The new brand is “a collective of senior professionals able to respond quickly to high-level, complex briefs that require a unique and deep level of engagement” [Michael Connaghan]
Does STW need another agency in its group? The more important question for STW was, “Does Australia need another way to deliver advertising?” Its answer was, yes.
“The purpose of 1 Kent St is not to replicate anything our existing agencies currently provide, but to help clients who may need a complex, high-level response for a major project or to a business, government or social issue. 1 Kent St is essentially a roving group executives able to turn their focus to solving these problems, and developing a response in an instant. They are unencumbered with the running of any one specific agency, so they can offer a rare flexibility. As a result, they are able to quickly immerse themselves in developing a solution without disrupting agency workflow and other client demands,” explained STW chief executive officer, Michael Connaghan.
Simon Collins
The new company has lured top creative, Simon Collins, as its first creative director. Collins was creative director of the Campaign Palace in Sydney and Melbourne for nearly six years in the 1990s, before launching his own agency, Collins Thomas Cullen in 2000. The agency was sold to WPP in 2004, and Collins became executive creative director of JWT Australia. He then moved to New York, where he worked at Y&R as global creative director of new business. He then became European creative director on the Colgate Palmolive business, dividing his time between the NY and Paris offices.
At EURO RSCG (Havas) London from 2009-11, Collins was global creative director on Reckitt Benckiser, and a key creative in the successful 2010 Conservative general election campaign. During this time, he also worked as global creative director on Australian Wool Innovation (The Woolmark), creating the global ‘No Finer Feeling’ campaign which re-launched Australian wool as the most desirable fibre in the international high fashion category.
In 2011, he left EURO to set up international creative consultancy, SEC, in London with clients including AWI (Australian Wool) and Quorn (international food brand).
“I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to work in New York, enjoyed my time in London, but always intended to come back to Australia if the right job was offered. ” Collins said. “This is that job. I am incredibly excited by the prospect of working with Mike Connaghan again, and with the great team he’s assembled at STW.” Collins and Connaghan began a strong working relationship in 2004 at JWT Australia.
In his new role, Collins will mentor creatives across the group in addition to consulting, assisting with pitches, and developing creative talent.
“I have always believed that every client is unique, and therefore needs a unique response to every problem. Quickly immersing myself in a client’s business and getting to the heart of a brief has always been a key part of my approach, which fits perfectly with the 1 Kent St thinking,” Collins commented.
Collins’ appointment as creative director, 1 Kent Street, is effective immediately. He will work with chief strategy officer, Rose Herceg, group business director, Rob Currie, and other experts from within the STW group as and when required.