DDB Group Sydney welcomes two creative teams from Ogilvy – Dantie van der Merwe and David Fraser + Omid Amidi and Luke Acret
DDB Group Sydney has today announced the arrival of two creative duos from Ogilvy – Dantie van der Merwe and David Fraser from Johannesburg, plus Omid Amidi and Luke Acret from Sydney.
Having joined DDB Group Sydney earlier this year, van der Merwe and Fraser originate from Ogilvy Johannesburg, where they worked on global brands including Audi, Sprite, ESPN and the Discovery Channel.
Fraser and van der Merwe have both had multiple campaigns shortlisted at Cannes. van der Merwe’s work for DSTV has also been featured on Shots as well as making finalist for multiple Cannes awards and a London International award. In addition, Fraser won a bronze Clio for a BBC Food print campaign and his History Channel print campaign won ‘in book’ at the One Show.
Acret and Amidi teamed up at Ogilvy Sydney, where they worked on some of the standout campaigns of 2011 including the popular ‘Share a Coke’ campaign which picked up a Gold, Silver and 5 Bronzes at this year’s Cannes Lions. Before teaming up, Amidi spent time at droga5 and has had his work for VB, Cascade and Coke be recognised in IAB, Caxtons, Clio, One Show, D&AD and Cannes. Prior to moving to Australia, he was based in Toronto where he won the 2009 YoungGuns International Creative Brief.
Acret, whose background is as a professional baseball pitcher, began as an Art Director for 303 and Lavender, working on campaigns for Ikea, Westpac, Harley Davidson, Fanta, Colgate, KFC, Rugby Union Australia, and Qantas. Acret has had his campaigns awarded at Young Lions, Clio, One Show, D&AD and Cannes.
Says Dylan Harrison, DDB Group Sydney’s executive creative director: “Both Dantie and David, as well as Omid and Luke have made a huge impact in the creative department since their arrival. Not only because of the passion and genius they’ve been putting into their creative output, but also the culture here. They’re both the embodiment of DDB’s hiring policy of ‘talented and nice.”
The duos have been recruited by DDB Group Sydney as the team continues to grow and to help fill the shoes of Matthew Knapp and John Downing, who recently moved to DDB New York as part of DDB’s ongoing commitment to helping launch young careers.
(Pictured top, from left: Luke Acret, Omid Amidi, David Fraser and Dantie van der Merwe)
20 Comments
Haven’t met the other two, but Dantie and David are guns.
Great hire DDB.
Isn’t that the Fleet Foxes, or Boy and Bear, or some other insipid flash-in-the-pan congregation of misfits and try-hards? I don’t actually know any of them, so there’s every chance they’re super talented, but when did profile shots become band shots! Someone buy a kazoo!!
The force is strong with you Luke
@1:24 I’m pretty sure that’s just a shot of the four people mentioned in the article taken with an iPhone standing outside their place of work.
Does rum make you short? Nice one boys!
The most determined, creative lads i have ever met. DDB has made a great hire with Dave and Dantie
Phil Spector. You could have called Dante many things, but to say he’s part of a boy band is probably the worst insult imaginable. This Africana who use to have a job tracking down shotgun wielding poachers will now not rest till he has hunted you down. Good luck.
Luke and O are super talented and nice dudes. Only downfall is you feel short next to them.
Who’s the chef?
@ Singolvy
Perhaps your energy would be better spent on grammar rather than bitterness.
Well done on the move lads.
All the best
Congrats Lucus, good work fella.
Go O! Go O! Go O!
Awesome hires all in all for DDB. They’re all great guys. Talented to boot.
Good hires DDB. All round great and talented guys. Best of luck
Nice one Omid!!!!!!
HOTNESS in the white shirt. Good work fellas!
Dat beard. I want to feel it .
Hope DDB has a good supply of rum.
You forgot to mention I was also a professional basketball player.
Stay fresh!
Well done Dantie and David…. Rum anyone?
I got the rum. Let’s have some. Congrats to all y’all!!