Creative

Cases

News

Clients

Client Start Year End Year
Pacific Gas & Electric 2017 Current
Energy Upgrade California 2017 Current
CredoAI 2021 Current
Aura 2021 Current
NBA2K 2022 Current
Iberdrola Solutions 2020 Current
SurveyMonkey 2022 Current
JLL Flex 2021 Current
Tumblr 2021 2021
BlackRock 2018 Current

About

We believe creativity is the most powerful force in business. This belief has driven growth for thousands of clients since 1949. It has produced work you never saw coming driving results you didn’t think were possible. Truly creative ideas are inherently unexpected, and our mantra of Unexpected Works underpins everything we do.

Unexpected Works is a philosophy we apply to all aspects of our day-to-day. The Works part of it ensures we’re committed to true business impact, grounded in data and insights. Our suite of proprietary tools connects us to the hearts and minds of our consumers, and both identify and understand culture shifts before they happen. This enables us to future-proof our clients’ businesses by identifying opportunities to embrace shifts in culture along the connected consumer journey. Creative agility is at the heart of Unexpected Works. We move nimbly, iterate often, create, test, and learn new ways of breaking through and connecting with consumers. This leads to tighter, nimbler client-agency teams, putting us closer to what’s happening in culture, listening, and responding as opportunities arise.

DDB has a distinct and defined culture, driven by a principle established by Bill Bernbach: “To work at DDB, you have to be talented and you have to be nice.” This is something we’re proud of, and something we look for in our client partners too. Living up to Unexpected Works is not possible without unexpected talent and the diversity of backgrounds, ideas, and capabilities it comes with. Our vision is to continue to double down on this superpower to bring together different perspectives that build the strongest client teams and deliver the best creative work. That’s why we embrace the idea of “no duplicates” as both our recruitment strategy and as a way to continue to reinvent our talent and Business Leadership models in service of our clients’ businesses. All with the intention of building culture that helps build brands.

People

  • John McCarthy

    John McCarthy

    President

    McCarthy has led some of the world’s most iconic brands through moments of critical transformation. From global repositioning to digital innovation, he has spearheaded efforts for Google, AB InBev, Coca-Cola, Nike, Bacardi, PlayStation, Goldman Sachs, GE, Chanel, State Farm, Home Depot, and the United Nations. Most recently, John was Senior VP of Strategy for YML, one of the world’s leading experience design and innovation agencies. Before YML, McCarthy was General Manager for Johannes Leonardo. While there, he led the team to deliver game-changing solutions across a wide range of experiences and touchpoints, including the inaugural Cannes Lions Grand Prix for mobile with their work for Google. Previously, McCarthy also led strategic initiatives at JWT, as well as corporate social responsibility efforts for Qualcomm.
  • Eric Cruz

    Eric Cruz

    ECD

    Cruz is a Filipino-American globalist, creative leader, designer, and educator, who brings over 23 years of industry experience. He is known for combining design, storytelling, experience and innovation to deliver the unexpected. Cruz also brings broad international experience, having held various leadership positions at agencies worldwide at Sid Lee, AKQA, Leo Burnett, and Wieden+Kennedy, developing a model for the creative network of the future and exploring how creativity can help invent tomorrow, today. Most recently as Sid Lee USA and Digital Kitchen’s Executive Creative Director for Innovation & Design, Cruz led the charge in exploring worlds beyond belief and pushing the boundaries of digital storytelling, products, platforms and experiences for clients including Facebook Reality Labs, Tubi, Journi, the LA Rams and Warner Brothers. Prior to that as AKQA Shanghai’s ECD, he led the Greater China team, helping to co-create the future through innovative brand storytelling for Nike, Jordan, Converse, Apple, Airbnb, NBA, Diageo, J&J, Gore-Tex, Lycra, The City of Shanghai and Hong Kong. During his tenure as Leo Burnett Malaysia’s creative leader, Cruz helped evolve and grow a traditional agency of 90 into a forward-thinking agency of 320. Cruz has been recognized by the Tokyo ADC, Cannes Lions, ADC New York, One Show, D&AD, Spikes Asia, AdFest, AdStars, The Webbys, The FWA, CSS Design Awards, and Japan Media Arts Festival.
  • Sam Renbarger

    Sam Renbarger

    Head of Strategy

    Sam Renbarger comes back to DDB after a 8-year hiatus. Starting his career at DDB Los Angeles in 2007 – then worked there through 2010 – on clients like Activision, Wells Fargo and Southern California Edison. More recently, he was at Pereira & O'Dell in San Francisco. There he led strategy for eBay, Netflix and Concordia University, and teamed up with the agency’s founders and cross-office team to pitch and win MINI Cooper at the end of last year. Prior to joining Pereira & O’Dell he led strategy on Heat San Francisco’s marquee account, Electronic Arts and helped develop Effie/Cannes Lion-winning campaigns for Madden. Before moving to the Bay area scene, Sam worked at Mullen across both the Boston and Los Angeles offices where he led accounts like Google, JetBlue and Acura. And before that, did a stint at TBWA\Chiat\Day LA working on Pedigree, Activision's Call of Duty and Jimmy Dean.
  • Ben Wolan

    Ben Wolan

    Executive Creative Director

    A 15-year ad industry veteran, Ben has spent time at 215McCann, Droga5 and Goodby Silverstein to name a few. He's worked on leading global brands such as Xbox, Doritos, Puma, Prudential and NBA as well as dozens of others. His work has been awarded at every major ad show including several best in shows for his Halo 3 "Believe" and Prudential "Day One" campaigns. He's currently finishing his first short film and enjoys cooking, hiking and hanging out with his 1-year old daughter.
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