Tham Khai Meng, worldwide chief creative officer of Ogilvy & Mather, will head up both the Film and Press Juries at the 2012 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, taking place in Cannes from June 17-23.
Making his initial mark at Leo Burnett London, Meng then progressed to Batey Ads where his work as creative director for Singapore Airlines is still regarded as a textbook case on brand building. He joined Ogilvy & Mather in 2000 as regional creative director and co-chairman of its Asia Pacific network. In 2009, he moved to New York to assume the duties of worldwide chief creative officer and chairman of the Worldwide Creative Council at Ogilvy.
Over the years he has worked on such brands as American Express, Cadbury’s, Coca-Cola, China Mobile, H. J. Heinz, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Kraft Foods, Mercedes-Benz, McDonald’s, Toyota, The Economist, Unilever Dove and the United Nations. Meng has chaired many jury panels, including serving as a Cannes Lions juror on the Press and Outdoor Lions in 2003, the Press Lions in 2007, the Titanium & Integrated Lions in 2010, and as president of the Film, Print, Outdoor, Radio and Integrated juries for the Dubai International Advertising Festival in 2009. He has won countless awards and Grand Prix honors from every major show including Cannes Lions, D&AD, The One Show, the Clio Awards and London International Awards.
More recently, Meng’s counsel has been sought outside the industry. He has addressed the World Economic Forum (WEF), worked with the UN Secretary-General, and served on the Singapore Prime Minister’s Economic Review Committee. He is a faculty member at Steinbeis University, Berlin, and a board member of Agencies in Action, a non-profit organization that helps feed the hungry in New York City.
Oscar and Emmy-Winning Composer Kris Bowers Joins Barking Owl For Advertising, Branded Content
Music, audio post and sonic branding house Barking Owl has taken on exclusive representation of Oscar and Emmy-winning composer Kris Bowers for advertising and branded content.
Bowers’ recent film scores include The Wild Robot and Bob Marley: One Love, alongside acclaimed past works such as The Color Purple (2023), King Richard and Green Book. His contributions to television are equally impressive, with scores for hit series like Bridgerton, When They See Us, Dear White People, and his Daytime Emmy Award-winning score for The Snowy Day.
In addition to his work as a composer, Bowers is a visionary director. He recently took home the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject for his directorial work on The Last Repair Shop. The emotionally touching short film spotlights four of the people responsible for repairing the musical instruments used by students in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). The Last Repair Shop reflects the positive influence that musical instruments have on the youngsters who play them, and the adults in the LAUSD free repair service who keep them working and in tune.
Barking Owl CEO Kirkland Alexander Lynch said of Bowers, “His artistry, diversity of style and depth of storytelling bring an unparalleled edge to the work we create for global brands. His presence on our roster reflects our continued commitment to pushing the boundaries of sound and music in advertising.”
Johanna Cranitch, creative director, Barking Owl, added, “Kris first caught my attention when he released his record ‘Heroes + Misfits’ where he fused together his jazz sensibility with a deeply ingrained aptitude for melody, so beautifully.... Read More