Nicole Hetherington and Simon Fowler have been announced as the new creative directors on the ASB account, which was recently picked up by With Collective.
The announcement comes a week after Australian agency With Collective announced its expansion into New Zealand with ASB as its foundation client. The agency will be responsible for the bank’s marketing services, including direct, digital and data.
“We couldn’t be more excited about this next chapter of With Collective,” says Steve Coll, chief creative officer at With Collective. “Nic and Si have been recognised many times at the world’s biggest award shows. But I know the opportunity to work on a brand like ASB is a real career highlight for them. We have a very collaborative way of working in Sydney, and I know they’ll want to make that a central part of With Collective Auckland too.”
Hetherington added it’s a massive privilege to work on ASB, especially as it’s what she and Fowler grew up with.
“We’re also proud to be part of this new chapter of With Collective opening in our home town.”
Hetherington first teamed up with Fowler working for Young & Rubicam Auckland. Since 2015, the pair has worked at With Collective’s Sydney office as associate creative directors.
Fowler adds that “we learned our craft in our first gig in Auckland, and it’s wonderful to have the chance to apply it on a much-loved brand like ASB”.
Hetherington and Fowler will work closely with With Collective’s head of digital experience, Paul Kelly, to develop a team around the ASB business.
With Collective was acquired by the Dentsu Aegis Group in 2016 and with ASB already a long-standing client of Dentsu on the media side, the recent win gives it a bigger cut of the bank’s overall spend.
ASB appointed With Collective as its new agency after parting ways with Saatchi & Saatchi after five years.
