Thinkerbell’s Kevin Pease crosses the Pacific for CCO role at award-winning US indie LUDWIG+
Sydney-based award-winning creative Kevin Pease has departed Thinkerbell to take up the role of Chief Creative Officer at LUDWIG+, a woman-owned brand actualisation and business acceleration advertising agency based in Michigan, US. Pease, who has held senior creative leadership roles in Australia at both The Royals and Thinkerbell, will lead the agency’s creative vision at a time when AI is reshaping how content is produced and a brand’s distinctive point of view has become its most valuable competitive asset.
As CCO, Pease will expand LUDWIG+’s proprietary InsideOut creative framework, which unearths the soul of an organisation to create an enduring, differentiated brand, rather than chasing the windsock of rapidly changing consumer sentiment. He will focus on producing work that gives brands an unmistakable point of view in crowded categories, and establishing LUDWIG+ as a creative force known well beyond Detroit.
Says Barbara Yolles Ludwig, Founder and CEO of LUDWIG+: “Kevin is exactly the creative leader to help LUDWIG+ punch well above our weight. His ability to create culturally resonant ideas that travel across channels and earn attention far beyond paid media is a powerful complement to our InsideOut approach. Bringing Kevin on as Chief Creative Officer positions us to deliver the most distinctive work our clients have ever experienced.”
Pease has built a reputation for idea-first thinking, work that earns attention beyond paid media, breaks into news and culture, and delivers outsized value for brands by starting with a powerful idea rather than a predetermined channel. During his time in Australia, working across agencies including Banjo Advertising, Naked Communications, Saatchi & Saatchi, Clemenger BBDO, DDB, The Royals and most recently Thinkerbell, he has applied that philosophy to some of the country’s most recognisable brands – among them Toyota, Cadbury, Mercedes, Porsche, Beyond Blue, Red Rooster, Nando’s, AMP, Gumtree, NIB, BCF and Finder.com.au.
His work has been recognised at the industry’s most prestigious international award shows, most recently receiving Gold, Silver, and Bronze at the London International Awards (LIA), multiple Golds at the Cannes YDA, Gold at Shots for Ad of the Year, and a film shortlist at D&AD for The Brain Cancer Centre’s ‘Public Diagnosis’ campaign, in addition to multiple Bronzes for the Shane Warne Legacy ‘Don’t Waste A Beat’ campaign at Shots and the AWARD Awards.
Says Pease: “What drew me to LUDWIG+ is the opportunity to build upon the incredible creative legacy that Bill and Barbara have created, and how deeply aligned I am with their InsideOut framework, the belief that the strongest brands are built from a differentiated core. As AI flattens content and makes production accessible to everyone, a truly distinctive point of view is the only competitive advantage that cannot be replicated. My focus will be pushing that framework further so our clients shape culture rather than chase it.”
Pease’s approach is rooted in a belief that traditional media mixes no longer hold, and that the strongest creative work earns its audience rather than just buying it. That philosophy maps directly onto LUDWIG+’s InsideOut framework, which is designed to surface what makes a brand distinct and translate it into work that travels across paid, earned, and owned channels. Together, the two are intended to give clients a sharper competitive edge in increasingly crowded categories.
Says Bill Ludwig, Founder and Chairman of LUDWIG+: “LUDWIG+ has always operated on the belief that great work is built from the inside out, and Kevin shares that conviction. Kevin brings a global creative perspective and a track record of work that travels, which is exactly the kind of leadership that will carry our creative product into its next chapter.”
Pease’s appointment comes during a period of continued momentum for LUDWIG+, including the firm’s new headquarters in Royal Oak, Michigan, and most recently being named the top Small Agency of the Year at the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) 2026 B2 Awards — the fourth time LUDWIG+ has received the honor and the first time ranking first. The agency was also named “Purposeful Campaign of the Year” for the Pink Fund by both Ad Age and ANA.
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