It was announced earlier this week that Kat Gates has been hired as the new global creative director for Leo Burnett Worldwide, where she will manage all creative for Procter & Gamble's 'Always' brand, which specialises in feminine care and hygeine products. The brand new position will help to centralize the creative leadership of the agency in its native Chicago, which is where Gates will be based.
Mark Tutssel is “Thrilled to have a creative talent and celebrated visionary” like Kat Gates joining the Leo Burnett network
Gates will report to Mark Tutssel, the company's chief creative officer. Tutssel is “Thrilled to have a creative talent and celebrated visionary” like Gates joining the network, and feels that with her “Leadership and her prolific creative ability,” Leo Burnett will have an “Exciting and successful road ahead.” In her new role, she will specifically handle the pad and liner business for Always. Leo Burnett used to also handle the company's Tampax brand, but that assignment was lost last summer to their rivals at Publicis.
Kat Gates and her 'must-have' items, which she says help fuel her creative inspiration
Prior to her move the Leo Burnett, Gates served as group creative director at Publicis New York, where she was responsible for the 2012 London Olympics campaign entitled; “Let the Spills Begin” for Bounty paper towels. Before Publicis she held the role of regional creative director for Western Europe at Saatchi & Saatchi Frankfurt, where her work managing creative straegy for Pampers nappies and Iams cat food earned her awards at many of the industry's premier ceremonies, including the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, the Effies, and the Clios. She left Publicis in March this year, and has been working freelance since then.
Gates was responsible for the 2012 London Olympics campaign; “Let the Spills Begin” for Bounty paper towels
Other prestigious brands Gates has worked for throughout her career include M&M/Mars, Miller Lite, Delta Airlines, Tylenol and Foot Locker, to name but a few. The woman herself says that she has always admired Leo Burnett's “Ability to go ‘beyond the brief’ to develop inspiring, purposeful work for its clients around the world,” and that she “Couldn’t be happier to join Leo Burnett to help shape and strengthen” their global creative product.”
Official Leo Burnett Worldwide Website
Benjamin Hiorns is a freelance writer and musician from the UK who knows very little about sanitary pads, but a lot about Leo Burnett.
