ABOUT
I’m a conceptual leader, purveyor of culture-led ideas and contemporary thinker. I apply the power of collaboration to enable brave work. Throughout my career I’ve taken roles to learn: Lessons in creativity, client relationships and media channels. I’ve worked at independent agencies (HHCL, St Luke’s), networks (Leo’s), I CD'd McDonald’s Canada and established an in-house shop. I made a guerrilla campaign to learn about social media that hit headlines. I launched Nintendo Wii, broke Google records with an ad about a Big Mac and won a Cannes Grand Prix. Most recently I worked at VaynerMedia CDing a TikTok content influencer campaign for Durex. I’m a strong believer in ideas that have the capability to live across all channels. I’m keen to apply my experience in a permanent role where I can further learn at a forward thinking agency / creative company.
EXPERIENCE & WHAT IT TAUGHT ME
ST. LUKE'S, COPYWRITER
I was hired at St. Lukes’ inception. We were Campaign’s Agency Of The Year and the place everyone wanted to work at: Fast Company: ‘The Ad Agency To End All Ad Agencies’
Learning: Be Brave St.Lukes’ DNA was to be different. From how we ran client relationships to the work. A fantastic experience for my first job.
Learning: Collaboration enables innovation At the time collaborating with clients was new. By involving brand teams in the creative journey we arrived at brave work together. This made pushing boundaries more successful.
Learning: Good strategy is everything By giving brands a ‘cultural mission’ campaigns resonated with audiences at a meaningful level. Because original thinking started at brief stage the creative would naturally stand out.
Brands: Clarks shoes, IKEA, HSBC, British Telecom, Sky TV, Government COI, National Drugs Helpline, Eurostar.
LEO BURNETT, SNR COPYWRITER
After the indie agency I wanted to try something organisationally different, hence the global network agency, Leo Burnett.
Learning: Think big A step up for me to higher profile campaigns for Leo’s iconic brands. I revived Rice Krispies and Crunchy Nut by harnessing brand heritage to tell fresh stories. I did the first anti-drug/drive campaign and launched Nintendo Wii across Europe. The first wireless console for intuitive humans rather than hard core gamers. I love it when my work strikes the populist note.
Brands: Kellogg's, UK Government, P&G, Co-Operative grocery stores, Freeview TV broadcasting, McDonald's.
CD on Nintendo, Kellogg’s, Pfizer: European Nexium launch.
PHANTOM FRAMER, SOCIAL MEDIA EXPERIMENT
As social and digital arrived I presented ideas for those channels but, as part of the Publicis network, this creative was produced by specialist agencies. I didn’t want to miss the fun so I took matters into my own hands: Phantom Framer- a guerrilla advertising social media stunt. It got bigGer than expected with feaTures on BBC, ITV news and headlines the world over.
Learning: I love social Phantom Framer was my play-thing to learn about different platforms. I enjoyed interacting with followers and experimenting with the nuances of each channel with intuitive, human ideas.
COSSETTE TORONTO, CD McDONALD'S CANADA
I was smitten with social. North America seemed to be ahead of London with integrated campaigns so I took a job in Canada that required creative across all media.
Learning: Big job The first time I headed up an account. Campaigns had a 6 week cycle from brief to launch. It was a very successful time for the brand both in sales and creativity.
Learning: Integrated thinking is all I was responsible for all creative- TV, OOH, social, digital, ambient. Integrated campaigns entertained on TV and involved people in social. Evergreen work kept followers happy. Acquisition campaigns grew fan bases on different platforms. Our Follow The Arches OOH won a Cannes Grand Prix.
DRAFTLINE/ ABInBev IN-HOUSE CD
Back in UK I took a job at ABInBev, the🍺people. I assembled the most professionally and ethnically diverse department I’ve ever worked in. I also set up a section specifically for social reactive ideas.
Learning: Build the right business model Brands had established relationships with Mother + Wiedens so rather than compete with them we created work in alternative spaces. Our ideas lived in e-commerce, utilised retail relationships, innovated on Cameo and produced NFTs.
Learning: The brand manager's load In-house gave me a first-hand understanding of a brand’s full spectrum of marketing opportunities.
Brands: Corona, Budweiser, Bud Light, Leffe, Stella Artois across Europe.
