The Short Story

Digital Strategist at DP Dialogue, Brisbane

The Long Story

I guess I was destined to become a wanker of some sort. Somehow I was always drawn to occupations where people would refer to me as a wanker. As a student, I mixed paint at a big retailer but neglected to tell my bosses that I was colour blind. Wanker. I moved on to working as a cinema usher where the best days were those that you got teenage couples to get back on the seats and put their clothes on… while you kept the torch on them. Wanker. I studied to become a lawyer but dropped out because there was too much reading and too many mature age students. Potential wanker.

I’m now an advertsing wanker.

My advertising career started at Queensland University of Technology where I completed a Bachelor of Business majoring in Advertising and Integrated Marketing Communications. It was here that I learnt that advertising is subjective in nature, textbooks cost a fortune and you can get away with almost anything in a toga. QUT is a great business school with lecturers that have real world experience and more than enough time to share this experience with you. However, the highlight was an internship at media agency OMD where I learnt more in six months than I did in the two and a half years which proceeded it. Thus, I tightened the drawstring, pulled on the goggles and bellyflopped into the media pool.

My first paying advertising job was as an Account Manager with Pacific Magazines. Great company but after a year of selling pages into titles such as Girlfriend, marie claire and New Idea I knew that the time had come to move on when I could tell my mates where Jen and Brad went on holidays, how to clean the house using only bicarb soda and that high waisted jeans were in fashion… and here to stay.

I moved into a role as a Senior Contact Planner at De Pasquale and was there for almost three years. De Pasquale (now Gallery De Pasquale) is an independent, full service advertising agency based in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley. Never heard of my title? Neither had I. Basically, my role was part media strategist and part communications strategist. Depending on the clients needs, I got involved from a media aspect through planning and negotiating campaign activity. I also worked with clients and our research, creative and account teams to formulate communication strategies that helped De Pasquale produce work which surprised, engaged and delivered.

However, it wasn’t long before the lure of sex, drugs and rock’n’roll (actually it was ego stroking, self importance and unlimited power)of social media called. I was observing the declining power of traditional media to create relationships and, specifically, trust with consumers. Social media could do this and I wanted in. Luckily for me it all came together quicker than a Dr House analysis.

Gino De Pasquale, founder of De Pasquale, and Matt Granfield, director at e-CBD, came together to form DP Dialogue. DP Dialogue is Brisbane’s first social media agency and has developed Dialogix which is the premier tool for not only monitoring online dialogue but also measuring sentiment and gathering influencers. They realised very early on that they needed a third member to their team and I got saddled up as a social media strategist. We work with a range of clients including AMP, Parmalat, ABC Learning Centres and Cold Rock Ice Creameries. This variety of clients has meant that you could be organising a pool party for teenagers one minute and trying to find the solution for nappy rash the next. By focusing on influencers rather than technology we deliver word of mouth strategies which are engaging and efficient.

So, that’s me to date. This blog will explore elements of advertising and marketing that I find particularly interesting. Inherently, many of these topics will be controversial, irreverent or trivial. What I do hope is that they serve as thought starters and conversation pieces. I won’t necessary have the answers but I will have an opinion. But more importantly, I’d like to hear your opinion. Whether you are a fellow advertising wanker, a punter who feels ripped off by advertising wankers or irate marketing managers of brands that I’ve had a dig at – let me know what you think. Hopefully, we can create conversation and debate which challenges mediocrity and makes the world an even more interesting place.

Cheers,
Nathan
nathbush@gmail.com