John Mescall, currently executive creative director of McCann Australia, will relocate to New York in the coming months and assume the role of global executive creative director at McCann. In NY he will join global ECDs James Dawson-Hollis and Bill Wright as part of McCann Worldgroup global creative chairman Rob Reilly’s initiative to strengthen the agency’s creative leadership.
Under Mescall’s leadership since October 2011, McCann Australia has quickly become one of Australia’s most dynamic and most awarded agencies. Prior to joining McCann, Mescall was partner and executive creative director of SMART (which was acquired by McCann Worldgroup in 2011), a successful independent agency in Australia.
A writer and creative director, Mescall has won more than 30 Cannes Lions, including five Grand Prix honors in 2013 for Metro Trains' “Dumb Ways to Die” and earlier this week a Grand Prix for Creative Effectiveness for V/Line’s “Guilt Trips.” Both “Dumb Ways to Die” and “Guilt Trips” came out of McCann Melbourne. His other awards include: Black and Yellow Pencils at D&AD, Best of Show at The One Show, and multiple Clio and Webby awards. Mescall’s work has also been featured in TED’s “Ads Worth Spreading” initiative, the only Australian work to ever be selected.
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