Damian Hanley is a board creative director at Forsman & Bodenfors Dublin and has held the role at the agency for the last 10 years. Before that, he worked at Rothco for nine years, and before that again, BBDO and Havas. He started out as an art director.
He has learned that the best results come from surrounding yourself with good people and giving them the conditions and confidence to create their best work. And then trying to hide the fact that he occasionally lacks it himself.
He finds advertising a tough business, but he has also enjoyed being around interesting people. There’s no day that’s dull. Everyone and every client have an interesting story. F&B’s credo: “We believe in the power of attraction not just attention”.
01 When are you happiest?
In advertising, it would be the moment in a pitch where you know you have an idea that you don’t need to lie to yourself how good it is or consider a plan B
02 Whats your most treasured possession?
Custom made surfboard
03 Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn?
04 What’s the worst job you’ve ever done?
Not gonna say, it was early in my career and I lied to a client that I thought the edit was good. They deserved better and I felt so bad, I never lied again
05 Your favourite writers?
I’ll go with my favourite book, Longitude by Dava Sobel, subtitled The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of his Time. It sounds boring, but it taught me everything can be interesting if you tell the right story
06 Last music you bought?
Charlie XCX – I don’t care
07 A film you’d watch again tonight?
Jaws
08 What do some people think about you that isn’t true?
I don’t know, maybe that I am confident?
09 What keeps you awake at night?
Said the wrong thing
10 Which words do you overuse?
“You’re on mute”
11 Your favourite ad?
David Abbott. And this ad… https://www.verygoodcopy.com/verygoodcopy-blogs-12/chivas-regal-fathers-day-ad
12 Your favourite gadget?
Clutch pencil with B lead. You still can’t beat a pad and pencil for ideas
13 A brand experience that disappointed you?
Rip Curl suits. Alder are better value
14 What living person do you most admire?
My brother. Busiest man in the world yet still has time to think of everyone else. Never said a bad word to anyone, even when I deserved it
15 Most embarrassing experience?
Offering to help a waiter pass a huge platter of chips, sausages and sauces to a group of diners and then dropping it over them
16 Someone or something that strikes you as beautiful?
A five foot glass reef break
17 In what other era would you like to have been born?
Now. Society is more open-minded about lots of things
18 Best advice you’ve heard?
Anything my wife has ever had to tell me
19 What would be your fantasy act of heroism?
Dropping a few world leaders to an island off the west coast and letting them fight it out. And allowing the rest of us get on together
20 You’re on Death Row, what’s your last meal?
Peanut butter
