that standing out even unintentionally, and bringing a different point of view to the table, can leave a positive impact.

Walking

I started in advertising in the days before the internet and mobile phones were part of daily life. So my creative partner and I spent as much time out of the office coming up with ideas as we did sitting with a layout pad at our desks. We’d wander aimlessly for miles around the streets of Soho and beyond, talking through briefs, and taking in whatever caught our eye to use as inspiration. We’d often take a detour to The National Gallery or bookshops like Foyles and Magma, and maybe even dare I say it, the odd pub.

Walking remains my go-to for creative thinking without any distractions. I’m lucky enough to enjoy a stroll along the Thames to get to work, and that time allows all those overnight ideas buried in my subconscious to rise to the surface. It’s a small daily ritual that helps clear my mind and open it to new ideas.

Monty Verdi is group creative director of Grey London