What is the best thing that I love about my work?

It’s not one thing, it’s everything. The variety. One day it’s copy for a worldwide energy storage organisation, the next, a script for a London company that makes cartoon animations. The pressure of tight deadlines. “I need it in an hour” is not uncommon. The fact that I learn something new every day. Sometimes it’s incredibly hard. Sometimes it’s a total doddle. The people I work with. Even the fact that I don’t always like it. For me, it reflects every aspect of life. Good and bad, yin and yang, complete balance.

What is my idea of happiness?

I’m living it every day. Making the most of every moment. Being hedonistic, but not narcissistic. An important difference. Living each day as if it’s your last, without being too dramatic about it, but always with other people’s happiness in mind.

What is my greatest fear?

Regret. I’d rather do and fail than hold back and wonder. When in doubt, do.

What is the trait that I most deplore in myself?

As is often the case, my strength is also my weakness. I value being forthright and standing up for what I believe in. But it can be annoying, for others and for me. Often, my opinion is neither asked for nor welcome. And sometimes, in fact often, it is better just to keep it to myself. I know this to be true, and yet…

Which living persons in my profession do I most admire?

Dave Trott. He was my mentor at his agency, Gold Greenlees Trott. He scared the life out of me. I used to break into a sweat whenever I had a review with him, even when I had good ideas. Especially when I knew I was presenting rubbish. To be clear, I admire him for his no-nonsense approach and sharp strategic thinking, but not for his personality. I found it impossible to have a conversation with him about anything other than advertising.

What is the thing that I dislike the most in my work?

Amateurs. Clients, agencies, and creatives who haven’t the slightest clue what they are doing, yet think they’re brilliant. And say so loudly on social media, especially LinkedIn. The worst part? These people are often celebrated online. The blind leading the blind.

When and where was I the happiest in my work?

There is not one time or place. I have been lucky enough to have countless memorable moments. Getting my first job at McCann-Erickson London. Seeing my first poster on the London Underground for Air New Zealand. Winning my first pitch for KP Nuts. Making a million-pound commercial for British Airways at Saatchi & Saatchi. Winning gold for Nike at Simons Palmer Denton and reading about it the next day in The Independent (my favourite newspaper at the time). Getting into the D&AD Annual for Tooting & Mitcham United FC. Winning four pitches in a row for Lost Boys. A Silver Spin Award for my first online game. Today, on a workcation in Valencia. I still find myself wondering if it can get any better, it always does.

If I could, what would I change about myself?

Nothing. If I wanted to change something enough, I would. Of course, if we’re talking about superficial things like looks, then George Clooney. Obviously.

What is my greatest achievement in work?

Four greatest achievements. A Gold Award for a Nike radio spot. Having a poster included in the 100 Greatest Posters Exhibition at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. Winning Best Game for the first online game I created. Packaging awards for my first packaging project. And perhaps most of all, still being busy after 37 years in the communications business.

Where would I most like to live?

Funnily enough, I am working on that now. I am selling my house in Amsterdam to move to The Hague. I have always wanted to live in a city by the beach. For the winter months (I hate cold, grey, miserable weather), I have been considering the south of Spain or Italy. At the moment, I am in Valencia, and it is looking very promising.

What is my most treasured possession?

A Dali doodle from 1937. I hardly ever look at it, but I love knowing that I own something created by one of my favourite artists. A scrap of paper he once touched, filled with quick pencil sketches and scattered words. It feels indeed surreal, it all makes perfect nonsense.

What is my most marked characteristic?

Ridiculous positivity in the face of any problem or situation, whether personal or global. I spend split seconds on negativity and the rest of my waking hours on solutions.

What is my most inspirational location, in my city?

Sitting at my laptop on the glass table in my house, uncomfortably close to Amsterdam’s red-light district. Sometimes I watch the world drift past my front window. Tourists, locals, life in all its messy brilliance. Sometimes I don’t look up for hours. Work still needs to be done.

What is my favourite place to eat and drink, in my city?

For a long time, it was Sumo, a Japanese all-you-can-eat restaurant. But it went downhill and quite deservedly went out of business. These days, it is Mojo Japanese Kitchen, close to Amsterdam Centraal Station. It is the perfect place to overindulge in my tastes for makis, gyozas and warm sake.

What books have influenced my life and how?

Bill Bernbach’s Book. A legendary adman from the 1960s, he was behind Avis’s “We Try Harder” and Volkswagen’s “Think Small.” He introduced honesty and humour into advertising and changed it forever.

Candide by Voltaire was terribly boring until the final lines, which blew me away. To have nothing, to be in love with someone unattractive, and never to have been happier in your life is an idea that stayed with me.

The Prehistory of the Far Side by Gary Larson is a masterclass in creativity. His strange and brilliant process is a lesson for any designer, art director or copywriter. ChatGPT could never think up Gary Larson.

1984 by George Orwell showed me how easily truth can be manipulated. Thinking seems to be dead.

Every book I have ever read has improved me in all kinds of ways, even the worst ones.

You Only Die Once. What music would I listen to on my last day?

