Marketforce lures Steve Straw out of The Brand Agency to join in Creative Director role

Perth’s current senior creative moves continue with Marketforce making a major creative hire, snaring internationally awarded creative, Steve Straw to join the agency in July in the Creative Director role.

Straw is currently Creative Director at The Brand Agency, will depart in July and join Chief Creative Officer Paul Coghlan, who himself only started at Marketforce just two weeks ago.

Coghlan said the appointment was about Marketforce’s ambition to create world-class work that drives Western Australia forward.

“To succeed in that mission, we need world-class thinkers. Steve is perfect for us as we draw ourselves closer into the Clemenger BBDO Network and accelerate into a new era.”

“Steve and I have talked about working together for years – he is a rare talent in this town; he knows how to grow big brands, he’s an international multi-award winner, and he’s a brilliant mentor,” he added.

Straw has produced an extraordinary body of work over 20 years for global brands such as McDonalds, IBM, QANTAS, Renault, Guinness and Nokia, and has worked in four continents including Africa, Europe, Asia and of course Australia.

Most recently, his local brand work for Kleenheat, ORS and Water Corporation has delivered outstanding results for clients and his work was awarded in multiple categories at the Campaign Brief Perth awards this year, including TV Campaign and in the brand new Mobile category.

Marketforce Chairman Jim Gall, described the appointment of Straw as the continuation of a long distance race the Clemenger BBDO Network Agency is running in Perth.

“Amongst the malaise that appears to be dominating the advertising industry in WA right now, we’re committed to staying the course. We are committed to investing in the best people, the best clients and the best work,” he said.

Gall added that Marketforce is proudly a part of the BBDO network – the most creative agency network in the world – “and we now have the kind of integrated environment where people can truly thrive and bring world-class thinking to life; the kind of thinking that drives Western Australia forward,” he concluded.