5 Minutes with… Simon Dall
At the age of 13, Simon stumbled upon his dad's camera and began to create short films with his friends. Amazed by the possibilities of how a sequence of visuals and sounds can evoke emotions, he was instantly hooked on creativity.
On a whim, he enrolled in MADC Ignition, a course for aspiring ad creatives and from there won an internship with CHEP and the rest is history. With the philosophy of having an open mind towards different cultures, behaviours, art, and experience, he believes that the key to creativity can be found in the connection between these things.
Simon has taken inspiration from Thinkerbell’s ECD with the philosophy that “if an idea doesn’t give you ‘the tingles’, it’s time to go back to the drawing board”.
Here, he sits down with LBB’s Casey Martin to discuss his biggest inspirations and lessons
LBB> Over the course of your career, you have been able to work not only in Sydney and Melbourne but also Malaysia. What differences have you noticed within the cities’ respective industries, how has travelling expanded your knowledge and creativity?
Simon> Malaysia, being a multicultural country with four spoken languages, meant that everything we wrote had to be translated into multiple languages. At the agency, we had a dedicated department for rewriting copy into Bahasa, Cantonese, and Hindi. This, in turn, led to a greater emphasis on visual elements as images transcend language barriers (trust me, it's quite challenging to come up with a witty line in four different languages—I've tried). This might explain why some of the best print craft comes from this region.
Travelling, whenever possible, truly fuels creativity. Some of the most valuable insights arise when you are an outsider. When everyone considers certain behaviours as normal, as a newcomer, you notice these little eccentricities. For instance, in Malaysia, it was common to see people riding their motorbikes with their jackets on backwards—a sight that struck me as unusual while being ordinary to others. Based on this observation, we crafted a Maccas ad that resonated and performed really well.
LBB> How has your craft developed and how do you ensure that you don't get bored?
Simon> My love for craft has grown the longer I've been in the industry. I used to prioritise conceptual ideas and give little time to the actual craft. However, I've come to realise that exceptional craftsmanship elevates work from good to great. Under the pressure of increasingly tight deadlines, we often default to expected layouts and advertising conventions, which does a disservice to the creative idea. Personally, I believe that as an industry, we need to invest more effort into preserving time to refine our craft, as this is the secret ingredient to making work unexpected and distinctive. As the saying goes, great advertising is 80% idea, 80% execution, and 0% being good at maths.
LBB> Talk me through some of your biggest inspirations.
Simon> With the explosion of podcasts, I've been drawn into the world of stand-up comedy. I believe there are many parallels between comedians and advertising creatives when it comes to discovering unique insights and perceiving the mundane in a way that captivates audience attention, all while striving to maintain an original voice. Comedians' authenticity and courage serve as an inspiration because they can’t hide behind layers of management or distance themselves behind screens. They expose their raw ideas directly to the "consumer," receiving immediate feedback. There's nothing more inspiring than that.
LBB> What has been the biggest lesson you've learnt and what would you say to Simon Dall who had just graduated from MADC as he is about to step into the industry for the first time?
Simon> Care less about what other people think. I believe that the inherent fear of judgement held me back earlier in my career. Over time, I have learned from some of the best in the industry that being fearless in the face of failure allows you to generate truly unique ideas. W+K has the phrase "Fail Harder" pinned to their lobby wall, and I have attempted to embrace that motto ever since.
LBB> And lastly, how do you feel about how the industry is evolving?
Simon> I'd be remiss not to mention the impact of AI. The industry has been shaken by the introduction of AI, which has swiftly changed people's job roles overnight. Those who can adapt quickly to these new tools can reap the rewards, and myself, along with others at Thinkerbell, have been rapidly upskilling. No one truly knows how AI will ultimately transform our industry, but if AI starts writing witty lines in four different languages, I'll have to resort to plan B—living out of my car and spending my days surfing, which doesn't sound like a bad life, come to think of it.