FREELANCE: 1 year in-house at Discovery Channel, 6 months running Talk Talk internet at The & Partnership. Also Accenture Interactive / Karmarama on GSK, Comic Relief, M+C Saatchi working for UK Govt on social campaigns for societal change. I've spent an educational and rewarding time at Vayner for most of 2022. It's been all about TikTok, producing a new campaign for Durex featuring Joe Marler and other influencers, as well as working with in-house creators for TikTok's own channel, Heinz, TikTok Shop and the launch of PICO, the VR headset.
NEXT I’ll never stop learning but having explored so much I now want to land at an organisation where I can apply this experience to meaningfully contribute to pushing the creativity of brands.
I was hired at St. Lukes’ inception. We were Campaign’s Agency Of The Year and the place everyone wanted to work at: Fast Company: ‘The Ad Agency To End All Ad Agencies’
Learning: Be Brave St.Lukes’ DNA was to be different. From how we ran client relationships to the work. A fantastic experience for my first job.
Learning: Collaboration enables innovation At the time collaborating with clients was new. By involving brand teams in the creative journey we arrived at brave work together. This made pushing boundaries more successful.
Learning: Good strategy is everything By giving brands a ‘cultural mission’ campaigns resonated with audiences at a meaningful level. Because original thinking started at brief stage the creative would naturally stand out.
Brands: Clarks shoes, IKEA, HSBC, British Telecom, Sky TV, Government COI, National Drugs Helpline, Eurostar.
LEO BURNETT, SNR COPYWRITER
After the indie agency I wanted to try something organisationally different, hence the global network agency, Leo Burnett.
Learning: Think big A step up for me to higher profile campaigns for Leo’s iconic brands. I revived Rice Krispies and Crunchy Nut by harnessing brand heritage to tell fresh stories. I did the first anti-drug/drive campaign and launched Nintendo Wii across Europe. The first wireless console for intuitive humans rather than hard core gamers. I love it when my work strikes the populist note.
Brands: Kellogg's, UK Government, P&G, Co-Operative grocery stores, Freeview TV broadcasting, McDonald's.
CD on Nintendo, Kellogg’s, Pfizer: European Nexium launch.
PHANTOM FRAMER, SOCIAL MEDIA EXPERIMENT
As social and digital arrived I presented ideas for those channels but, as part of the Publicis network, this creative was produced by specialist agencies. I didn’t want to miss the fun so I took matters into my own hands: Phantom Framer- a guerrilla advertising social media stunt. It got bigGer than expected with feaTures on BBC, ITV news and headlines the world over.
Learning: I love social Phantom Framer was my play-thing to learn about different platforms. I enjoyed interacting with followers and experimenting with the nuances of each channel with intuitive, human ideas.
COSSETTE TORONTO, CD McDONALD'S CANADA
I was smitten with social. North America seemed to be ahead of London with integrated campaigns so I took a job in Canada that required creative across all media.
Learning: Big job The first time I headed up an account. Campaigns had a 6 week cycle from brief to launch. It was a very successful time for the brand both in sales and creativity.
Learning: Integrated thinking is all I was responsible for all creative- TV, OOH, social, digital, ambient. Integrated campaigns entertained on TV and involved people in social. Evergreen work kept followers happy. Acquisition campaigns grew fan bases on different platforms. Our Follow The Arches OOH won a Cannes Grand Prix.
DRAFTLINE/ ABInBev IN-HOUSE CD
Back in UK I took a job at ABInBev, the🍺people. I assembled the most professionally and ethnically diverse department I’ve ever worked in. I also set up a section specifically for social reactive ideas.
Learning: Build the right business model Brands had established relationships with Mother + Wiedens so rather than compete with them we created work in alternative spaces. Our ideas lived in e-commerce, utilised retail relationships, innovated on Cameo and produced NFTs.
Learning: The brand manager's load In-house gave me a first-hand understanding of a brand’s full spectrum of marketing opportunities.
Brands: Corona, Budweiser, Bud Light, Leffe, Stella Artois across Europe.
