CLEMENGER BBDO SYDNEY SNARES NEW PLANNING DIRECTOR FROM DDB
Clemenger BBDO Sydney has snared Al Crawford from DDB Sydney as Strategic Planning Director. He has an impressive pedigree working for some of the industry’s most creative agencies and campaigns.
Crawford’s career has spanned stints at BMP DDB in London, Saatchi and Saatchi Sydney and DDB Sydney, where he was Head of Planning across the DDB Group for the last three years, as well as being on the DDB Sydney board and the Planning Futures Group, the global thinktank for the DDB network.
During his time in Sydney, he has worked across clients as diverse as Wrigley’s, Audi, Dell, News Limited, Arnott’s, Clorox, McDonald’s, Lion Nathan, Fairfax, AV Jennings and Continental.
Crawford has picked up numerous awards on both sides of the globe, including D&AD pencils for three years in a row on The Guardian newspaper, AFA and IPA paper awards for AV Jennings and The Guardian, APG recognition for Seeing Eye Dogs, Clean Up Australia and British Gas and was nominated a Campaign ‘Face to Watch’ in the UK. Al also counts the introduction of Twenty 20 cricket as one of his greatest achievements, having conducted the research and presentation which led to its acceptance by the ECB.
“What we were searching for is a partner in the creative process who had the planning bit on their business card,” said Richard Maddocks, executive creative director of Clemenger BBDO Sydney. “Even better than that, we found someone who doesn’t talk as much as most planners and when he does it makes complete sense. Al is going to be crucial to our creative leadership.”
Says Crawford: “The first step towards producing outstandingly creative and effective work for clients is to have a dynamic strategic and creative combination at the heart of an agency. In Rich, I’ve found someone who is not only creatively brilliant, but is also incredibly smart and down-to-earth. I know the agency is already on the up-and-up and I’m delighted to be joining at this exciting time!”
“Clemenger BBDO Sydney is experiencing a renaissance right now with almost an entirely new Management regime,” says Jim Moser, managing director of Clemenger BBDO Sydney. “We have chosen the best people in the business to form the team that I have no doubt will take this agency to the very top creatively. Al represents the new breed of global Strategic Planner – obsessed about the work, operating in a currency of big ideas and channel planning literate. I am extremely proud of the passion and energy that infuses the agency right now and feel confident that Al’s contribution will add that extra little bit of magic to an already vibrant mix.”
28 Comments
This guy sounds good.
I wonder how much input he had into all the work DDB entered at Cannes this year?
Wrigley’s Strategy:
“Bubble gum lets you make big bubbles. Big PINK bubbles. Think about it.”
Superglue Strategy:
“Superglue lets you stick things back together. Things that are broken. Hmmm”
Tonka Strategy:
“Tonka trucks can be used to help boys pretend that they’re building stuff. Often in sandpits.”
Channel Strategy for all the above:
“Kids love colour double page spreads more than anything”.
Consumer Insight for all of the above:
“Most young australian consumers grew up in Singapore, so it’s best to create your work with that in mind: these kids want big pictures, no words, small logo, no clutter.”
Or maybe he just worked on the paying briefs. I dunno.
‘Dr Al’ was easily one of the best things to ever happen to DDB. And now he’s happening to Clems.
Great hire and a really great guy.
good on you Al. we’ll miss you.
12.57 … hope you made it to lunch time, you are so edgy, you need to eat something.
Strange comments by Jim Moser.
Whilst we’ve come to expect PR that sells the new dream team as the best ever, weren’t we previously sold Danny Searle and wotzisname, the nice Pommy bloke with the out-of-control curly hair, as Clems Sydney’s saviours after a lacklustre previous regime?
Jims comments is exactly the same quote as the one for the other planner they recently got.
Love your work 12:57.
12.57. Your amazing brain and sharp wit will bring us all undone. You are far superior to everyone else, and we should all bow to you ohh brilliant, sharp penned overlord of the blog. I’m sure al will to cry myself to sleep tonight on his pillow stuffed with money.
I loved working with Mr Crawford. One planner who really cares about the work and has the intelligence to make it better. He’s also a legend at office parties. A truly great hiring for Clems (although maybe not quite as good as the lovely Dennelle last year).
Well, he’s certainly got the brainiac planner look down pat.
We would never dream of stealing someone else’s ideas, but when it comes to their staff, that’s not a problem.
DDBOOM!!
8:20PM
You are a mindless fuckwit.
Being anonymous allows you to be constructive, acerbic, witty or just plain nasty.
All you use it for is to repetitively trot out some mindless piece of nonsense.
Grow up, get smarter or – preferably – just fuck off.
Al is a legend. I’ve had the pleasure of working with him in the past. He certainly is the new breed of planner and will no doubt be just what they need at Clems. Rich Maddocks will be loving his briefs and the work will thrive. A great partnership. Not sure about this part – “we found someone who doesn’t talk as much as most planners and when he does it makes complete sense”. When he gets into his stride you have to have a baseball bat handy but yes, it does make complete sense (if you can keep up!).
Good luck Al. You deserve it.
Clems have grabbed a good one there. He’s sharp.
Well done Al. A nice bloke. Hope you kick arse at BBDO.
20/20 Cricket eh?
I’ve got this idea to spice up cricket, it’s called 19/19. With one less over than 20/20, it’ll just add to the intensity of the run chase that much more. Punters will love it! A nice entree to the 20/20 games too.
he’s got good biceps
10:35 PM this one’s for you.
DDBoooooOOOOOM!!!!
And while your at it get some DDBalls on your chin.
I thought DDBoom was pretty good.
Dr Al is a class act. It’s a huge score by BBDO and there’s no half-arse at DDB who’d be prepared to turnaround and say ‘no loss’. Fact is the guy is a great loss.
He’s the brains.
Clemenger BBDOooOOOM…!
What numbnut started this anyway…?
I wonder if they’re 3D glasses that he’s wearing. If so, that shirt of his would look awesome!
Top work Al, you’re one of the good ‘uns and Clems have done well
DDB parties will never be quite the same again…
I’m pretty sure Martin Crowe invented a game called Cricket Max back in the 90s. It had slightly different rules but some believe it was the forerunner to 20/20 cricket. On his day he was one of the best batsmen to watch.
That’s a shit load of top brass who have left DDB in the last 6-8 months. The top rankers at Tribal have gone, the head of the PR thing, now the doctor. Good on you doc. Maddocks is a cracker CD.
Yes, they have all “left” DDB.
BBDOOOOOOOM alright, oh there goes Jim.
DDB: OWNED by 12:57.
My heart is breaking. The door threshold’s of DDB will never be the same again.
Sob.