Imagination and persistence are just the start. The best writer of car ads I ever knew couldn't drive; copy that interests and persuades takes time to write. I'm lucky to have worked for two of the greats: American John Wood, whose London ad agency had its roots in PKL and CDP. And Alan Page at Yellowhammer, one of the kindest, crossest men I ever met. "Kill the idea you love, Gorham", they used to say. "Cut the crap". I'm still trying.