CB Q&A with Neale Horrigan: “I’ve definitely hit the ground running, but loving every minute”

Fresh off the plane and straight into the creative deep end, Neale Horrigan has officially joined DO. as Executive Creative Director and Partner. After leading award-winning work at ELVIS London—where he helped drive campaigns that not only turned heads but also changed laws and lives—Horrigan has landed in Australia at a moment when indie agencies are reshaping the industry’s creative output. In this Q&A, Neale chats to Campaign Brief about what drew him to DO., what excites him about the Aussie market, and why bringing a bit more humour back into advertising might just be the shift we all need.

You’ve just landed in Australia as ECD and Partner at DO.—what was it about this agency and this moment that made you say yes?

The work coming out of Australia at the moment is of a completely different calibre to where it was, and that is being reflected in all the major global awards. And with the rise of indie agencies playing such a pivotal role in this shift, the chance to join DO. at this stage and be part of the fabric moving forwards, was just an incredible opportunity.

What are you most excited to sink your teeth into creatively now that you’re here? Any juicy briefs, new business, or goals on the horizon?

Everything is exciting, as it’s all new. New brands, a new market, new opportunities, lots of new pitches. Even my commute is exciting at the moment. So I’ve definitely hit the ground running, but loving every minute.

What first sparked your interest in advertising?

When I was a little kid I walked past the JAWS movie poster outside a cinema and was just blown away. I felt scared, excited, transfixed and intrigued. I’d never felt all of that at once, and it really stuck with me. So, all I wanted to do was make posters one day too, which eventually led me to advertising.

And I think it’s fair to say I’ve probably made some pretty terrifying posters too in the past, but let’s not go there.

Reflecting on your time at ELVIS, what were some of the most significant lessons you learned, and how do you plan to apply them in your new role at DO.?

ELVIS is one of the rare few B Corp-certified agencies in the UK, which is pretty amazing considering how tough it is to achieve. But it’s also incredibly rewarding. Going through that process taught me a lot about the responsibility we carry as industry leaders, especially when it comes to people and the planet. And those lessons will be hugely important as I step into my new role at DO.

How do you approach fostering creativity within your teams? Are there specific practices or environments you believe are essential for nurturing innovative ideas?

I’m a big fan of trying to get their personalities on the page. Creatives know so much and are influenced by so much around them, but sometimes that seems to fall away as soon as the brief lands. They need to look past all the parameters of the ask, and all the restrictions of the guidelines, and create work that they love first and foremost. I’d much prefer they go too far and be pulled back, than not go far enough.

In your view, what are the emerging trends in advertising that creatives should be paying attention to?

Trends are always coming and going. Faux OOH had its big moment, and now we’re seeing a wave of minimalist, no-logo ads blowing up. It’s exciting because it signals a rise in bold, brave clients who clearly trust their agency partners. That kind of partnership is a powerful shift, and one that sets the stage for some seriously great work. But looking forward, I feel there is still a huge need to bring some humour back as somewhere along the way we lost it. The world is a pretty serious place right now, which is exactly why a little bit of joy in the everyday wouldn’t go a miss. And maybe then we would be less ‘skipped’.

Looking back, is there a campaign or project that holds a special place in your heart? What made it memorable for you?

At ELVIS we created a project a few years back called the Illegal Blood Bank which helped change an antiquated law around blood donation. We partnered with LadBible Group to help create this incredibly powerful piece, which not only made national headlines and won a huge number of awards but also changed the lives of so many people that were affected by it. And that felt great.

Any advice you would’ve given yourself when you were first starting out in the industry?

I was going to say ‘spend less time in the pub’ which is accurate but not particularly helpful, so I thought I’d see what the wise old owl ChatGPT had to offer me.

I got this back, which is pretty good annoyingly: “Just remember, rejection isn’t personal, it’s part of the process. Learn from it, grow from it, and just try to keep showing up with something new”.