After training in architecture, working as a product designer, then as an interior designer and as a graphic designer, Michael Wolff decided it was time to start his own company. And in the autumn of 1964, he joined up with Wally Olins in Camden Town, London, and Wolff Olins was born.
Under Michael’s creative leadership, Wolff Olins became the foremost European company in ‘corporate identity’ — and one of the most effective branding companies in the world. Among their clients were Audi, Apple (the Beatles, not computers), P&O, Renault, 3i, Pilkington and Volkswagen.
He left Wolff Olins in1983 to lead the Addison design company. Clients there included London Underground, The high speed train in Spain, The Barcelona Olympic Games, BP, Jaguar and Shell Michael now runs Michael Wolff & Company in London, England.
Most recent clients have been and are 3i, Mothercare and the Ministry of Sound in the UK – Citibank and Citigroup in the US – and a new bank with no name yet, in Russia.
“I’ve never stuck to one view of what is good in design. My personal goals have always been: to help organizations to express themselves, in their own particular way, for the benefit of anyone with whom they’re involved. And do this in a way that brings value to everyone and to the world that we all share.”
Brett’s been hard at it for over two decades. From the entertainment worlds of theatre, radio and film, to graphic design, digital and advertising – where he’s bagged a bunch of awards in the process, for clients like Kodak, Sony, Volkswagen, Heineken, Bank of America and British Airways. Brett also talks a good game: he’s lectured in radio writing for a decade and judged his peers’ work in award shows internationally. Recently he opened the New York office of London’s archibald ingall stretton… with a bunch of talented Brits and Aussies. In his spare time, (what there is of it), he’s created and manages a web series currently in production.
Nicola Hawes doesn’t have a serious black and white headshot of herself and can’t smile for the camera without looking like a character from Wallace and Gromit. Nicola works at RKCR/Y&R and whilst she’s won a number of awards over her years as a Creative nothing makes her more proud than coming first place in a ‘Paint your Granny Competition’ in Southend circa 1989. Which makes her an Essex girl. And proud of it.
Ian is in a constant search for the next big idea. His philosophy: to find innovative ways to engage consumers with an insightful and memorable message. This belief has helped him create successful campaigns for clients such as GM, Rogers, Kellogg’s, and the Worldwide Short Film Festival.
Ian is trained as an art director, but also has a passion for writing. His work has been recognized by Cannes, One Show, Clios, London International Awards, New York Festivals, Archive, and The Bessies.
Before joining doug & serge, Ian spent years honing his craft at reputed shops such as Zig, JWT, Y&R and MacLaren McCann. On the side, he performs magic, over-charging lawyers at company parties, and also does stand-up comedy (think Seinfeld meets Steven Wright, minus the killer material).
Michael Lynch is co-publisher and editor of Campaign Brief magazine, which he founded in Australia in 1984 with partner Kim Shaw and Campaign Brief Asia, which he and Kim started in 1997. He is also co-owner with Kim of worldwide online ad site www.bestadsontv.com
- born 1977
– 1997 - 2001 Studies: Kunstschule Alsterdamm (state certified graphic designer)
– 2001 - 2007 FCB Wilkens, Hamburg (NIVEA, NIVEA for Men, Eucerin, tesa, 8x4, BDF Trade Campaign, Lindt & Sprüngli)
– 2008 Draftfcb, London (The Post Office, Vauxhall, Saab, SC Johnson)
– Since 2008 Draftfcb, Hamburg (blau.de, NIVEA Teens, BDF Projects, Igepa, Varta)
David, or "Nobby" as he's more widely known down under, began his career at the tender age of 19, as a junior copywriter in London at O&M Direct. Just a year later, he was promoted to Creative Group Head; the youngest in their worldwide network.
After stints in Hong Kong and San Francisco, he launched his own agency, Wells Nobay McDowall in Melbourne at just 27, and led it to become one of the most awarded integrated agencies of the 90’s in Australia.
