The Publicis Groupe have promoted within their ranks this week, as Jay Benjamin, former top creative at Leo Burnett New York since is first opening 3 years ago, has been appointed chief creative officer of the New York branch of global advertising agency network Saatchi & Saatchi. The position, which Benjamin will assume on the 21st of April, has been left vacant since last December, when Con Williamson left Saatchi & Saatchi for Erwin Penland.
Benjamin first came to New York to help set up the Leo Burnett office in 'The Big Apple'
Benjamin was formerly the executive creative director at Leo Burnett Sydney (since 2008), and has also served as the executive director at J. Walter Thompson. He first came to New York to help set up the Leo Burnett office in 'The Big Apple', where he believed they would be better equipped to attract talent to the North American arm of the network's operation. Saatchi and Saatchi New York CEO Brent Smart (who took the reigns last November) shares an Australasian advertising lineage with Benjamin, as he himself arrived at Saatchi in 2011, having spent seven years as the managing director of Colenso BBDO in New Zealand.
Jay Benjamin
Smart has said that he “Really wanted the next big name in creativity,” for the role, and he “Truly believes that's Jay.” He believes that Benjamin's work “Pushes the very definition of what advertising is; from an off-Broadway play to Photochains for Canon, to a marketplace for words on Twitter.” He is referring to some of Benjamin's most notable work, which includes the “New York Writes Itself” campaign for The Village Voice, a unique creative concept that won a Gold Lion in Branded Content at Cannes in 2012.
Smart believes that Benjamin's work “Pushes the very definition of what advertising is
Benjamin meanwhile says that he has “Always loved the Saatchi & Saatchi brand,” and should feel right at home, as he's worked for Saatchi & Saatchi before, as creative group head at their branches in both New Zealand and Sydney. Clients he will oversee at Saatchi & Saatchi New York will include P&G and General Mills amongst others.
Official Saatchi & Saatchi New York Website
Benjamin Hiorns is a freelance writer from Kidderminster who has never been to New York but looks a good hefty slice of New York Cheesecake.
