Independent creative agency Zambezi has hired Tal Wagman as associate creative director. The writer teams up with art director Annie Johnston, who joined the agency in January. Wagman previously worked at Saatchi & Saatchi Los Angeles on Toyota and Bravo. Before that he worked in Toronto at the WPP agency Taxi on Koodo, Burger King and Mini Cooper, and at Saatchi & Saatchi Canada on Toyota, Wendy’s, Novartis’ Gas-X, and other brands. Most recently, Wagman led the digital effort for launching Toyota’s Prius Prime on the “Possibilities Now” campaign as well as the Toyota C-HR launch, collaborating with Bad Lip Reader. His work has been recognized at Cannes, Communication Arts, The Webby’s, and according to him, “many Canadian awards which no one has heard of”.
 
Wagman moved to Los Angeles to continue his advertising career while pursuing a side-hustle in stand up comedy.
 
“I thought I was good at standup,” said Wagman. “It was half the reason I came here. But with commuting to Torrance [Saatchi LA] every morning, the side hustle became impossible. I still write comedy, I just don’t perform it. What I try do is channel my humor into my ad work. Zambezi recognizes that, and that’s why I’m really excited about working here. I wanted to join an independent shop with an appreciation for comedy. It’s funny, I came to L.A. to do stand up, and Zambezi gave it to me, in the form of a stand-up desk. Actually, is that funny? I don’t know, and that’s why I’m not doing comedy.”
 
“Tal brings funny to Zambezi,” said Gavin Lester, chief creative officer. “There’s nothing more engaging than a brand story told with wit and humor. That’s Tal’s forte.”