Whybin\TBWA New Zealand snares DDB Group NZ’s Steve Kane for senior, multi-faceted CD role

Whybin\TBWA New Zealand has snared Steve Kane from DDB, where he has been group experiential creative director since the start of 2010, to a senior, multi-faceted creative director role within the agency.

Kane was closely involved with a number of high-profile clients during his seven years at DDB, most recently for work on Cadbury, ANZ, McDonald’s, New Zealand Lotteries and Air New Zealand.

Says Andy Blood, executive creative director, Whybin\TBWA New Zealand: “Steve is widely acknowledged and acclaimed within our industry as a ‘contemporary creative’, given that he’s well versed in social media, art direction, copywriting, strategy, planning – the list goes on, in fact he’s even been a tech blogger.

“He’s also a really good guy who is the epitome of media arts and comfortable and conversant with disruption and our whole ethos, so we’re thrilled to have him join our award-winning creative department, as I know our clients are too.”

Says David Walden, CEO of the TBWA\ Group: “Steve’s wide ranging remit will be to work closely with our planning, creative and PR people to ensure the integrated work we’re doing is the best it can possibly be, so his arrival in early February bodes well for another strong year.

Kane says it’s an exciting new chapter and he’s eager to join the team at Mayoral Drive.

Says Kane: “Devo and Andy lead a crew of extremely talented individuals who, in my opinion, have been responsible for some of the most successful and entertaining campaigns of recent times. The work is both memorable, different and makes people sit up and take notice. I’m looking forward to contributing to their impressive body of work.”

Kane was appointed DDB’s (and New Zealand’s) first creative director – experiential – at the start of 2010 and his 20-year career has spanned public relations, advertising, suiting and journalism for many of the world’s leading brands.