Former Thinkerbell creative team Chris Buchanan and Simon Fleming join Communicado as ACDs

(Pictured L-R: Chris Buchanan, Annie Price, Simon Fleming, Lucy Houldsworth, Kerrie Ryan)

Melbourne-based independent agency Communicado has further expanded its creative department with two new senior creatives Chris Buchanan and Simon Fleming appointed as associate creative directors.

Buchanan is the copywriter of the team and Fleming the art director, both coming across from Thinkerbell where they were lead tinkers. They originally joined forces at Wunderman Thompson and have worked together across clients including Repco, John West, LifeSpace Probiotics and Jetstar.

Says Buchanan and Fleming: “We were really impressed with the talent and potential that is on offer at Communicado. Theyʼre a great team of people and weʼre really excited to be part of the incredible growth theyʼre experiencing.

Says Annie Price, executive creative director, Communicado: “Iʼm beyond excited to have secured these two. Not only are Chris and Simon great creative thinkers, but they also understand commercial creativity, never allowing the clientʼs business problems and objectives to be forgotten.

“I appreciate their mature, collaborative approach to problem solving, their desire to make great work that gets results and the indisputable fact that theyʼre really good people. Iʼve missed them tremendously and canʼt wait for them to make me look good, as they did in our past work life together.

“Welcome Simon and Chris, your future is as bright as our Communicado orange. And our promotion to ACDʼs is well deserved. I couldnʼt imagine a better pair to be my 2IC.”

Says Kerrie Ryan, managing director, Communicado: “Thanks to ongoing client wins and existing growth, appointing Chris and Simon has not only expanded our creative department, but further strengthened our integrated offering and has achieved an amazing milestone for Communicado … weʼre proud to have grown to a team of 40 across creative, shopper, digital and PR departments in just a few short months.

“Theyʼre a talented duo bringing with them fresh thinking which has already made an impact so weʼre excited to further li the bar creatively, producing better work than ever for our clients.”

Says Lucy Houldsworth, director, Communicado: “Our Shopper team is thrilled to welcome such high calibre creatives who are so talented in the shopper/retail space. Next year we are launching the biggest integrated marketing campaign CUB has ever done, and Simon and Chris will be instrumental with the creative output.”

Wholly independent for more than 30 years, Communicado has been delivering integrated communications solutions for some of Australiaʼs most loved brands including Dulux Australia, Carlton & United Breweries, Carlton Premium Beverages, Asahi Premium Beverages, Carpet Court and BabyLove.