Special has expanded its creative team by hiring two heavily awarded professionals, Steve Hansen and Gareth Rice, as Creative Director and Associate Creative Director respectively.
Hansen brings over eight years of experience at Clemenger Wellington, during which he has made a significant impact on New Zealand advertising and beyond. He has worked on several high-profile campaigns, such as Unite Against Covid-19, The Conscious Crossing for KiwiRail & TrackSAFE, and Hello for Waka Kotahi, among others.
Rice joins from DDB Aotearoa, having previously worked at prominent global agencies such as W&K Amsterdam, BETC, and Mother London. He has worked with iconic brands like McDonald’s, Coca Cola, and Bacardi, and has contributed to campaigns like Black Laundry for Steinlager and Tourism New Zealand’s latest campaign, ‘If You Seek.’
Hansen expressed his excitement about joining an agency with such momentum and aligned creative styles.
“Special has been cranking out the hits for years now and just seems to keep getting better. Our styles align in so many ways, so I can’t wait to get amongst it.”
Rice praised Special’s output for its balance of heart and smarts and described the agency’s culture as being driven by “just being good people.”
Lisa Fedyszyn, Special’s ECD, welcomed Hansen and Rice to the team, emphasising their world-class talent, brilliant craft, and creativity. Fedyszyn worked with Hansen twice before and is thrilled to make it a third. After meeting Rice for a few hours, she knew he would be the perfect fit for the agency.
“Their brilliant craft and creativity will be an incredible asset to the agency and our clients.”
