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172: Tim Delaney on building one of ad-land’s most brilliant careers
Episode 172
Thursday, 11 December, 2025
This week we made our way through twenty rolls of ‘Word a Day’ toilet paper – not (entirely) because of tummy trouble, but in order to impress one of the world’s greatest wielders of words, copywriting legend Tim Delaney. An advertiser who made all of advertising try harder with their adverts, Tim is of course the founder of the famous Leagas Delaney agency as well as being one of the all-time great copywriters. You’ll no doubt have spent much time gawping at and/or weeping over some of his most iconic work – including some extraordinary campaigns for Harrods, Adidas and Nationwide. He’s also the creative brain behind the unforgettable ‘Perfect Day’ film for the BBC – giving the world the briefest sniff of what a Bowie/Boyzone collaboration might have been. Wildly successful in both the building of an agency and the writing of copy, Tim is also one of advertising’s most compelling talkers of sense – with a philosophy built around strategic thinking, disciplined work and a healthy appreciation for the value of intuition. In a chat where we skid quickly and wildly away from what we laughably called ‘the agenda’, Tim takes us on an entertaining and eye-opening journey through one of the most remarkable lives in the creativity game. This episode is proudly dedicated to Tom Harrington. Follow Tim on LinkedIn ///// Timestamps 04:40 - First Job in Advertising 06:45 - Transitioning to Copywriting 09:40 - Early Days in Advertising 12:49 - The Band Experience 14:03 - From Music to Advertising 19:07 - Climbing the Advertising Ladder 22:11 - The Role of Creativity in Advertising 29:03 - Challenges at BNP 30:41 - Understanding Advertising's Mystique 34:08 - The Impact of Technology on Advertising 39:39 - Enthusiasm for Newcomers 43:53 - Advice for Junior Copywriters
