Dave Hieatt talks to Dave Dye

Dave Hieatt has influenced advertising more since he quit.

First, with Howies.

His mail order catalogues built up more than customer base, they built up a fan base. (They're still traded on Ebay.)

Not for their clothing, for their vibe; that decent feel-good, smart, happy, morally decent, life is for living, do the right thing type voice. (Dave: Did I miss anything?)

Their writing and ideas were ripped off mercilessly by ad agencies, as reference for a tone of voice or stimulus for manifestos, or just ripped off wholesale.

One agency copied and pasted one of Dave’s pieces and used it as a manifesto for a pitch for another brand.

They won.

But were fired a few weeks later after their new client chanced upon his shiny, new manifesto in an old Howies catalogue. 

Innocent, whose brand vibe was copied continuously for a decade, were very influenced by an early trip to Howies, their random messages on their bottles being influenced by Howies random messages on clothing.

Pick up a pair of jeans and you stumble across a message inside saying ‘I stink, wash me’ or on the washing instructions tag ‘Buy land, they’re not making it anymore’.

Since he left Howies, Dave (& his wife Claire) have continued to give ad agencies stimulus via the Do Lectures and the Hiut Denim brand.

We had a great chat, hope you enjoy it.