r talents. If you define yourself by your whole person and not just your job description, you are more apt to make a difference.” (Fast Company 47) Stephen Zades, chairman and CEO of LHC, initiated the Creative Odyssey in 1996, to answer such questions as, ‘Where do idea companies get their ideas?’ and ‘How do they tap into something that’s on it’s way in, rather than already passed?’ What is the odyssey, you ask? Well, it’s a survey of pop culture at its newest and rawest. When Creative Odyssey was first in operation, it was composed only of LHC staff, but a problem occurred. Zades realized that even though his team saw, felt, and discovered incredible things, they were farther away from their clients than before. They were trying to unleash and reveal new ideas that were way beyond the concepts and mind frames of their clients. Since then, LHC tries to do everything with their clients. And that includes the Creative Odyssey. “The Creative Odyssey is the brainchild of Long Haymes Carr (LHC), an advertising agency based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Each odyssey takes agency staffers, along with executives from client companies, to New York for a four-day whirlwind of cutting-edge art exhibits, ground-breaking theater, hip clubs – and very weird shoes.” (Fast Company 54) The odyssey not only enables the client to grow with the agency, it allows them to develop themselves both personally and professionally, allowing for creativity and inspiration to dance around within them. After experiencing the odyssey, Margaret Urquhart, president of Lowes Foods, learnt that, ‘tapping into the passions of each person in your organization helps you differentiate yourself from the competition.’ And Stephen Zades agrees: ‘You need to do things that you would never do otherwise. Unless, you keep challenging yourself, you’re not going to grow.’ Even though ...
