EXPERIENCE, EXPLOITS AND ACCOLADES

A lot of the below may refer to ‘I’, but there is certainly a large contingent of ‘we’ behind all of them.

Awarded at Cannes, One Show, London International, Spikes Asia, AdFest and Asian Marketing Effectiveness (AMEs).

Spikes Asia juror in 2011 and 2013 and a Young Lions and Young Spikes Juror from 2008 to 2015 - often Jury Chair.

Winner of a Cannes Creative Leaders Programme bursary in 2010.

Attendee of the One Club Creative Leaders Retreat in 2015 and 2017.

Member of the board for The One Club of Creativity Denver - currently launching and managing our inaugural mentorship program.

Experienced in all areas of creative development: writing, art direction, film and stills production, social, etc. with a focus on ‘acts, not ads’.

Have led creative departments across different countries and cultures, and enjoy working with all levels of talent.

Founded the BBDO office in Vietnam, and played the roles of culture builder, big brother, and occasionally well-intentioned ogre.

Main point-of-contact for senior clients, focused on building relationships as a strategic business partner.

Managed all of our clients’ annual communication strategies/planning, and led forecast and billings negotiations.

Experienced in agency finances (P&L, regulatory compliance and taxes), plus a fairly tactful negotiator - thanks, Asia.

New business ringleader, brainstorm (though I’m not fond of the term) facilitator, manifesto writer, deck builder, and presenter.

Searched for, budgeted, designed and supervised the construction of three agency spaces.

‘I can get most stuff I want to do, done’ knowledge across Adobe Creative Cloud.

Armed with a project, YouTube tutorials and a weekend, I can usually sort-out most software.

In 2016, made the interesting, and at times daunting, move to sharing my experiences at a University level.

Always keen to work with smart people, make stuff, and write.

DAVID SMAIL

CATEGORIES AND CLIENTS

PACKAGEDGOODS

DoveSunsilkComfortVisoHazelinePond’sGilletteP&GSC JohnsonColgate-PalmoliveJ&J/Johnson’s BabyKleenexListerineSunplayEnchanteur

BEVERAGES(ALCOHOLIC & NON)

Pepsi7UpMountain DewTropicanaRevive IsotonicCC LemonSchweppesLa Vie (Water)SmirnoffJim BeamHeart of DarknessSAB MillerHeinekenBen Thanh BeerYakultDutch Lady (Dairy)Anlene (Dairy)Anmum (Dairy)Friso (Dairy)

FOOD &CONFECTIONERY

KFCRock Bottom BreweryOld ChicagoOld Country BuffetCampbell’sQuakerLaysOishiHappydentMarsKit KatWrigleyGodiva

PHARMACEUTICAL

Novartis/AlconMeadJohnsonRohto

MOTOR VEHICLES & LUBRICANTS

Harley-DavidsonFordMercedes-BenzBMWChryslerMazdaKiaSubaruJeepTotalExxon MobilShellCaltex

HOME GOODS

IKEAAkzoNobel/DuluxNippon Paint

SPORTS, LEISURE, TRAVEL & REAL ESTATE

NikeEquatorial HotelHyatt HotelsNikko HotelsSaigon Country ClubKeppel LandLufthansaAirAsiaHong Kong Trade CouncilJapan Airlines HolidaysTokyo Disney ResortBreckenridge ResortWinter Park ResortMacau Wine Museum

EDUCATION

British International SchoolUniversity of Colorado Boulder

FINANCIAL/SERVICES

VisaHSBCCitibankManulife InsuranceMetLifeFedEx

TELECOM & ELECTRONICS

SonyOppoHPEricssonElectroluxGeneral ElectricAT&TMacau TelecomMobiFoneS-Fone

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CAREER TIMELINE

OTHER THINGS I’VE DONE FOR MONEY AND/OR EXPERIENCE

AUG 2016 to TODAY UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO BOULDER - Professor of Practice - Creative AdvertisingReturned to the US so I could be closer to my aging parents. Having lectured before, I embraced the opportunity when a teaching position became available at my former university. Currently teaching Intro to Creative Concepts, Principles of Design (Creative) and Copywriting. Also working on industry relations, freelancing and am on the board of the One Club for Creativity - Denver Chapter, running the recently-founded mentorship program.

MAY 2007 to AUG 2016 BBDO VIETNAM, HO CHI MINH CITY - Chairman and Executive Creative DirectorChosen by BBDO to set-up their offering in Vietnam. Founded the agency, and led the office with responsibility for everything including agency direction and management, creative product, leading accounts, strategy, finance, etc.

JUL 2004 to APR 2007 JWT VIETNAM, HO CHI MINH CITY - Executive Creative DirectorJoined as Creative Director and helped bring all of the PepsiCo business to the agency. A few months later, took over the creative reigns as ECD, and led the office to 16th in the world in the JWT creative rankings.

JUN 2003 to JUN 2004 OGILVY & MATHER, HO CHI MINH CITY and BANGKOK, THAILAND - Creative DirectorLed the creative on the Unilever brands (including a regional Dove initiative), as well as new and local business.

JUL 2001 to MAR 2003 DENTSU YOUNG & RUBICAM, HONG KONG - Creative DirectorMoved to Y&R Hong Kong after 4 years in Vietnam to lead creative on the office's international accounts.I left after nearly two years, narrowly avoiding SARS. Whew.

JUN 1997 to JUL 2001 DENTSU YOUNG & RUBICAM, HO CHI MINH CITY - All-Round Creative/Creative DirectorWas the fourth member of the newly opened office, and the only creative. While there, I set-up the creative department, and oversaw the office’s growth to 25 people. I was named CD, and later given a battlefield commission/promotion to interim General Manager.

APR 1997 to JUN 1997 FREELANCE, HO CHI MINH CITYUpon arrival in Vietnam, I worked freelance for a few different endeavors, including selling advertising banners that go around the fields for World Cup preliminary matches – these ventures resulted in narrowly avoiding a coup in Cambodia and inadvertently stiffing my mafia handler some cash in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

SEP 1996 to APR 1997 DENVER, CO and KETCHUM, ID - Video Store ClerkWorked in video stores to save money for a move to Asia. Helped hone my performance skills. Best job ever.

AUG 1995 to AUG 1996 THINK COMMUNICATIONS, DENVER, CO - CopywriterMy first paying advertising gig. Though I had been interning at various agencies for a couple years. I was the only Copywriter for the creative start-up, and partnered with a renowned Art Director/CD.

Helped pay my way through university as a woodworker making wooden lacrosse shafts, futon frames, bokken (wooden swords), bo staffs, and urns for departed loved ones' ashes. I have also made money as a ditch-digger on Vail Mountain, lacrosse coach, parking lot attendant/bouncer, camera assistant, and designer/copy tech at Kinko's. Which were actually all good experiences. Except Kinko's. That sucked.

DAVID SMAIL

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