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JWT Creative Chief named Cannes Film, Press Jury
chair
Craig
Davis, Worldwide Chief Creative Officer, JWT will chair both the
Film and Press juries at the 55th Cannes Lions International Advertising
Festival scheduled for June 15 to 21 in France.
Born and raised in Australia, Craig stumbled into the world of advertising
after graduating from AWARD (Australian Writers and Art Directors’)
School in 1987 following stints as a barman, law student, busker,
finance broker, turf cutter, biscuit maker, fruit picker, fashion
show producer and truck driver. He also learnt how to sail on the
local lake, eventually winning national championships and representing
Australia internationally. Over the next several years Craig developed
his own agency, which became one of Australia’s most awarded
independent agency..
In 1999 Craig left Australia to become Executive Creative Director
of Saatchi & Saatchi Singapore and in 2000 was promoted to Regional
Executive Creative Director based in Hong Kong. Under his leadership
Saatchi & Saatchi became the most awarded agency network in
Asia, and was named ‘Creative Network of the Year’ in
2002. In 2003, Craig helped Saatchi & Saatchi win both AdAge
and Adweek’s ‘Global Agency of the Year’ and was
named Asia’s ‘Advertising Person of the Year’.
The following year Craig moved to London to join JWT as the creative
leader for Europe, the Middle East and Africa and in 2005 was made
JWT’s Chief Creative Officer, Worldwide. Since joining JWT
the network’s creative reputation has improved significantly
and the Cannes Lions tally has more than tripled.
In
2007 Craig became the first guest editor of the Gunn Report and
was inducted into the Campaign Brief Hall of Fame. He is a frequent
speaker at industry forums, is on the advisory board for the Berlin
School of Creative Leadership, and has judged at numerous regional
and international award shows, including Cannes Titanium in 2006.
“The fact that Craig has experienced different cultures,
is in a global leadership position and has demonstrated a clear
track record of creative achievement, makes him ideally suited to
be the Cannes Film and Press jury president in 2008”, said
Terry Savage, Festival Chairman.
Craig Davis commenting on his appointment said, “Great creativity
can and does come from anywhere. What I love about Cannes is that
it recognises this truth across multiple disciplines on a scale
unmatched by any other award festival. It’s an honour to be
leading the search for the world’s best creativity in film
and press advertising in 2008.”
Craig lives in London with his wife and is teaching his three children
to sail.
The International Advertising Festival - Cannes Lions - is the largest
gathering of worldwide advertising professionals and advertisers
as well as the most prestigious annual advertising awards.
Each
year, over 10,000 visitors from the advertising and allied industries
attend this event to celebrate the best of creativity across all
media mix, discuss industry issues and network with one another.
Over 25,000 ads from all over the world are showcased and judged
at the Festival.
Winning
companies receive the highly coveted Lion trophy, honouring the
most creative TV/cinema, print, outdoor, interactive, radio, sales
promotion, integrated advertising, as well as the best media and
direct marketing solutions. A Design category is being launched
in 2008. A unique programme of high-profile seminars, workshops
and keynote speakers, organised by some of the biggest names in
the industry, are also presented.
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