CB Exclusive – Ben Coulson promoted to chief creative officer of Y&R Australia/New Zealand
CB Exclusive – Tony Granger, Global Chief Creative Officer of Y&R has announced that GPY&R Melbourne ECD Ben Coulson has been promoted to Chief Creative Officer of Y&R Australia/New Zealand, a new position.
Coulson has been ECD of GPY&R Melbourne for four years and has just been named in the top 5 creative directors in the world in the 2012 Cannes Report. Under his creative leadership, the agency has become one of the region and world’s most respected agencies. Just this past year, GPY&R Melbourne was the most-awarded Australian agency at Cannes. GPY&R Melbourne’s Mobile Medic campaign, done in collaboration with VML Kansas City on behalf of the Australian Defence Force, was awarded four Gold Lions, one Silver and a Bronze in the Titanium/Integrated category.
GPY&R Melbourne was also the most-awarded agency at Spikes Asia this year, and dominated the global W3 Awards in New York, which recognize digital creative excellence. Most recently, the agency took home 5 awards from the London International Awards.
“Ben is a remarkable creative leader. He’s passionate, he’s smart and relentlessly focused on creating work that is exciting, innovative and inspirational,” said Granger. “This gives our clients more creative firepower across the region.
“One of his strengths as a leader comes from his belief in the power of collaboration. Mobile Medic was done with VML Kansas City and it was a perfect seamless melding of creativity and innovation — everyone uplifted each other to create something very special and effective,” he said.
“When we appointed Ben as the Melbourne ECD we knew he was a tremendous creative talent. It has been wonderful to see him grow into becoming an outstanding creative leader. The successes he has had with the Melbourne agency are well documented and I am sure he will now relish the chance to really have an impact throughout the region,” said Russel Howcroft, CEO, Y&R Australia/New Zealand.
24 Comments
I’m pretty sure there’s a lot more to life than being really, really, ridiculously good looking. And I plan on finding out what that is.
Makes total sense.
Adnews just ranked GPY&R Melbourne number agency in Australia and GPY&R number 1 ranked network in Australia, for the first time ever.
Coulson is the reason.
well deserved!
Who said you have to be an a’hole win at advertising, oh that’s right, it was the GPYR Sydney office.
Hands down the single best CD I have ever worked for. Excellent.
I was there when fosters and the other creatives left 4 years ago. Patts was meant to go out of business. Many other clients left in the wake. Coulson stayed and the work stayed world class, new clients came on board, shit people (management) were fired and he reinvented it as a digitally focused agency. Won agency if the year and filled it with creative and effectiveness awards.
Today it is on top of the agency list.
All at a WPP company.
Congrats and very well deserved Ben. You are a true business defining talent in a game with very few who are.
Look forward to seeing the. Regional Y&R renaissance.
Well played young Ben. You are world class.
Well done Ben. But I have to ask, is there anyone in the Melbourne office anymore? Russell….now Ben. He may well be based here, but he will no doubt be sucked into the Y&R vortex in other markets.
I’d like to see a pic of his missus (or partner).
It’s a happening thing and it’s happening to you….
He looks cold. Jumper?
@Bi curious, you’re a dickhead.
Best CD I’ve worked with by a mile.
Loves great work, hates politics, and kills himself to get your work made!
I’d go gay for him, he’s hot.
‘Well done Ben’ is spot on. Doing great work is one thing. Helping to resurrect an agency is something else again. And to silence the naysayers in the process just makes it that much more commendable. A just reward for a huge job well done.
[And well done Russell for your unfailing support throughout].
I’d let him take my briefs any day.
Grrrr…
I’m sick of this notion that Coulson is good looking.
Look at the size of that right ear. Dumboesque, isn’t it?
And the proportion of his head to his body… hello.
That beauty spot… I swear it was on the other cheek in his last publicity photo.
And as for that ridiculous wig…
Bad luck gay boys, his missus makes him look like a busted boot. She is absolutely stunning.
But, he might still be in the closet, there are quite a few staff on the pink team at Patts.
He’ll kill it in that role. Coulson always does. It shits me to say it, but he has a way of turning lead into gold. Expect a GPY&R network of year title sooner than later.
I worked with Coulson just after the Fosters Clem’s thing and i didn’t think he had the metal to survive the hyenas from other agencies, that were ripping Patts apart. So I left.
To his credit and the industries surprise, he has made GPYR Melbourne more consistently better than it was under McGrath, without the glamour clients and big salary creatives.
And has this year has hands down beaten the all mighty agency on St kilda Rd.
He serves the recognition, he’s proved he is the real deal.
I’ve always thought he is a pretty boy himbo. Not sure what the fuss is about.
Well deserved Coulson, I never worked as hard and never had as much creative success as when I worked for you. I’ve now had the benefit of a few shit agencies and crappy bosses who don’t inspire or protect their creatives, so I think back to the Patts Melb day and wish I knew how lucky I had it.
Honored to have jammed with him.
I’d consider a job at GPY&R Sydney if I knew I’d be working with Coulson.