Mark Elwood has been appointed chief creative officer for Leo Burnett UK, effective immediately.
Elwood is a proven creative leader, who has rebooted the agency’s creative department, brought in new talent and led Leo Burnett UK to win multiple creative awards since joining the agency in June 2020.
For the past three and a half years, Elwood has been running Burnett’s creative department, overseeing all creative work across all of the agency’s clients including McDonald’s, Morrisons, Kellogg’s, AXA, Premier Inn and TUI. In 2023, the agency has been recognized at all the major shows including picking up four Cannes Lions and the Marketing Society Grand Prix.
Elwood said, “It’s a privilege to be asked to lead the creative department at Leo Burnett. There is no better creative agency in the U.K. in my opinion and no better team across the board.”
Carly Avener, CEO at Leo Burnett UK, said: “Mark is an incredible talent and a progressive leader. He’s been central to Leo’s success over the past three years as we’ve grown the size, shape and flavor of the department. You can see that coming through in the quality of the work across all our clients and the strength of the talent he has attracted and nurtured.”
Before joining Burnett, Elwood was executive creative director of MullenLowe London, crafting award-winning campaigns for the NHS, BUPA, Bahlsen, British Heart Foundation, Dunelm, Subaru and Wagamama as well as the “Stay Home, Protect the NHS, Save Lives” campaign at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. Elwood joined MullenLowe in October 2017 after the independent creative agency he co-founded in 2011, 101, was acquired by IPG and merged into MullenLowe. At 101, Elwood was creative partner to Richard Flintham. The agency successfully pitched and won clients including Wagamama, French Connection, Dunelm, Avios, Art Fund and Kettle Chips.
For the previous six years, Elwood was head of art and creative director at Fallon London, now part of Leo Burnett. Prior to that, he held head of design positions at JWT, Euro RSCG and AMV BBDO, where he was promoted to Board director, having moved agency side in 1996 when he first joined Leo Burnett. Elwood started his career as an apprentice typesetter, learning the craft of typography and design from day one.
The promotion follows the announcement that CCO Chaka Sobhani will be leaving the agency to join DBB Worldwide as president and chief creative officer international.
Elwood being upped to CCO follows other recent promotions at Leo Burnett including Carly Avener to CEO and Sam Houlston to managing director, and the agency being appointed by Confused.com last month.
Pedro Almodóvar’s “The Room Next Door” Wins Top Prize At Venice Film Festival
Pedro Almodóvar's English-language debut "The Room Next Door," with Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton, won the Venice Film Festival's Golden Lion award Saturday.
Nicole Kidman was awarded the best actress prize, for her r aw and exposing portrayal of a CEO embroiled in an affair with an intern in "Babygirl," but missed the ceremony due to the death of her mother.
The 81st edition of the festival came to a close Saturday, with the Isabelle Huppert-led jury bestowing top prizes to Brady Corbet, for directing the 215-minute post-war epic "The Brutalist" and Vincent Lindon, for his lead performance in "The Quiet Son." Lindon plays a single father whose son is radicalized by the far right.
Maura Delpero's "Vermiglio" won the Silver Lion award. The Italian-French-Belgian drama is about the last year of World War II, in which a refugee soldier happens upon a large family.
The Venice Film Festival used its closing film slot to host the world premiere of Kevin Costner's "Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter 2."
There was no real consensus pick for the top prize going into the evening, and eyes were focused on what the Isabelle Huppert-led jury would bestow prizes upon this year. Many of the 21 titles playing in competition have been divisive, with passionate supporters and detractors.
"I have good news for you," Huppert said at the ceremony. "Cinema is in great shape."
Among the highest profile of the films of the festival inlcuded: Todd Phillips' "Joker: Folie à Deux," the not-a-musical-musical with Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga ; Pablo Larraín's Maria Callas film "Maria," starring Angelina Jolie as the famed soprano; the erotic thriller "Babygirl" in which Kidman gets entangled in a complicated affair with an intern,... Read More