This week we catch up with our old friend and adland legend Tony Davidson, Executive Creative Director of Wieden+Kennedy London. Throughout his career he has been fortunate to work with and learn from some incredible creative talent at agencies such as Boase Massimi Pollitt, Leagas Delaney and Bartle Bogle Hegarty. In 2000, he and his long-term creative partner, Kim Papworth, made the move to become Executive Creative Directors of Wieden+Kennedy London. Since their appointment, the office has gone from strength to strength, having been globally recognised and highly lauded for the effectiveness of its creative output. We chat to Tony and get Behind the Billboard creative work for client Levis, Nike, Coca-Cola, Lurpak, Guardian and VW.... among others. Full disclosure... you're getting a feature length episode this week... 1 hour and 40 mins worth... we just didn't have the heart to edit it down... and we sure as shit couldn't stop him once in full flow.
Episode 4 of Behind the Billboard features Tony Davidson.
You can see all of the work on the blog post... There's a tonne of great work! https://getbehindthebillboard.com/?p=259
Tony is many wonderful things. Global partner at Wieden & Kennedy, 196 times ‘in-book’ at D&AD (a record) as well being its former President, Cannes Grand Prix winner, strong hugger and just a great big kid who adores ideas and making stuff.
He turned up 30 mins early and left 30 mins late, still texting thoughts and ideas on his way back to the tube. And yet it felt we’d only scratched the surface.
We went though his amazing portfolio of billboards as both CD and Art Director. For the Nike ‘St Wayne’ poster we heard how the art director covered himself in red paint to convince the client to buy the idea. We drilled into the story behind the world’s longest cross track poster with the world’s longest til receipt for the opening of a new Levi’s store. Then there was the reliable rotating VW billboard, Paul Ince and Adidas art direction, Run London, more Levi’s and the painful story of how the invincibles ‘Arsena’ Nike ad never ran as a billboard. We finished on the recent Coke billboards, featuring a redesign of the logo for the first time in the company’s history, to incorporate a thirsty tongue.
Dan Wieden once said “If you want to be a partner at W+K you got to be some kind of saint and some kind of crazy.” We can safely say Tony is both of these and more. So much amazing work for so many brands with so much to say. A feast for our listeners’ ears. Thanks again Tony.
You can see all of the work on the blog post... There's a tonne of great work! https://getbehindthebillboard.com/?p=259