Josh and Jamie leave on first-name basis
Josh Lancaster and Jamie Hitchcock have confirmed they are leaving Colenso to set up their own agency. And Colenso have made a few changes to the creative roster as a result.
Lancaster and Hitchock worked together at Clemenger BBDO, Meares Taine, Ogilvy and, for the last three years, at Colenso BBDO. And, despite having young kids and big mortgages, they’ve decided now’s the perfect time to start an agency called Josh & Jamie
“We decided, over a couple of raspberry cordials, to keep things simple and call ourselves by our first names,” Lancaster said in a press release.
The pair have worked on some of New Zealand’s biggest brands, including Fly Buys, ACC, Road Safety (NZTA), L&P, Steinlager, Lion Red, AA, Air New Zealand, Tip Top, Fisher and Paykel, Mainland and Kapiti Cheese. And they’ve picked up over 100 local and international, creative and effectiveness awards along the way.
The pair have worked with an array of advertising high-rollers over the last 11 years but Lancaster says it’s time to start “a creatively lead, unashamedly Kiwi, independent agency”.
“We’ve always believed great work comes from having great relationships with clients. It’s no secret that the best work we have done has always been with clients that have been able to pick up the phone and call us directly. And now that our names are on the door, that’s how we want it to work,” Hitchcock says.
www.joshandjamie.co.nz will be up and running in January and the agency doors will open on 1 February.
At Colenso, Nick Worthington will take over ECD responsibilities for Aim Proximity Auckland, giving him leadership of the total creative output of 100 College Hill. He is currently searching for a creative director to partner with new Aim Prox CEO Adam Good.
Jim Moser, CEO Clemenger Group New Zealand says: “Colenso BBDO and Aim Proximity are working closer than ever before on integrated ideas like the Yellow Treehouse, so it makes sense to have one creative leader of the building.”
Levi Slavin, one of “Colenso’s favourite sons”, is returning to the fray as deputy creative director after spending the last two years at Saatchi & Saatchi London. He recently worked on the first global campaign for Guinness and is responsible for work like Tip Top Trumpet ‘Tog, Togs, Togs’ and the launch of Frank soft drink.
“Colenso has always been my favourite agency,” Slavin says. “It has the best culture and does the best work. I can’t wait to get started.”
Colenso also announced today it has been appointed for a brand assignment on Burger King. A major integrated campaign will launch early next year.
MG
November 17, 2009
Huge move. Crazy Time. Random copy at the base of this article though.
Duncan Stuart
November 17, 2009
Best wishes to all involved – the news reminds me that NZ agencies have an amazing surfeit of talent. So it'll be great to see what J&J create – but equally fascinating to see how Colenso moves forwards.
Now would be a good time for marketers to up their creative budgets all round and keep all these guys busy. Tell those tight-arsed CFOs that the recession is over and now's the time to adopt a quantum leap strategy.
Vincent Heeringa
November 17, 2009
Duncan, that's a great sentiment but unfortunately marketers don't live to pay creatives.
They live to pay media. So how about increasing your media spend, you marketing folk?
Andy
November 17, 2009
I think you misspelled marketing fuck
Vinnie
November 17, 2009
Speaking of budgets. Obvously none was needed for the new logo! Telecom are you listening?
Andy
November 17, 2009
excuse me?
Vincent Heeringa
November 17, 2009
Andy, someone is using my name to post insulting comments. My apologies. I've removed the post.