FORENSICS
ABOUT DAVID COWAN
David Cowan brings to every project a unique combination of knowledge and experience. This includes his rare skill set, 20 years of success with a top London advertising agency, advanced study at the Harvard Business School, and 20 more years working with large UK and global businesses to help them solve important business/marketing questions.
David studied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics at University College, London which gave him mathematical and statistical analysis skills that are rare in the world of marketing.
He learnt the subtleties of branding, positioning and marketing during the 20 years he spent in advertising. He was part of the management team that built Boase Massimi Pollitt (now DDB London) and took it public in the 80s. At its peak BMP was the second biggest ad agency in the UK and was responsible for many of the most successful advertising campaigns of the time including Smash Martians.
For thirteen years David was head of a then new function that the agency pioneered called Account Planning. Its purpose was to use consumer and market data to ensure that the highly distinctive advertising was also relevant and effective. This new function played a large part in the agency’s success. Since then, account planning has since become a global standard for advertising and marketing service companies.
After completing the Advanced Management programme at the Harvard Business School he founded Forensics in 1990 to instigate a unique ‘detective enquiry’ approach to overall marketing issues that encompass all aspects of the marketing mix. This involves rigorous scientific analysis of quantitative and qualitative market and customer data in order to understand customer behaviour and the most effective ways to change it.
David has a natural curiosity, enjoys the challenge of prolonged and intensive investigation and possesses a strong streak of scepticism which leads him to consistently question received wisdom until it can be proven right, or the correct alternative established.
It is this combination of characteristics and experience that enables him to solve difficult marketing and business problems.