Vale Ari Weiss – Advertising industry mourns the loss of a global creative visionary

February 17 2025, 10:15 am | BY Ricki Green | No Comments

The advertising world is in mourning following the passing of Ari Weiss, a visionary creative leader and the founder of Quality Experience, who passed away on Friday after a long battle with cancer. He was 46.

Weiss, known for his unwavering passion, ambition, and relentless pursuit of excellence, leaves behind a lasting legacy that will continue to inspire generations of creatives. His colleagues at Quality Experience, the agency he founded just last year, shared their heartbreak at his passing while expressing their gratitude for the journey they embarked on together.

“While we are grieving his loss, we are so grateful to have been able to go on the journey of realising his dream of building Quality Experience together over the past year,” says Dan Gonda, Cristina Reina, Colleen Leddy, and Shannon Kelley from Quality Experience. “Ari will forever live on through those lucky enough to have known and loved him.”

Weiss had an indelible impact on the industry, shaping some of the most iconic campaigns of the past two decades. Prior to launching Quality Experience, he served as the Global Chief Creative Officer at DDB Worldwide, where his leadership propelled the agency to unprecedented success. Under his tenure, DDB was named Global Network of the Year at The Effies, The One Show, D&AD, and The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity—a historic first in DDB’s 75-year history. In 2024, Weiss himself was named the most awarded creative in the world at Cannes Lions.

A true creative force, Weiss honed his craft at some of the industry’s most respected agencies, including Cliff Freeman & Partners, Goodby Silverstein & Partners, BBDO, Wieden+Kennedy, and Bartle Bogle Hegarty. His work was driven by a simple but powerful belief: rather than finding an audience, brands should create experiences so compelling that the audience finds them.

Beyond his professional achievements, Weiss was a devoted husband and father. He is survived by his wife, Dara, and their three children, Layla, Luca, and Lev, whom he adored.

Weiss’ passing is an immense loss to the creative community, but his influence will endure through the countless people he mentored, the work he created, and the spirit of innovation he championed. His legacy will forever be woven into the fabric of the industry he helped shape.