Creative Q&A: Leo Burnett Sydney's Andy DiLallo

How did you get into advertising?
I didn’t want to learn Spanish, and Advertising was the only degree that didn’t require foreign language at Boston University where I went to school.

What was your first ever ad?
It was an anti drunk driving poster I made in fifth grade and actually won an award for it. (It’s the only award I actually have in my home office) 

What was your first ever job?
Detailing cars for my uncle who owns a car dealership. I crashed so many cars, if we weren’t family I think I would have ended up in the trunk of one of them.

What was your worst job ever?    
I once spent an entire summer pressure washing the kitchens of Chinese restaurants with toxic chemicals.

What does it take to impress you?
Talent, ambition and attitude.

Where do you go to be inspired?
Work, honestly I am lucky enough to have some of the most creative minds in the world right here under this roof.

If you can spend one day with a celebrity or historical figure, who would it be? Why?
Hunter S. Thompson. If you’re only going to get a day together you might as well have as much fun as humanly possible.

What is your guilty pleasure?
PS3

If you have to come back as an animal, what would you be?
A great white. Why? Because I love to go diving but am always shit scared a shark is going to come along and eat me. Great whites don’t have that problem.

What is the last book you read?
Juicing the Orange by Pat Fallon and Fred Senn.

What is the first thing you do when you wake up?
My wife and I go down to the beach to take our dog for a walk.

Worst haircut you’ve ever had?
All through high school. I was forced into attending military school where we had daily inspections. If your hair was too long you were sent to this little old lady who ran a hair salon around the corner from our campus. The students affectionately referred to her as Judy the Butcher.

Describe your typical day.
Meeting, after meeting, after meeting, followed by more meetings.

If you had the power to become someone else, anyone you wanted to be, who would you prefer to be? And why? (Question supplied by Tribal DDB India’s Abishake Das)
Picasso, I have always been in awe of his work, I think it would be amazing to see the world as he did.

Can you suggest a question for our next Q&A candidate?
What is the most exciting thing you see on the horizon for our industry?