DDB may have a bit less work on with Wattie’s, but it’s getting geared up for the arrival of Westpac in about three months, and it’s announced a few of the anticipated hires, with three experienced campaigners joining the team: art director Toby Morris, planning director Rupert Price and group account director Cath Bosson.
Price joins DDB as planning director in July following 18 months as head of planning at Ogilvy New Zealand. His previous roles include media planner at Young and Rubicam London, brand planner at JWT and joint head of planning at Ogilvy London. He’s picked up a prestigious Media Week campaign of the year award and worked on many high-profile brands, including Persil Dirt is Good, Dove Campaign for Real Beauty and BP Beyond Petroleum.
“I am thrilled to be joining a great planning team and such a strong agency, one that holds planning as a discipline so close to its heart,” says Price.
Lucinda Sherborne, DDB’s head of planning, says it is a real coup to get him onboard.
“He is one of the most respected planners in the business and we’re all really excited about the perspective he can bring to the table,” she says. His addition comes a few months after Nikki McKelvie moved from Ogilvy to DDB to lead the Warehouse and Sky accounts.
As for Morris, he’s a former Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam creative and a highly-regarded illustrator who has just returned to New Zealand after seven years abroad working on many high-profile campaigns, including Nike’s Write the Future.
“Toby is an amazing visual talent, whether that be illustrator or art director, and we’re thrilled to add that to DDB’s mix,” says executive creative director Andy Fackrell. “His sense of storytelling is second-to-none.”
Since drawing, publishing and distributing his first comic at the age of 13, he has published several superbly illustrated books and worked extensively within the New Zealand music industry, drawing posters and covers for the likes of Connan Mockasin, Liam Finn and Flying Nun records.
On the client service side, experienced suit Cath Bosson joins as group account director on McDonald’s. Her experience includes seven years in Sydney working across supermarket, telecommunications and airline brands and four years at Colenso BBDO Auckland. Most recently she has been contracting at Saatchi & Saatchi on the Telecom account.
“DDB and McDonald’s are both outstanding brands and I’m pretty damn excited to get to work for both of them with a group of really nice people.”
