DDB appoints first creative director experiental

Wednesday 09, December 2009 at 7:07 PM by CB

DDB Group New Zealand has appointed Steve Kane to the newly created position of creative director - experiential in what is believed to be a New Zealand first for an advertising agency.

Kane has been with the Group's PR, Experiential and Events arm Mango since 2005, and its creative planner for the past two years. As DDB Group's creative director - experiential he will be responsible for generating creative experiential campaigns for Group clients, as well as overseeing the creative output of PR and Experiential campaigns delivered by Mango.

DDB Group CEO Sandy Moore says Kane's appointment is in recognition of the success the Group has had with experiential campaigns to date: "Experiential has been an integral part of our offering for many years. However we now believe it is as much a part of what clients expect from us as digital and direct. Having someone dedicated to harness the resource within the building to develop truly engaging experiential and PR campaigns will take our creative to the next level."

DDB ECD Toby Talbot says that Steve Kane's background makes him ideally suited for the position: "Steve Kane has a protean quality that will serve him well in the role. He has experience in radio journalism, honed his PR skills in London before joining Publicis Mojo where he worked both as a suit and as a PR man. His arrival at DDB and Mango in 2005 coincided with the increasing requirement for consumer engagement. Plus he's a creative guy with a good handle on what works."

Kane was behind the Air New Zealand 'Cranial Billboards' campaign, which garnered four awards this year at both local and international shows.

Kane says he's "pretty stoked" with his new position: "It's a great opportunity given DDB Group's envious client list and an appetite to deliver great work throughout the building. I'm really looking forward to having a wider remit to emotionally connect consumers with our client's brands."