Train in Vain by The Clash, their one and only love song, raw and real.
The River by Springsteen, because few songs capture longing like that one. Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd, for everything I wish I’d said.
Call Me by Blondie, because who wants to leave without a bit of swagger.
Trouble With a Capital T by Horslips, the soundtrack to my teenage defiance. Amazing Grace sung by Annie Lennox, because her voice makes it feel almost holy. Stay Free by The Clash, for all the friends who never got this far. Carrickfergus by Bryan Ferry, sad and strange and beautiful.
My Girl by The Temptations, because love should be the last thing you think about. And finally Imagine by John Lennon, because hope deserves the final word.

Who is my hero or heroine in fiction?

Captain Scarlet, because he was indestructible. Who wouldn’t want that?

Who are my heroes and heroines in real life?

Barack Obama, for becoming President of the United States when all logic said it was impossible, and for genuinely trying to solve problems in the face of relentless opposition.

George Orwell, for showing that clarity is power. Complicated words should never get in the way of important ideas, and language should be used to reach people, not exclude them.
And Leonardo da Vinci. An obvious choice, but how could he not be included? Never mind the boring overexposed paintings. It is his pencil drawings of the human body and the inventions he imagined centuries ahead of their time that continue to astonish me. He looked at the world not just as it was, but as it could be.


Which movie would I recommend seeing once in a lifetime?

It’s a Wonderful Life. The first film that ever brought a tear to my eye. I was twenty-four at the time. It tells the story of a man so overwhelmed by failure and bad luck that he wishes he had never been born. An angel grants his wish, and he sees what the world would look like without him. His brother dies young because he was not there to save him. His wife ends up lonely. The town falls into ruin without his kindness and steady hand. It is a powerful reminder that even one life can have a deep and lasting impact. It made me ask myself what kind of difference I want to make. Maybe it’s a question we can all ask ourselves.

What role do stories play in my life and work?

Advertising and communication are all about stories. The story behind a brand, and how that story persuades someone to choose one product over another. But it is also the story in a presentation that convinces a client to back an idea or a direction. And the stories we share with friends and family to help them through something, or simply to make sense of life. I often use my own failures to inspire others. After all, they could not possibly have been as hopeless as I have been at times.

What do the words ‘You are the storyteller of your own life’ mean to me?

No one else writes your story but you. Every day gives you the chance to begin a new chapter. A kind act, a bold decision, a lesson learned. The way you tell your story matters, whether it is in a pitch, a conversation, or something as small as a message to a friend. I would argue that failure has the most value, especially if you are willing to share it. I often use mine to help others see they are not alone. If I got through it, they can too. There are no excuses and no one else to blame. That is where the real power lies. It is your story, so make it worth telling.

Who is my greatest fan, sponsor, partner in crime?

I would love to say I have millions of loyal fans, tireless sponsors, and countless trusted partners in crime. But truthfully, I do not. Absolutely zero. Like one of those slightly tragic films. A man alone in a city, with a laptop and a deadline. No dramatic soundtrack, just silence. Or the sound of a drug addict shouting abuse at no one in particular as he walks by. I have learned to back myself, to tell my own story, to pick myself up when I fall flat. And I still do. And I’m really okay about that.

Which people or companies would I like to work with?

I want to work with people and organisations who are genuinely trying to make the world better. Not for recognition or ego, but because it is the right thing to do.

If I could choose anyone, I would start with Barack Obama. I would love to support the causes he champions with the best stories I can help tell. Then David Attenborough. At 99, he still inspires millions and reminds us how fragile and precious our planet is. Working with him (while still possible), or with any initiative he supports, would be a dream.

MacKenzie Scott is another. If she truly is putting her billions to work in the service of fairness and progress, I would be honoured to help bring that vision to life.

I am drawn to people and ideas that serve something greater than themselves. That is the work that matters most to me.

What project am I looking forward to working on?

The next one. Every project is equally valuable. Each one is an opportunity to grow, to improve, and to do better than the last.

Where can you see me or my work?

www.paulfalla.com, www.fiveseconds.com, www.sirjohnharington.com

What do the words “Passion Never Retires” mean to me?

When you care deeply about something, it becomes part of who you are. It does not fade with time or slow with age. Like the quiet pull of love for a person or a place, it stays with you, steady and alive. Passion does not ask permission or slip politely into the background. It keeps showing up, sparking ideas and chasing meaning. I already know I will be working long after most have stopped. In fact, I do not plan on retiring for at least another 5,000 years.

But that is another story.

Which creative heroes should Peter invite to tell their story?

Sir John Hegarty (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sir-john-hegarty-a1310a92/)

Dave Trott (https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-trott-b8787b10b/)

Dave Droga

Alan Fleming (https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-fleming-877a0511/?originalSubdomain=uk)

Martha Riley (https://www.linkedin.com/in/martha-riley-ba266935/)

Andy Fields (https://www.linkedin.com/in/naturalentrepreneur/)

Bruce MacLean (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_McLean) was my art teacher at Croydon College. He helped me gain a place at the Glasgow School of Art, for which I am eternally grateful.

Tim Voors (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-voors-2440281/) A truly inspiring creative brain.

Robbert Jansen (https://www.linkedin.com/in/robbert-jansen-kanado-29377111/)

How can you contact me?

paulfalla@icloud.com or https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulfalla/