Ad Chat - Tim Brunelle

It's Monday, and that means it's time for Ad Chat! This week it's your chance to get to know Tim Brunelle, CEO at Hello Viking and President of the Minnesota Interactive Marketing Association.

1. What's your favorite funny story about yourself?
It does not involve either a bear or squirrel costume.

2. What piece of art (movie, book, music, painting, etc) has influenced you most? How or why?
Several books: Grudin's "The Grace of Great Things," Godin's "Linchpin," Foster's "How To Have Ideas" and King's "On Writing: A Memoir To The Craft"

3. Who was your favorite mentor and why?
I've only had one mentor, Bill Miller, who co-created the Rolling Stone "Perception/Reality" campaign at Fallon with Nancy Rice.

4. What's one thing that excites you about the future of advertising?
Interaction.

5. If you could meet with anyone in history (dead or alive), who would it be and why?
Howard Gossage - If only to learn how close my perceptions of his character are to the reality.

6. What’s your favorite website/blog, and why?
I check out the NY Times site almost daily for news. I'm too familiar with their design and content to go anywhere else. For blogs, I enjoy Dave Trott's posts for the beauty of his writing.

7. What's your trick to break out of a creative block?
Turn up the volume of whatever I'm listening to. Or take a walk. Or talk to another human being. Or all three.

8. Who is your advertising hero and why?
I have several heroes: Jan Leth at Ogilvy for his passion, articulation and patience; David Armano (does he work in advertising?) for his humanity, insights and design acumen; Mark Fenske for his way with ideas and words; Nancy Rice for her persistence, hope and generosity; Lee Lynch for the adventure and value he continues to create; my friend Chris Bradley for his fire and insight.

9. What piece of advice do you wish someone had told you when you were starting out?
"Learn how to make procrastination useful and productive."

10. What piece of advice would you give someone starting out?
Build and maintain relationships with co-workers and clients from Day One so you have a broader and more viable network when you open your own shop.

Keep up with Tim on Twitter at @tbrunelle.

Thanks Tim!

Did you miss last week's Ad Chat with TBWA\Chiat\Day's Rob Schwartz? Check it out.

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Other Ad Chats:
Keith Ruggiero Synth loving composer and sound designer at "Sounds Red"
Jill Spradley Associate Creative Director at 160over90
Brian Bronaugh President at Mullen, Pittsburgh, PA
Bo Hellberg, Swedish ECD in France, at Brave and Billington Cartmell, Paris
Jane Goldman Creative Director/Copywriter & Strategist, Boston, MA
Jonah Otieno - Executive Creative Director 5ive Ltd, Nairobi
Anne-Cécile Tauleigne ECD at JWT Paris
Esther Clerehan, Headhunter, Sydney, Australia
Ad chat: Manuel Bordé Creative copy at BBDO Dubai
Rance Randle Art Director at TBWA\Chiat\Day\LA
Åsk 'Dabitch' Wäppling the force behind Adland
Dave Trott creative mischief chief
Arnie DiGeorge Executive Creative Director of RR Partners
Andy Kinsella Innovation Director at Glue Isobar
Koert Bakker Director of Strategy at Victor & Spoils
Evan Brown, Sr. Copywriter at TBWA\Chiat\Day
Dena Walker, Digital Strategist at Irish International in Dublin, Ireland
Bernie Watt, copywriter at Make, in Sydney, Australia
Ron Smrczek, Executive Creative Director of TAXI Europe
Vincent Vella, Creative Director - Grey Paris, Euro RSCG and Publicis.
Gideon Amichay, Creative Chairman of Shalmor Avnon Amichay Y&R Tel Aviv
Richard Tseng, Freelance Copywriter at CP+B
Claudiu Florea, Managing Partner - Wunderkid, Romania
Snorre Martinsen creative at Saatchi & Saatchi Oslo
Laura Jordan Bambach, Executive Creative Director LBi
Simon White Creative Lead from Rapp, London
Richard Gorodecky Executive Creative Director at Amsterdam Worldwide
Ray Page Creative Director at Tribal DDB
Adam Pierno of Off Madison Ave.
Edward Boches of Mullen
Dirk Singer of Rabbit, UK
Gareth Kay of Goodby, Silverstein and Partners
Tim Brunelle of Hello Viking
Rob Schwartz of TBWA\Chiat\Day

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