He moved to New York in 2000 to join an all-new new Bozell team as Deputy ECD, alongside Tony Granger. Within two years, the agency was ranked 3rd most awarded agency worldwide at Cannes. He was also ranked in Archive Magazine’s Top Ten most published copywriters of the last millennium.
In 2003, he returned to Australia as Executive Creative Director of Saatchi & Saatchi Sydney. Under Nobby’s creative stewardship, the office was ranked Campaign Brief Agency of the Year for an unprecedented three years in a row, as well as both AWARD Network and Agency of the Year, Creative Magazine Hotshop of the Year, and Gong’s TV Agency of the year twice in a row. Saatchis Sydney was also acclaimed as "Australian Agency of the Decade" by Campaign Brief Magazine in 2010.
During that time, Nobby was ranked as the most awarded Creative Director in Australasia in the Campaign Brief Creative Rankings. He also sat on the Saatchi & Saatchi Worldwide Creative Board.
In 2007, Nobby was invited by David Droga to launch Droga5, Sydney. The office opened its doors officially in 2008, and was named "Agency of the Year" by B&T Magazine in 2009.
During his career, Nobby has been recognised by D&AD, Art Directors Club, NY Festivals, London Festivals, Clio, Cannes and One Show for a myriad of international clients, including Toyota, Lexus, Lion Nathan, Milk, NY Times, Sony, Fox Sports, Intel, Datek Online and Virgin Mobile.
He has been invited to judge Cannes three times (Titanium, Film and Direct), One Show, Clio, D&AD, Andys and served as a Jury Chairman on NY Art Directors Club, Australian AWARD, Young Guns and Dubai Lynx.
Outside trying to run the Droga5 Sydney office, his interests include Yo-yo dieting and playwriting. In 2010, his first play "Moving Parts" is being produced by Revolver in Sydney, and directed by Steve Rogers.
David Smith is a world famous artist and an English hammer thrower. He is a curler for Scotland and Manitoba. A wrestler fondly known as the British Bulldog. A Canadian economist and a Mormon missionary they call the Sweet Singer of Israel. David Smith is a historian and a bishop. He is the biographer of HG Wells, a professor of physics, a composer and a music teacher at Yale. He played rugby for Samoa and England. He created the Melissa worm, a deadly computer virus. He starred in a reality TV show and shot his way to silver in the 600m military rifle prone position at the 1920 Olympics. But this isn't that David Smith. This is the other David Smith. David J Smith. The ad guy who lives in Amsterdam with his wife and their two cats. The one who rides a 1983 green Gazelle Impala bicycle (valued at €53). Know who I'm talking about now? Yes, that one, the one who likes to write about himself in the third person.
With a Masters degree in Industrial Design from the Royal College of Art, Simon established the Deepend studio in London with friends and partners Gary Lockton and David Streek in 1994. His passion for creative freedom and innovative ideas was the driving force that gave Deepend its distinctive creative approach. After that was destroyed in the implosion of the dot-com bomb he set up a company with five partners all determined to make a difference and snub the conventions - in clients and themselves. POKE.
Poke was set up to challenge the way he works, talked and designed. “Poke” was and is an internal statement to its directors to stop them repeating themselves and allowing the freedom of fresh thinking to deliver the correct creative answer. Established in 2002 it has two offices in London and New York.
Simon is a valued contributor at international events, organisations, and institutions, including ICOGRADA (world body), Hyper Island (Sweden), Parsons School of Design (New York), the Royal Society of Arts and Institute of Contemporary Arts. The Royal Society of Arts has honoured him with a fellowship in recognition of his contribution to British design and he is a member of the Art Directors Club of New York and Design and Art Direction Global Awards. In 2004 he was elected to its non executive council, in 2005 he was asked to become the Vice and then President of D&AD in 2007/8, he was the youngest and also the first digital president.
In 2006 he won his second BAFTA and now sits on the BAFTA film panel for long form international films. Also in 2006 he won the prestigious on-line award “The Webby” in New York, for Alexander McQueen’s web site. Poke has gone on to win a Nine Webbies, in five years, more than any other UK company.
