.99 poaches key creative staffer from DDB
There's a little bit of ship-jumping to round out the week.
Hot Topic
Budget 25
DDB head of copy Paul Hankinson is leaving the agency in favour of a creative director position at Clemenger Group competitor .99.
He'll partly replace .99 deputy creative director Craig Pethybridge, who left in November 2010.
Mr Pethybridge is one of .99's original staffers.
Craig Whitehead continues to fill the position of executive creative director and managing director.
Mr Whitehead said Mr Pethybridge's departure forced the agency to rethink its creative department.
"We're delighted to have someone of Paul’s caliber join us. He will bring great conceptual thinking and writing skills to the agency and we can’t wait for him to get stuck in.”
The talented Mr Hankinson is known by many in the industry as a "savvy bastard" and the loss is a blow for DDB.
Last year several senior creative staffers left the agency group. Retail creative director Kim Ellison and creative director Adam Kanzer left in May, while Rapp executive creative director team Wayne and Kim Pick announced their departure in October, leaving New Zealand in favour of a career boost in New York.
Mr Kanzer had been in the role for less than a year but left, according to a DDB statement, for personal reasons.
Meanwhile, Mr Hankinson is looking forward to his new career in retail advertising.
He was promoted to head of copy at DDB in March last year after three years at the agency as creative group head.
“I’ve always held the view that a retail ad still has to be something of a brand ad," Mr Hankinson said in a statement.
"It’s blindingly obvious that Craig and [.99 head] Neil [Livingstone] share that view, and this is borne out by the fact that brands such as Air New Zealand and New World are now looking to them for their brand communications as well as their retail offering.
"Craig and Neil have made it clear that they are keen to up the ante with the quality of the work, and I’m both thrilled and humbled that they’ve entrusted that to me.”
Mr Pethybridge leaves next month and Mr Hankinson joins in late March. Another senior creative will be appointed.
Hazel Phillips
Fri, 18 Feb 2011
Fri, 18 Feb 2011
© All content copyright NBR. Do not reproduce in any form without permission, even if you have a paid subscription.
.99 poaches key creative staffer from DDB
12440