David Gamble, Founder and Creative Director of Hometown London on working on the first ever Argos site, advice to people starting out in the industry and how his one year old daughter inspires him.
What was the first agency you worked at?
Ogilvy and Mather 1995 to 1999. Fun times. We worked on Guinness (literally) and did the first ever Argos site. It had 6 items.
The campaign you’re most proud of?
Re-code Decode for The V&A. It put Saint on the map, won over 50 industry awards and redefined an amazing brand. Most recently our Chad Strider campaign for Bupa. It's so different for the brand and it's working a treat.
If you could work on any brand campaign, what would it be?
One with creative ambition, a sense of purpose, empathy, balls... and preferably heaps of cash. Any brand can do brilliant work. It just takes the right ingredients.
Advice to people starting out in the industry..
Look at your work as a real person and ask yourself a: Does this make me care? b: Would I proudly share this with my peers (verbally / digitally)? c: Would I genuinely do what it's asking me to do? d: Does this change anything? e: Is there a better way e.g. does this really need to be an ad?
Then... get your foot in a door, work harder than everyone else and make yourself indispensable. Nothing else will get you a job.
Which campaign do you wish you had come up with?
There are literally hundreds, but the common thread is they understand who they're talking to and create something that invites the audience in, or lets them take control to make it their own. They end up advertising on your behalf. Old Spice and Anti drink-driving campaign 'Ghost Chips' are great examples of this.
What's the one piece of advice you’d pass on to your colleagues?
Enjoy it. We don't work in coal mines, or scrub toilets. It should be as fun to make creative stuff as it is to consume.
What's your biggest frustration about the media industry?
Mediocracy. There are too many people getting fat on average work.
Best creative resource?
D&AD, Behance, It's Nice That, FWA, Fubiz, Designaside, Randommization, DisignBoom.
Biggest mistake you’ve made?
Not going with my gut.
Who has inspired you recently?
My one year old daughter Maddie. She's teetering on the edge of walking and talking. I'm amazed by what she's amazed by. It's a cliché but everything and every day is an adventure. Oh to see the world through a child's eyes again.
Where do you holiday?
Maddie (one year old daughter) has changed holidays forever! We used to be adventurous and fly around the world. Vegas, Thailand, Australia... Now we're going to Dubai to stay in complete peace and luxury of the Jumeirah Madinat. Can't wait.
Favourite pub?
I don't have one. The White Hart in Moreton, Chequers in Matching Green, The Hoop in Stock. Nearest thing I've had to a local was The Queen Vic in Camden but that's being turned into flats now.
David is the Creative Director and one of the founding partners of Hometown London. Before Hometown London, he co-founded digital advertising agency Saint@RKCR with his creative partner of 18 years Simon Labbett. Between them, they took Saint from 2 to 70 people, and both NMA and Revolution magazine’s digital agency of the year in just 4 years, and had a lot of fun doing it. Before that, they spent 5 years at RKCR making big glossy TV ads, but always had a passion for the more innovative side of advertising, namely digital.
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