MARK DENTON
TALKS!

I’ve been talking a bit lately.

Not just the odd chat but actually pitching up to various agencies and putting on a proper lecture.

And not only in blighty. I’ve also chewed some ears off at DDB and TBWA in New York.

It’s not overly formal though, to me it’s felt like sharing 35 years worth of creative fun with a few mates.

But I must be getting the hang of it because I keep getting invited to do more.

On a couple of occasions I’ve found myself talking to around a hundred people.

And even more surprisingly (to me) I’ve recently been asked by two different CEO’s and a planner to do one for their clients.

I genuinely thought it had more appeal to a creative audience but it seems that a lot of different people are getting something out of it.

Unexpectedly it’s all turned into a snowball that’s gathering a fair bit of momentum.

Just as an entertaining side project I try to produce a new poster for each talk, and if time permits I send the brief over to the host agency a few weeks in advance.

I’ve started to gather a bit of a varying collection now even though essentially it’s the same talk every time.

Actually, that’s not entirely true, because I always seem to wander off piste and recall different stories along the way.

There is a definite overall plot (which I don’t want to reveal for fear of spoiling the experience for those who haven’t heard it) but several different themes seem to get repeated throughout.

1. I’ve been doing advertising a long time.
2. I’m not scared of self-promotion.
3. I don’t like people saying NO.

I’ve enjoyed every single talk but my favourite is the last one I did at Leo Burnett.

Not only did they produce a poster for my collection (thanks Anna, Becky and Lance) but they also let me put on an exhibition.

It’s the first time I’ve seen a big bunch of my creative stuff together in one place and it gave me a funny feeling in my trouser leg that was most pleasant.

Burnett’s ECD Justin (Tindall) delivered the most flattering introduction I’ve ever had in my career and throughout the talk everyone seemed to laugh in the right places.

…and then we went for a beer and a kebab.

It really doesn’t get any better than that.

Big thanks to all those involved especially Lance (Crozier) who had the idea in the first place and to Head of Art Buying Leah (Mitchell) and the rest of her fantastic team.

Dave Dye and Andy Dymock.      Guy Moore and Don Bowen.

Anna and Becky and friends.

James Long and Adrian Britteon.

There was an exhibition too.

Everyone seemed to laugh in the right places.