In 2008 he was awarded with the United Kingdom’s highest design honour - the Royal Designer Of Industry, this award often referred to as the ‘Queen’s 100’ is in recognition of his life’s work in the area of digital design, he is again the first digital RDI to be recognised.
In 2008 Creative magazine in the USA placed him on the Creative 50 - the top creative people in the world that year. He was also asked to compete in the Advertising Planners Group competition to find “The Biggest Thinker 2008” which he was charmed enough to win, evidently by wearing “Good Shoes!” He has been included in the “A-list” creative list in the UK for the last five years consecutively.
In 2008 Poke was awarded the most respected Agency in the UK by the New Media Awards voted on by its peers in the industry this was the fourth year running having won in 2005, 6 and 7. Simon was voted the number One most influential person in digital media in the UK. Poke went on that month to win Agency of the year from New Media Age and Marketing Week.
Time change and in 2009 Poke again was agency of the year but with Iain Tait his partner in most influential and Simon a poor 5th! But Media Post awarded him the Online Creative All Star award in New York for his digital career on the American side and the week after, he left poke.
When somebody told him that there´s more in life than wasting his time thinking about cat litter pans and hypoallergenic detergents, Fabian decided to leave BBDO Duesseldorf and join one of Europe´s most creative agencies: Jung von Matt in Hamburg.
As a copywriter he won several packing cases of lions, pencils, men with wings, men without wings, cubes and even a remarkable silver firecracker.
As a creative director he still loves to win awards so he puts his name on every credit list he can find.
Within the last ten years he worked for clients like BMW, Mini, Mercedes, Snickers, Nintendo, eBay, Wrigley´s and Discovery. And cat litter pants. And hypoallergenic detergents.
He´s a member of the German Art Directors Club and the D&AD.
After spending two horrible days at Topshop with his wife he decided that he´d never visit London again. But the Chip Shop Awards made him change his mind.
Andrew J Brown is creative director at Swamp. He began his career as an animator and 3D visualiser and as designer and later creative director with Brand New Media developed some of the earliest FMCG experience websites for Irn-Bru, Heinz, Durex and later Hugo Boss.
As a founder member and creative director of Swamp his digital client work includes Umbro, Ribena, Horlicks and Schwarzkopf as well as public sector work for the DCSF and Learndirect. He guest lectures for the universities of Leeds and Huddersfield and has won and judged numerous national and international awards.
Rob joined The Partners in 1999 and quickly progressed to the role of Design Director. He is currently working with clients including Deloitte and AstraZeneca. His work has been widely awarded and his recent identity and Grand Tour campaign for the National Gallery has won many of the industry’s biggest prizes including Gold at both D&AD and the Art Directors Club of New York Awards.
In addition to his easy wit and creativity, he has a passion for words and is a gifted copywriter, working with many clients on communications and advertising campaigns. These include copylines for Nigel Burgess, the National Gallery, the Design Council and the Post Office amongst others.
A graduate from the University of Central Lancashire, Rob's dream job is writing witty headlines for The Sun.
Dave founded Watermill with Bertie Miller in 2008.
Watermill is a multi-discipline project based company. As well as accepting commissions for advertising, design, film and TV work, Watermill creates and produces it’s own projects including digital and publishing.
Before Watermill Dave was Creative Director of D,F,G,W a top 30 ad agency for 18 years.
D,F,G,W were the only Independent on Pizza Hut’s international roster, (Hit the hut). Launched the most successful car company in the UK ever (that’ll be the Daewoo) And did for the BBC what ITV heroically failed to do, launching Britain’s new digital platform, Freeview and made it bigger than Sky.
Freud communications bought D,F,G,W in August 2007.
Dave designed the interior of the Body Zone, the only part of the Dome to have Queues. He has been President of the Creative Circle and received their lifetime achievement award. He’s won almost enough advertising awards and worked with talented people who’ve won loads more.
