Meet Dave

We have a newbie in the office – David Mannall, previously at Mother, W+K, Fallon & MCBD, is our new Client Services Director. We wanted to get to know him a little better, so we grabbed a coffee* with him to really get to the heart of Dave. Read on to find out more about the man himself.

NICKNAMES/LOOK-A-LIKES

Zippy of Rainbow fame, on the (unarguable) basis I’ve got a big round head with a big mouth. On a bad day, Wayne Rooney. On a really bad day, Shrek.

FAVOURITE FOOD

Contrary to advertising cliché I’m not a fan of sushi or other uncooked “super” foods.

Burger please. Well done. And chips.

FAVOURITE DRINK

Mine’s a pint. (I’m starting to sound boring).

FOOTBALL TEAM

Spurs. (Now I am being boring).

They are a tragic club really, always snatching abject failure from the jaws of victory.

But after 20 years, I’m stuck with them now. And I suppose it keeps things interesting.

(I’m lying, I hate it).

BUS OR TUBE

Has to be the Tube.

London Buses are just one big tease of a start-stop-traffic-jammed-non-journey.

NORTH OR SOUTH

South all the way for me. I live south of the river and I’m a Man of Kent, born and raised in Dover.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO ADVERTISING?

It was never the plan going to or leaving University. It was by chance more anything. A good friend was working in the careers service after we’ve finished our course and I paid her a visit one day, more to say hi than in search of a career. But she happened to be reading some material that had just arrived from the IPA, and she thought this account management job sounded just like the kind of thing I’d be good at: “You know, because you’re quite good at blagging it.” So she sat me down and made me read it. Who knew jobs like that existed? Tailor made. I applied to a load of agency grad schemes, and TBWA took a punt on me. The rest, as they say….

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVOURITE AD TO WORK ON?

I’ve been very fortunate in my career to work at amazing agencies, on amazing and ambitious brands, and learn from some of the industry’s foremost figures. There are loads of things I’m really proud of, but one that sticks out was a little out of the ordinary. We did a drive-in movie for Eurostar one year, held in a station car park and promoted on breakfast radio. That was a great challenge to produce and promote, and amazing fun – right down to being in a car park of a thousand cars, high viz jacket on, directing drivers in to their spaces before Moulin Rouge played on the big screen.

WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT?

Variety. You get to be involved in all sorts, from directing traffic to directing brands. Never a dull day.

*this may have been an alcoholic beverage.

Read: The Power of Nudges