MIKE McKENNA
CREATIVE DIRECTOR & WRITER
Pushing the red post trolley at FCB was my first role in advertising however a grave misjudgement by the ECD, saw me relocated into ‘creative’ as a writer.
Since then I’ve worked for some very good big agencies; like Saatchi & Saatchi, Leo Burnett, Publicis and Y&R and some excellent small ones; DHM, Odysseus Arms, 101, Fred & Farid.
I’ve run departments, overseen mergers, been group head and Head of Copy and I’m frequently asked to work with ‘difficult’ clients on complex pieces of business.
I like creating big ideas from scratch, bringing wit and a dash of irreverence to the advertising of serious global brands like HSBC, Shell, Kellogg’s and Heinz.
Tough briefs, tight deadlines, pitching? Bring them on.
And winning. I like that too (who doesn’t?) whether it’s new business or creative awards. (A Cannes Grand Prix, Cannes Golds, D&AD Pencils, Campaign and Creative Circle Gold’s…plus various other weird and wonderful slabs of Perspex.)
From 2012 to 2015 I ran the Tesco account...well, the bits that Weiden & Kennedy didn’t want to work on.
I’ve been President of the Creative Circle, served on D&AD committees, the Idea Foundation and spoken at the IPA, the London Business School and Feltham Young Offenders Institution.
