Creativity – the enjoyment of surprise

One of Saatchi's most highly awarded creatives, Pallant has won many awards in all major local and international festivals - including D&AD Gold, seven D&AD Silvers, six D&AD Silver nominations, nine Cannes Lions, and Gold, Silver, Best of Show Award and Hall of Fame at the New York One Show.

He has served on the D&AD Executive Committee, many of the juries and most recently was jury president of both the East European regional festival, Golden Drum, and also of the Romanian Ad'Or festival and on the press jury at the 2007 Cannes Lions Festival.

1. Define creativity…

For me, being creative is all about the enjoyment of surprising myself.

2. What do awards mean to you?

I was lucky enough to be taken to D&AD in my first few months in this business, and to work at an agency where Gold and Silver Pencils were highly valued and every brief was seen as an opportunity, so awards have always meant a lot to me. Every time I go and don't win, I want to get up early the next day and try harder.

3. If you thought you were a sure thing for a Loerie and then lost out to the competition, would you be a bad loser?

It happens, and you can't be discouraged. You've got to keep moving forward, and you definitely have to make sure you have more than one sure thing every year to depend on.

4. If you were an animal, which would you be and why?

Over the last year, we've run an internal campaign in our offices in Europe to win more awards at Cannes and the key image created by our regional head of design Roger Kennedy was a hybrid of my face combined with a lion's. And I do quite like the look.

5. Which superhero power do you wish you had?

I'll choose Spiderman, due to a soft spot for Kirsten Dunst.

6. What is the best thing about the ad industry?

So many things. The constant challenge. The variety. The opportunity to come to work and have fun every day. The pleasure of seeing your ideas realised. The excitement and camaraderie of pitches. The chance to work with so many intelligent, energetic and passionate people, and with creative people from so many different disciplines.

7. What do people call you behind your back?

Who cares? Any kind of negativity holds you back. And that includes worrying about what anyone else thinks of you, especially those who aren't brave enough to say it to your face.

8. If you weren't in advertising, what would you do?

I studied psychology, so that's a possibility. But when I was young I always loved drawing, so that could certainly have lead to something else.

9. Name an ad campaign or jingle that you will remember till you die.

Well, there are lots, of course. But one with a personal connection that that springs to mind immediately is one of the first commercials I wrote with a song that mentioned the product name over 20 times. It's definitely one way to make sure your work is sold.

10. What is your best attribute/strength?

Whatever I have achieved has been due to sheer energy and willpower more than anything else.