Nissan United, a dedicated unit of Omnicom, has hired Antonio Navas as its first chief creative officer, a role previously overseen by Rob Schwartz as global creative president of TBWA Worldwide prior to his appointment to CEO of TBWAChiatDay New York earlier this year.
As CCO of Nissan United, Navas will assume oversight of all global Nissan creative and content from both Omnicom and non-Omnicom agencies, and will help to further clarify the creative vision for the Nissan brand globally. He will be based out of the agency’s New York headquarters.
Nissan United is wholly comprised of leaders from Nissan’s global agencies of record, including TBWA, OMD, Interbrand and Designory, with an ultimate goal of building brand value and driving communication and consistency for all brand activities. Nissan United oversees all activities for Omnicom and non-Omnicom agencies on behalf of Nissan.
Navas brings with him more than 25 years of comprehensive brand experience, having worked around the world for a host of marquee brands including Stella Artois, Levi’s, American Express, Toyota, Hewlett-Packard, Martini & Rossi, Coca-Cola, and Bacardi. He comes to Nissan United from Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand, where he was executive creative director working on clients such as Toyota, Defence Force, ASB Bank, Lexus and Telecom. Prior to Saatchi, he did tours at Ogilvy, Goodby Silverstein, FCB, BBDO and Amster Yard. Antonio has been a juror in most international advertising shows, including Cannes, One Show, Art Directors Club, and the AICP Show, and his work has won major awards at each of them.
“After an expansive global search, and several conversations with Antonio, we knew we had found the right person to accelerate our global content and creative ambitions for Nissan,” said Nissan United President, Jon Castle. “He has an exceptionally strong creative reputation and understands the role of setting the inspirational direction of the brand as well as governing the work from agencies around the world.”
Rom-Com Mainstay Hugh Grant Shifts To The Dark Side and He’s Never Been Happier
After some difficulties connecting to a Zoom, Hugh Grant eventually opts to just phone instead.
"Sorry about that," he apologizes. "Tech hell." Grant is no lover of technology. Smart phones, for example, he calls the "devil's tinderbox."
"I think they're killing us. I hate them," he says. "I go on long holidays from them, three or four days at at time. Marvelous."
Hell, and our proximity to it, is a not unrelated topic to Grant's new film, "Heretic." In it, two young Mormon missionaries (Chloe East, Sophie Thatcher) come knocking on a door they'll soon regret visiting. They're welcomed in by Mr. Reed (Grant), an initially charming man who tests their faith in theological debate, and then, in much worse things.
After decades in romantic comedies, Grant has spent the last few years playing narcissists, weirdos and murders, often to the greatest acclaim of his career. But in "Heretic," a horror thriller from A24, Grant's turn to the dark side reaches a new extreme. The actor who once charmingly stammered in "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and who danced to the Pointer Sisters in "Love Actually" is now doing heinous things to young people in a basement.
"It was a challenge," Grant says. "I think human beings need challenges. It makes your beer taste better in the evening if you've climbed a mountain. He was just so wonderfully (expletive)-up."
"Heretic," which opens in theaters Friday, is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, co-writers of "A Quiet Place." In Grant's hands, Mr. Reed is a divinely good baddie — a scholarly creep whose wry monologues pull from a wide range of references, including, fittingly, Radiohead's "Creep."
In an interview, Grant spoke about these and other facets of his character, his journey... Read More