Daniel @ the SaatchiNY offices

Daniel Mailliard is the North American Creative Director for one of our larger brands. In addition to working at SaatchiNY, he’s co-written two humor books and published a number of short stories.  If you’re interested in learning more about Daniel and his work, please check out his website.

Photos taken by Sasithon Pooviriyakul, an Account Supervisor at SaatchiNY. You can see more of her work on her website.

1. What do you do at Saatchi & Saatchi?

I sell shoes.

2. What was your first job?

Sacking potatoes.

3. If you weren’t at Saatchi & Saatchi, what profession would you most like to try?

The lead in a Broadway musical.

4. What motivates you most?

Solving problems in the most creative way.

5. What blogs, magazines, books, papers or websites can you not live without?

New York Times online, Elle Décor, Facebook, iTunes, It Was Good But …Blog (Coming soon! I’m working on this with some other friends).

6. What are your Lovemarks?

Apple, Starbucks, John Masters Organics

7. What’s your best “nothing is impossible” story?

John Kennedy Toole, the author of “A Confederacy of Dunces” tried in vain to get his novel published. After several rejections (and I’m sure a host of other problems) he committed suicide.  His mother later entered his novel in a contest for “The New Orleans Review” where the grand prize was having your manuscript published.  He won, and the next year his book was published and won the Pulitzer Prize.  Nothing is impossible, so never give up.

8. What is your favorite place in the world? Why?

Hvar. An island in Croatia.  I turned 40 there and it’s a lovely place to take stock of your life.

9. Who do you most aspire to be like?

My parents. They are understanding, fair and, generous.

10. If stranded on a deserted island and you could bring only one thing, what would it be?

If the island was Hvar I would bring my partner and I’d happily spend the rest of my days there.

11. Tell us something surprising about yourself.

People seem very surprised when I tell them I’m from Nebraska . . . but I can shuck corn and milk a cow.

12. What’s your DOT?

I took my dog through therapy dog training we visit people in hospitals.

13. What’s your favorite creative pursuit?

Writing.

14. What led you on the path you’re on today?

My father owned an advertising agency and it always looked like a fun way to make a living.

15. Do you have a motto?

I still like the motto my mother used to tell us as children . . .  “It could be worse, you could be a ward of the state.”

16. What do you do for fun?

I love spending time in the park with my dog, reading and cooking.

17. What’s your favorite client story?

When I was shooting a commercial in Brazil, my client was spending too much time looking in the monitor and telling the director what to do.

So we put him as an extra in the background of every scene. He had no idea what foreground action we were shooting and was happy as a clam.

He also loved the final edit of the commercial…none of which he was visible in.

18. What’s your favorite thing to do in NY?

Broadway.  I’m not gonna deny it.

19. Who is your favorite artist/musician/designer?

Jasper Johns, Paul Simon, Tom Ford.

20. When’s the last time you gave a standing ovation?

The US Open tennis match last weekend.