DDB Sydney hires creative duo Nicolas Smith + Damian Martinez; AD Alex Newman; Sian Binder + Dave Govier as creative partners on McDonald’s
DDB Sydney continues to attract the best talent from all over the globe, with recent hires adding even more weight to their impressive pool of creative talent.
The new hires include Argentinian creative duo Nicolas Smith (centre), senior art director and Damian Martinez (left), senior copywriter; Canadian art director Alex Newman and Sian Binder (right) and Dave Govier as creative partners on McDonald’s.
Argentina is worldly known for its football, beef and the Tango, but you can also add talented creative minds to that list. Smith and Martinez are, as far as they know, the first Argentinian creatives to have crossed the Pacific to Australia.
Both born and raised in Buenos Aires, Smith and Martinez became a team back in early 2013 at Ogilvy Argentina. They then moved to BBDO and later to Wunderman.
Together, they’ve won awards at major creative festivals across the world, including Cannes Lions, D&AD, Clio, London International Awards (LIA) and Effie, most notably for “Life Signs” for La Voz del Interior Newspaper in 2013 (which won Gold in Outdoor at Cannes) and The Beer Tooth Implant in 2015 (which won Titanium at Cannes).
DDB Sydney is their fourth agency together and their biggest move yet.
Says Smith: “We’re very excited to work alongside some of the best creatives in Australia and the world.”
Says Martinez: “I’m loving this place. I even enjoy eating Vegemite.”
Newman joins DDB with a swag of international awards under his belt, including Cannes Lions, The AToMiC Awards, The One Show, The New York Festival and London International Awards. In 2014 he was named ‘Top 30 Under 30’ by Marketing Magazine.
Newman said he was drawn to DDB’s drive for world class creative and is looking forward to building projects that stretch the boundaries of what is considered ‘advertising’: “Ben (Welsh, CCO) has put together a powerful team, talent from all over the world, which has created this kind of hot bed of creativity. It’s an exciting time to be joining DDB.”
Binder and Govier join DDB as creative partners on McDonald’s. They have won a bunch of awards between them, including Cannes Lions, One Show, Clios and D&AD.
Binder was previously head of art at Ogilvy Sydney, while globe trotter Govier most recently freelanced at The Monkeys, Leo Burnett and Cummins&Partners after returning to Sydney from the legendary Saatchi’s London.
Binder, who has worked on impressive award winning campaigns with talented creatives, said she’s always admired DDB’s work: “I’m excited to join DDB on the Macca’s team. DDB and McDonald’s have a well-established partnership and I’m looking forward to working alongside such collaborative and passionate people. And the opportunity to work on one of Australia’s most loved brands made the decision to move to DDB an easy one.”
Govier’s highlights as copywriter and creative director so far include winning the prestigious Carlsberg European Cup TVC for a small independent agency, helping the people of Ireland have another reason to drink alcohol in moderation by creating the outrageously successful Arthur’s Day annual celebration, along with Guinness’ very first global TVC which picked up a Cannes Lion.
Says Govier: “Some things I look forward to doing more of include creating great film, digital, outdoor, print, events, promos, shelf-wobblers and any other ways we haven’t yet thought of to make famous work.”
DDB Sydney CCO Ben Welsh said he was excited to welcome these outstanding creatives to his team.
Says Welsh: “DDB Sydney is growing, in a very deliberate way. Our focus on diversity across the board, including getting more women into creative and management roles, continues to attract top class international and home grown talent, and means we continue to deliver stand out work for our clients.”
19 Comments
Fuck the creative industry is sad. Over inflated titles. Underpaid and de-skilling.
Congrats Sian! Well deserved!
I’m with you.
It’s not like they have skin the game.
Where is the partnership?
Do they now own part of DDB?
Congrats Govier. Great hire DDB
Yay BINDER!
Did they do it for the Maccas preferred supplier (underpaid) rates, like McDonalds asked the production and post industry?
so whats the % of Australians in the DDB creative department?
This is a celebration of someone’s hiring. While i’m sure your comments will go a great distance in ridding the world of this terrible scourge in misappropriated titles, I can’t help but feel your time would be better spent elsewhere…like licking postage stamps.
Awesome hires! Congrats to all of you.
go go go
Go Binderbyne! X
3 recruiters didn’t mention you were looking fro creatives. What is the best way to get in on the hiring at DDB?
Great gigs for great people on a client proven to do great work. Great things coming.
Not spelling ‘for’ as ‘fro’ is probably a good place to start.
clearly the best way it seems is to move overseas and get hired from there where everyone must be better. it happens often in small markets such as this.
Come on guys, people come in AUS for the weather and lifestyle. Not to work with under-skilled pricks with over inflated ego. The country attract the talent, not the agencies.
Because local recruiters make a shit load more from relocating overseas talent. Even from places renowned for dubious award entries
Nice one Nico and Davo!
The creative pond even globally is very small.
Diligent ECDs shouldn’t find it difficult to keep abreast of the best talent in this day and age.So who needs recruiters?