M&C Saatchi, Sydney snaffles ex BBDO and Razorfish New York creative Mike Condrick

M&C Saatchi Sydney has enhanced its creative stocks with the hire of BBDO New York Associate Creative Director Mike Condrick as Senior Copywriter.

Prior to his two years at BBDO, Condrick was Associate Creative Director at Razorfish New York which followed a three-year stint at Tribal DDB New York as Senior Copywriter.

The Boston native’s work has appeared in big award shows: Cannes, the One Show, Addys, Webbys and the New York Festivals.

Although a self-confessed “big tech nerd”, Condrick considers himself “more an ad guy than a digital guy”.

In his spare time he wrote and performed in the sketch comedy troupe Party Central USA which performed live in New York and at festivals across the country. Their web videos have been viewed more than 2 million times.

One of the sketches aired on Comedy Central “at about 2.30am, and was watched by about 12 people”. He has also performed stand-up in various “poorly attended venues”.

Says Condrick: “Sketch comedy can be helpful for an ad guy’s resume. Like advertising, it’s all about telling stories quickly in a very engaging way.”

Sydney first caught his eye when he honeymooned here three years ago.

A keen surfer, the new Manly resident admits he is still getting to grips with: how “staggeringly beautiful” Sydney is, how helpful its residents are and how “astonishingly blasé they are about the real threat of being devoured or poisoned by a horrible animal”.

Adds Condrick:”Oh, and how everyone gets up so early here. They say New York is the city that never sleeps, but it definitely sleeps in.”

M&C Saatchi Executive Creative Director Ben Welsh said: “what clinched it for me was Mike’s pre-recorded Skype interview. Genius”.