David ‘DT’ Thomason was behind the strategy for Tina from Turners, and the creative concepts for One NZ and Auto Trader. He knows a thing or two about writing briefs.
Is a blank piece of paper exciting or terrifying?
I think a blank piece of paper’s the worst thing. You have to have some beginning to your thinking when coming up with an ad or coming up with a plan.
I think creativity is all about finding a way to start. Just start your mind going through steps and having conversations. In fact, even something irrelevant and random is better than a blank page.
I think about all briefs, whether they’re creative or strategic, as a kind of a puzzle. That can sound a bit academic, but I think the best puzzles are ones that have a very satisfying solution but are quite lateral. They require you to come at the problem from a completely different perspective.
Anyone who thinks creatively, you’re almost programmed or taught to challenge whatever anyone’s asking you to do – even though it might turn out to be right.
You want something to rebel against?
Yeah, I think you always want someone to have some preconceived thoughts that you can disagree with.
Part of my career has been on the creative side, but a lot of my career has been about asking the creative team to do something, giving them a brief. And it took far too long for me to figure out that whatever I asked them to do, they’re gonna wanna not do that.
What’s your advice for giving briefs?
I used to think the brief was a point in time and a document, when actually it’s just a series of conversations. When you’ve got a vague thought of what you think the angle might be, start talking with the creatives immediately. The process at some agencies almost disallows that.
‘Don’t talk to the creatives until you’ve got the brief finished and signed off’ is a ridiculous way of working.
What you want to do is meet the creatives in the kitchen and go: “Hey I’m thinking maybe it’s about this.” And then they go: “Nah.” Or: “Sort of, but not quite.”
And then you get to a stage where, like any good meeting, all the hard decisions should have been made before the meeting.
Quickfire 5
Easter eggs or hot cross buns?
Oh, that’s a good question. Easter eggs for the kids and hot cross buns for me.
Morning person or night owl?
I’ve been a night person, and then as I got older I realised I couldn’t handle it any more. How good I am at my job depends on if I’ve had a good night’s sleep. So I totally changed my regime. Go to bed early. No devices. Sleep well, wake up and solve everything in the morning. But I’m not naturally a morning person.
Preferred cardio?
I’m the biggest cycling person ever. All my commuting is by ebike. All my exercise is either road or mountain bike.
Finish a week early or down to the wire?
I have an interesting relationship with deadlines. I’ve beaten myself up about it for years, then I realised I’m thinking about it all the way up to the deadline, even though I haven’t done anything yet. So I worry less about procrastination now, and still definitely don’t do things early.
What are you binge watching right now?
I like a binge programme and a funny programme. At the moment it’s White Lotus and Shrinking.
This story comes from NZ Marketing magazine issue 82, March-April 2025. Why not subscribe? Get four issues a year for just $50 (including delivery) if you autorenew.
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