CB Exclusive: former Fallon USA CCO Darren Spiller takes ECD role at DDB Group, Melbourne
CB Exclusive – Darren Spiller, who departed the chief creative officer role at Fallon USA back in March, has taken the ECD role at DDB Group Melbourne – effective next week – replacing Grant Rutherford, who left the agency on Friday.
Before Fallon Spiller was the regional creative director of Publicis Mojo Australia and New Zealand before moving to Minneapolis in June 2009.
At Mojo Spiller had been ECD on award winning campaigns for clients includingTourism Victoria’s ‘Labyrinth’ and ‘Run Rabbit Run’, Nestle PetersDrumstick campaign and ‘Nike’s ‘Stuff History’.
Says DDB Melbourne CEO Andrew Little: “I am delighted to have Darren start at DDB Melbourne. I have admired his work both at Publicis Mojo and Fallon and he has created some of my favourite campaigns. I have known Darren for many years and believe he will make an enormous contribution to the agency, our people and our clients.”
Marty O’Hallloran, DDB Australia + NZ chairman and CEO said that he knew Siller was right for the DDB Group when he first met him: “Darren is one of the most highly regarded creative people in this region. I have no doubt he will be successful in his new role.”
Says Spiller: “It is amazing that an opportunity like this comes up in your own backyard. I am looking forward to developing great work with the Melbourne team and our clients.”
22 Comments
Congrats Daz, nice to have you back mate!
Great guy.
Great talent.
Great get.
Congrtas to Dazza and DDB.
One of the real talents. Good move DDB.
Congrtas indeed.
Good one AL.
Nice to have you back in town matey.
Homesickness gets all Australians eventually.
This deal was brokered 6 months ago?
So when are Christy and Corey joining DDB?
Christy for ECD of Sydney office before the year is out. Spiller is a pretty persuasive guy. Watch this space.
Of course you would think in threes.
Seriously which of his campaign at fallon deserves a praise?
Give him the Publicis gig. He’ll make a much better job of it than the current muppets.
Grant out, Darren in. Management stays the same. That’s how they roll at DDB.
Indeed. Wonder when Grant heard about it.
Went to the Big Show and now back. Welcomed back here like a conquering hero, to a new agency and group and spinning the move as if it were the ‘creativity’ that drew him back to the provinces again, and of course a better life for the kids. Much like the managers and politicians who leave high paying offices at the top around the world to “spend more time with the family.”
As if. Spin, and spun.
ECD in Oz is a retreat, from the UK, from the US, from Europe, from almost anywhere, and just one step above the further retreat when it goes pear-shaped locally to a home in Singapore, Beijing, et.al. The list of Aussie and Kiwi expats ending their days recreating work from a decade ago in Asia is as long as . . .
Of course Sydney and Melbourne are a step up from SA, and a big pay raise, but only compared to the Rand. Hence the plethora of Boks.
Good on ya know all. Obviously you have no idea. Life is definitely always half empty for you. Probably is, definitely is. Where you been anyway?
3 years to the day. Mission accomplished. Well done Dazza.
Sounds like Truth Teller couldnt plan a trip to the supermarket.
Tell the truth, i think that used to be true. But The States and the UK aren’t really still the shining beacons of creativity that everyone in Australia seems to think they are. It’s easy to think that way when you only see the good stuff in awards shows. Most of what those agencies pump out is as crappy as anything you see on TV over here.
Having said that though, I don’t know if Spiller exactly covered himself in glory at Fallon. If he did, he kept it very quiet.
Doesn’t mean he won’t do great things at DDB – just that taking a big job in the states at a name agency isn’t always an instant ticket to Gold.
Why the hell would he go back to mojo?
Even the vinegar’s off in that place.
@Prop
And planning is such a creative exercise.
Overwhelmingly, we Americans love Australians. We love them for their grit, straightforwardness, sense of humor, and honesty. I think as a nation you remind us of the qualities that used to make America great. Regrettably, we discovered few of these endearing traits in this fella. We much prefer the other kind.