Each week we'll be asking people from all parts of the media industry - from channel controllers to catering staff, directors to digital technicians - to tell us about themselves and their job.

This week it's the turn of David Brennan, former ITV controller of audience planning and one time vice president of research & channel development at Flextech, who now heads up the research area for television marketing body, Thinkbox, as well as being a bit of a Man U fan.

Name
David Brennan

Job Title
Research & strategy director, Thinkbox.

Age
51

Lives
Brixton, London.

In the role since
September 2006.

Responsibilities
Developing all of Thinkbox’s research projects and ensuring the insights and data are communicated across the team and to the advertising industry at large, as well as presenting, producing offline and online content, devising the key communications messages… and organising the music in the office!

Best thing about your job
Representing a medium I have a passion for and working with a bunch of people who make a mockery of the phrase ‘the working day’.

Worst thing about your job
Trying to do everything ‘on the run’ – I’m a bloke and we can’t multi-task; if I’m running, that’s your lot!

First thing you do in the morning when you get in
Select some tunes from my iPod, recoil in horror at what I forgot to do yesterday and then breathe a big sigh of relief at the thought I can always get it done today.

Any downsides to working in the media?
It’s de rigueur in our office to watch TV and chat about it with the rest of the office the next day; I have no problems with that, unless Big Brother overwhelms all other conversation.

First media-related job
I sold engineering recruitment for the Evening Standard during the Thatcher-inspired manufacturing recession – hardest thing I’ve ever done. My next job (as research executive at Ulster Television) taught me to prefer research to sales and telly to any other medium.

Biggest achievement to date
Doing the UKTV deal with the BBC when I was at Flextech Television or completing our recent Engagement Study in time for me to present at our recent Thinkbox Experience.

What do think makes a good marketer in broadcasting?
It helps to have grown up in a household where TV viewing was a core part of our daily life, not something to be looked down upon. I was amazed in my early years in TV how many broadcast marketers did not watch much TV themselves, whereas I grew up in a household that makes The Royle Family look like light viewers.

Best marketing campaign of the year?
Carlsberg 'Old Lions' campaign (check out the long-form version on Sky Interactive) and PG Tips’ 'Return of the Monkey'.

Toughest marketing brief to date
When I was in charge of marketing for Tyne Tees, I was asked to show why the North East was the centre for cool youth style – I almost succeeded!

Anything you wish you'd done differently
"If only…" is not a part of my lexicon – I’m happy with where I am and what I’ve done so why would I want anything done differently.

Best media jolly/event you've ever attended
Being taken to see England play in the 1998 World Cup (even if we did get beat by Romania) - but then research people rarely get taken on jollies..

Dream job/company/lifestyle
Chief executive of the South East Asian branch of the Manchester United Supporters Club.

www.thinkbox.tv