Before that there was GGT, the hottest agency of the 80’s, were he got to work on everything, LWT, Toshiba, Lurpak, Cadbury’s, Ariston and his slogan for Morrisons, is still proudly on their bags 25 years later.
Dan Griffiths, Glue London
Patrick Baglee is director of Creative Strategy at Navyblue, a strategic international brand development agency with offices in
David Airey, a graphic designer from Northern Ireland, has been intrigued by brand identity since the 1990s, when he enrolled in his first graphic design course. Having honed his skills working in the United Kingdom and the United States, he then made a conscious choice to specialize in brand identity design, where his passion lies.
Self-employed since 2005, David has amassed an impressive global client-list, including the likes of Yellow Pages, Giacom, and Berthier Associates.
He writes two of the most popular graphic design blogs on the Internet, logodesignlove.com and davidairey.com, attracting more than 250,000 online visitors per month and approximately 1 million monthly page views.
Steve brings over 15 years of experience in both the on and off-line worlds of advertising, and is one of the original partners at VCCP London. Steve works across VCCP's key accounts including; Diet Coke, Dyson, Jordans, ING Direct, O2, Coca Cola, Hyundai, FedEx, Capri Sun, Minute Maid, Standard Life, London 2012, Bel and Compare the Market.
Steve has worked at some of the biggest and best creative agencies in the world including: Foote Cone & Belding San Francisco, WCRS Arnold Worldwide Partners in London, Modem Media and Palmer Jarvis DDB in his native Vancouver.
Steve was named the number 1 New Media Creative in Campaign’s "10 Hottest New Media Creatives of 2000" as well as making their ‘A List’ in 2003 & 2008. In 2005, Steve made Campaign magazine’s ‘Top 15 digital creatives list’ being the only one from a ‘traditional’ advertising agency as well as making Revolution’s 50 Power List in 2007. In 2008 he made the top ten. His industry accolades include his Superstitial work on BMW was the first ever ‘e-ad’ to be chosen as Campaign Magazine’s "Pick of the Week", and also the best interactive ad of the year along with his work being recognised by the D&AD, One Show's, Clio's, Cannes Lions, the Casies, SF Show, Adweek's MC Icon, Revolution, New Media Age, London International Advertising, the Andy Awards, the Reggies and the Lotus Awards.
Recently, Steve was the Digital Crafts foreman for the 2004 D&AD Awards, judged the 2005 One Show Awards and the IAB’s Creative Showcase and was the 2006 Campaign Digital Awards Chairman and a judge at the 2007 Webby awards and Annas.
Steve has spoken at the IPA, IAB, Shoot Magazine’s interactive TV Conference, AdTech, Yahoo! and Campaign's Digital Arts conference alongside Jerry Yang, Bob Geldof and John Hegarty. He’s judged the Icon and Web Awards, has had his work featured in the FT, Design Week, Adage, written columns for Adweek, Marketing, Campaign, Revolution, New Media Age, Cre@te Magazine, and conducted television interviews with the BBC and CNBC Europe.
In 2004 VCCP was named Effectiveness Agency of the Year and were the first agency in the IPA Effectiveness Awards history to have won a Grand Prix on its debut.
Pushing the post trolley at FCB was Mike's first job in advertising. A grave misjudgement by Andrew Cracknell led to Mike writing ads for FCB, Bates, Butterfield Day, the Delaney's, Saatchi's, Leo Burnett and now JWT.
Mike has won awards at D&AD,
He has been President of the
John Jessup has worked for 8 agencies, had 15 copy writers, worked on every business category known to man, and has therefore had more ads chucked in the bin than any other creative in the business.
Dave was born in Barking in
He went to art school in
He worked at BMP from 1970 -1980.
He opened GGT in 1980 left 1990.
He opened BST in 1990 left in 1993.
He opened CCST, WTCS, and CST.
Dave doesn’t like writing in the third person.
