On My Radar: Daniel Tuggle

Daniel Tuggle has a respectable 15 years of industry experience behind him spanning stints as a line producer in LA, a managing director of Hustle Co (a production company he started) and current role as the executive producer at independent San Fran agency Cutwater.

He has worked on client campaigns for brands including Budweiser, Barnes and Noble, Electronic Arts, Chevron, and AT&T, and his latest assignment was for SunRun’s Solar Motion campaign along with overseeing a brand shift for Brawny Paper Towels, set for early next year.

Below, Tuggle tells us about TV, tech and talent to inspire him, along with a favourite recent campaign and industry thought.

What’s the best ad campaign you’ve seen recently?

Not so much a campaign but a SoMe execution. #lowesfixinsix, the best use of a social medium as a marketing construct. Perfect balance of timing, medium, brand and idea. It was truly useful to consumers. And best of all it required a very simple production approach.

What website(s) do you use most regularly and why?

I check a few to keep current on trending topics. Reddit, Mashable and Our Creative Differences. The last one is great.

What’s the most recent piece of tech that you’ve bought and why?

Anything dealing with home automation. Sonos, Wemo and Nest are technologies that support our busy lives and just make things more enjoyable.

Facebook, Twitter or Instagram?

I follow both [Facebook and Twitter]. But I actively post to Instagram. I can only fully commit to one with a young family at home.

What’s your favourite app on your phone and why?

Weather apps. Sounds strange I know but I enjoy the variance in UI. I’m a sucker for good design. Dieter Rams 10 principals speak to me every morning on the kitchen wall.

What’s your favourite TV show and why?

Easy. House of Cards with Kevin Spacey as (FU) Frank Underwood. The writing, directing, cinematography, acting and producing are second to none.

What film do you think everyone should have seen?

Quentin [Tarantino] wrote and Tony [Scott] directed a crime drama in the early 90s called True Romance. It had a great ensemble cast complimented by a memorable music score. Even had a touch of Elvis.

Where were you when inspiration last struck?

It’s usually on the bike. There is a lot of suffering that happens when you will yourself up a steep grade. The mind tends to wander to avoid the pain.

What’s the most significant change you’ve witnessed in the industry since you started working in it?

Assignments now more than ever are project based. Good ideas are not allowed to mature and bloom in market over time to prove themselves.

If there was one thing you could change about the advertising industry, what would it be

I wish we could have stronger collaboration with our clients. It feels like we have lost that mutual commitment to creating work that matters.

What or who has most influenced your career and why?

After a start on the agency side I jumped over to commercial production and worked with some really talented directors. I observed the craft with [Joe] Pytka, [Zack] Snyder and [Lance] Acord. Respectively they taught me how to build an iconic brand, surround yourself with talented people and create something meaningful with each and every opportunity.