Creative agency Johannes Leonardo, which recently hired Michael Duda as CEO, has continued its talent infusion, agreeing to bring on board the creative team of Julian Schreiber and Tom Martin who will join the shop as executive creative directors, effective January 20, 2014. They will report directly to co-founders and chief creative officers Jan Jacobs and Leo Premutico, working across all the agency’s clients including Google and Coca-Cola.
Martin and Schreiber–who have amassed more than 200 awards throughout their careers, including 11 Cannes Lions and a Grand Prix–come over from Clemenger BBDO Melbourne where they were creative directors. In 2011, the pair made a major splash as co-creators of the National Australia Bank’s ‘Break Up’ campaign, a project now used as a case study worldwide on how a brand’s perception can be transformed in a single day. The campaign won a Cannes Grand Prix and three Grand Prix Spikes, including the first ever Grand Prix for effectiveness. Prior to Clemenger BBDO Melbourne, Martin and Schreiber held posts at George Patterson Y&R Melbourne.
“It’s no small move to leave your home country, so it has to be absolutely worth it,” said Schreiber. “But the moment we started having a conversation with Leo and Jan about their creative thinking and vision, we knew this was the right move. We couldn’t be more excited about the trajectory of the agency and kind of work we’ll be making together.”
Martin added, “We’ve had seven incredible years at Clem’s. We’ve learned so much, particularly from creative leaders James McGrath and Ant Keogh, and we’re so honored to be part of that creative legacy. After that experience, it simply made sense to us that our next step was overseas. We’re incredibly thrilled to now be part of creating a new legacy, at an agency with such an already well-established creative reputation.”
Since opening its doors in 2007, Johannes Leonardo has steadily grown its client roster while winning assorted awards including the inaugural Cannes Mobile Grand Prix for Google’s Project Re: Brief. Adding to its trajectory of growth, the agency will continue to work on projects for the likes of Nike, Chanel, the Bezos Family Foundation and Mary Katranzou and will move to a larger, bespoke office space in SoHo, at 628 Broadway, to be completed before the end of the year.
