After 23 years with Ammirati Puris Lintas (now Lowe Lintas & Partners), New York, as executive VP/director of broadcast production, Ozzie Spenningsby is departing to become director of broadcast production at TBWA/Chiat/Day, New York, effective Jan. 10. Spenningsby succeeds former TBWA/Chiat/Day director of broadcast production John Garland, who is now senior partner/creative director of broadcast development at J. Walter Thompson, New York (SHOOT, 9/17/99, p. 1). Bob Nelson, Lowe Lintas’ executive VP/ director of broadcast production, will take on Spenningsby’s responsibilities at the agency.
Spenningsby told SHOOT that his reason for the move was simply that the right opportunity came up. "TBWA/Chiat/Day has enjoyed a stunning creative reputation for all of its existence, and David is one of the best art directors/creative directors I’ve ever worked with," said Spenningsby of Page, who was creative director/art director at Ammirati five years ago. Page, now chief creative officer at TBWA/Chiat/Day, also offered Spenningsby the opportunity to get out of the office and produce—an aspect Spenningsby said he missed during his last few years at Ammirati.
He was quick to dispel the speculation as to whether or not the recent merger between Lowe & Partners/SMS, New York, and Ammirati Puris Lintas was the impetus behind his move. "The merger might have made the decision to leave a little easier; however, that wasn’t the factor. … It was the opportunity [at TBWA/Chiat/Day]," Spenningsby said.
In his new position, he plans to immerse himself in the TBWA/Chiat/Day culture, getting to know all the creative directors and producers and helping to foster the relationships between the two. For the long term, Page hopes Spenningsby will "put Chiat/Day back on the map in New York. The department has been without a head for a few months now, so we’re setting out to build and make a fresh start."
Spenningsby started his career in the mid-’60s as an editor, working on a show called 20th Century Fights, which cut existing boxing footage into episodes for air. From there he went to Screen Gems, New York, where he did color correction on color prints and density correction on black-and-white prints for air on commercials. "It was my first introduction to advertising. … I was there with the hopes of moving into editorial on [TV] shows," Spenningsby recalled.
In ’76, he moved to now defunct Producers Associates for Television, and distributed shows such as Foreign Legion Air, Magilla Gorilla, Peter Potomus and Rocky & Bullwinkle. Ammirati & Puris, which was one of Spenningsby’s clients at that time, needed someone to head its fledgling television department. "He [Ralph Ammirati] and Martin [Puris] hired me without a reel, and the rest, as they say, is history," said Spenningsby.
In his early years at Ammirati, Spenningsby produced for the agency’s flagship BMW account with agency founders Ammirati and Puris. "There were no account people, no writers—and that went on for nearly fifteen years," said Spenningsby. As he rose to the position of director of broadcast production, he worked to bring together creative and production on numerous accounts, including Compaq, UPS, Schweppes, Club Med and Burger King.
"He learned production from the bottom up. Over the years, coming up from nothing to quite a large place, he handled clients well, managed well and was on top of the money. He is [also] a fabulous line producer. He has terrific ideas and understands advertising," said Ammirati, who retired from the agency close to three years ago.
Spenningsby sees his role at TBWA/Chiat/Day evolving, as talk of broadband and convergence becomes a reality. "I think it’s going to happen a lot faster than what people are going to be prepared for, but will take longer than what everyone is expecting," he said.