FREELANCE: 1 year in-house at Discovery Channel, 6 months running Talk Talk internet at The & Partnership. Also Accenture Interactive / Karmarama on GSK, Comic Relief, M+C Saatchi working for UK Govt on social campaigns for societal change. I've spent an educational and rewarding time at Vayner for most of 2022. It's been all about TikTok, producing a new campaign for Durex featuring Joe Marler and other influencers, as well as working with in-house creators for TikTok's own channel, Heinz, TikTok Shop and the launch of PICO, the VR headset.
NEXT I’ll never stop learning but having explored so much I now want to land at an organisation where I can apply this experience to meaningfully contribute to pushing the creativity of brands.
AWARDS
McDonald’s Canada Follow The Arches/ OOH: Cannes Grand Prix,
One Show Gold x2, D&AD Wood, FAB Gold, FAB Grand Prix
McDonald's Canada Bacon Big Mac/ Integrated: FAB Gold, EPICA Silver
Kellogg's Crunchy Nut Snake/ TV: BAAs Silver
Rice Krispies Rain/ TV: CLIO bronze
McDonald's Football Grassroots Heroes/ Integrated: Cannes shortlist
Govt Road Safety / Drug Drive Eyes/ TV: BAAs 1 Silver, 1 Bronze
Alison Carmichael Typography/ Print: Creative Circle Silver x 2
McDonald's UK BOGOF/ TV: Epica Silver, FAB awards, Cannes shortlist
St Luke’s didn’t enter awards. When we won Campaign Agency Of The Year the whole agency met about whether to accept it. Like John Lennon rejecting his MBE but less rock n roll.
One Show Gold x2, D&AD Wood, FAB Gold, FAB Grand Prix
McDonald's Canada Bacon Big Mac/ Integrated: FAB Gold, EPICA Silver
Kellogg's Crunchy Nut Snake/ TV: BAAs Silver
Rice Krispies Rain/ TV: CLIO bronze
McDonald's Football Grassroots Heroes/ Integrated: Cannes shortlist
Govt Road Safety / Drug Drive Eyes/ TV: BAAs 1 Silver, 1 Bronze
Alison Carmichael Typography/ Print: Creative Circle Silver x 2
McDonald's UK BOGOF/ TV: Epica Silver, FAB awards, Cannes shortlist
St Luke’s didn’t enter awards. When we won Campaign Agency Of The Year the whole agency met about whether to accept it. Like John Lennon rejecting his MBE but less rock n roll.
REFERENCES
"I hired Ed at Leo Burnett. Ed's work was either smart, funny, thought provoking or emotional. As CD on Nintendo he brought ingenious creativity and charming quirkiness to small projects whilst delivering the European launch of Wii with professional aplomb. Ed would be a valuable addition to any department."
Jim Thornton, ECD, VCCP.
Jim Thornton, ECD, VCCP.
"I joined draftLine because of Ed. I loved his vision for the agency and I was impressed by the vibrant, safe, collaborative atmosphere he had created. As a result of his creative vision and drive, we became ABI's agency of the year and achieved many standout successes on the biggest beer brands in Europe. Do not let the calm exterior fool you; this is fiercely strong partner you want on your team."
Owen Dowling, Head of Strategy, draftLine EU.
Owen Dowling, Head of Strategy, draftLine EU.
"I’ve known Ed for years and have worked with him personally at HHCL and Leo Burnett. Ed has the enviable combination of three strengths: He’s a ‘creative creative’ (i.e. he’s actually creative). He knows how to make that creativity work in the commercial world. He is a true professional and, as such, he's top notch with clients. As a Creative Director, Creative or friend you’re lucky if you get him."
Jim Bolton, Deputy ECD / Partner, CHI & Partners.
Jim Bolton, Deputy ECD / Partner, CHI & Partners.
"Ed is not just creative by name but creative by nature. A true left-field thinker who will surprise you with unexpected yet relevant thinking and amuse you with his irreverent ideas that entertain and stay true to the personality of the brand. A passionate and committed individual who would bring energy and electricity to any department."
Seyoan Vela, ECD JWT Dubai (previously CD at Grey London & StLuke's).
Seyoan Vela, ECD JWT Dubai (previously CD at Grey London & StLuke's).
WHY 'FLUNTUM'?
When I registered my first email account last century there were 3,482 Ed Morrises. Rather than be ed.m0rris3483@netscape.com I created a word just for me. I enjoy creating things.