Spend 10 minutes with… Tom Martin
Over the past twelve months “Spend 10 minutes with…” has been a regular part of the printed Campaign Brief magazine. It will continue to be so, however CB will also regularly repeat the segment online. First up is Tom Martin, General Manager at Mitchells.
What did you do before getting into advertising?
I finished my degree at Curtin Uni (then called WAIT) and headed up north to build railway lines for $3.98 an hour. With the vast fortune I’d amassed after six months I took off to Europe with my mate Bernard. It was the legendary ‘red hot’ summer of ’76 so we bummed around Greece, Italy, Spain, Yugoslavia and France before heading back to London to work, doing whatever the employment agency threw at us. It started getting too cold for my liking so I took off to South Africa and fell madly in love with a girl in Capetown. My visa expired so I relocated to the nearest country, Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). Rhodesia was at war and you could pretty much nominate any job you wanted because most of the male workers were in the bush fighting the communists, six weeks on – two weeks off. I chose advertising… and lost the girl.
What was your first job in the industry?
I lied my way into a job as a copywriter with Rhodesia’s biggest ad agency, Barker McCormac. The Swedish art director I was teamed up with realised very quickly, before morning tea day one, that I knew nothing. But we got on well so he hid me from the bosses and each night for the next month Anders gave me a crash course in advertising. ‘This is a headline’ ‘Yep’. ‘This is body copy.’ ‘Why’s it called body copy?’ ‘It just is.’ ‘OK’.
Do you have a favourite ad/campaign?
Hamlet Cigars: The photo booth, Christopher Columbus, the pavement artist.
What ad/campaign do you hate most?
It’s not so much a campaign as a category: New cars. It’s been a long time between drinks for something like “Hey, Charger” or even “Beep, Beep Barina”. Given that aerodynamic testing has made every car look the same, there’s a crying need for a big, big idea.
What is your career highlight to date?
PADC Awards Best TV and Best of Show for a Retravision sale spot that cost the client $2,600 to produce. It was up against an insurance campaign that was shot all over Asia at great expense.
Who is the most interesting, or most inspiring, or funniest person you have ever met or worked with?
An absolute no-brainer: John Davis (pictured left). Smart, funny, compassionate, John was simply a beautiful human being.
What do you like about where you live?
Subi Centro means we can walk to everything. Supermarket, cinema, theatre, pub, bars, restaurants are all just a stroll/stagger. I also like my neighbour John Ford. He is the most rabid conservative I’ve ever met so our late night discussions on the balcony are to be treasured.
How do you spend your Saturday evenings?
Arguing with John Ford or dinner with friends or just blobbing in front of the telly.
Do you have a favourite restaurant?
Al’s on the northern end of Ipsos Beach, Corfu, Greece. Locally it’s Royal India.
Do you have a favourite movie?
It used to be Braveheart until Mel Gibson became unfashionable. Now its Liar Liar which is surprising because I normally can’t stand Jim Carrey.
What are you currently reading?
Winter by Len Deighton. Classic UK Spy vs Spy.
What are the 3 things you take on holiday?
Lipitor, e-Reader, iPod.