General info
Executive Creative Director / Copy
Melbourne, Australia
Hello, I’m Brent. I'm a South African Aussie citizen, I've been a copywriter since 1997 and a CD since 2005, in Melbourne since 2008, and I'm all about smart, simple, original ideas. I've worked on huge global brands and launched new ones, at multinationals and start-ups, and learned from some of the best brains in the business, anywhere in the world.

I believe that people in power shouldn't be arseholes, that work should be fun even when it hurts, and that while it only takes a second to crack a great idea, you've got to buy your teams the time it take to reach that second. I think creative directors should be judged by the motivation and success of their teams, and that the whole industry has become distracted by gimmicks, so I'm focused on creating ideas that actually work.

I’m a writer who cares about things like tone and grammar and flow, and I'm equally comfortable on, off, and through the line.

If you'd like to chat availability, there's a number around here somewhere.
Experience
Melbourne, Australia
Jan 2014 - Jun 2016
Creative Director
BWM Dentsu
Brands: realestate.com.au, Asahi, ABS Census 2016, Medibank IPO, Simplot including John West, I&J, Birds Eye, Edgell and Leggos, The Salvos.

Created the pitch-winning campaigns for Medibank IPO, ABS Census 2016 & Asahi.
Melbourne, Australia
Aug 2010 - Sep 2013
Senior Creative
The AJF Partnership
Brands: iSelect, Holden, Officeworks, Herald Sun, Diamondback & Malvern Star, Nimble, Autobarn, Lion Nathan including Big M, Farmers Union, Pura, Daily Juice and Berri Australian Grown.

Created pitch-winning campaigns for Officeworks, Pura, Nimble, Australian National Preventative Health Agency and Autobarn.
Melbourne, Australia
Oct 2008 - Jul 2010
Creative Director
The Campaign Palace
Target, Origin Energy, Realestate.com.au, National Foods including Pura Milk & Yoplait, Cancer Council Victoria, Diabetes Victoria, Quit Victoria, National Eye Health, National Heart Foundation, Panasonic, Bonds, Westpac.

Created / curated campaigns for Target, Origin Energy, Realestate.com.au, National Foods, Quit Victoria and National Eye Health. Created the pitch-winning campaign and subsequent creative campaign for the National Heart Foundation, Chrysler and Jeep.
Johannesburg, South Africa
Jan 2003 - Sep 2008
Creative Group Head / Creative Director
DRAFT/FCB
Brands: Toyota, Vodacom (Vodafone), FirstRand, Uthingo: The South African National Lottery, True Love Magazine, Adcock Ingram, SC Johnson including Raid & Baygon, Mr. Muscle, Rally Car Care and Glade Air Fresheners, Tiger Brands, Bromor, GlaxoSmithKline, Ramrod including Maglite, Ultra Optec, Isosteel, Spydeco & Gerber.

Created the pitch-winning campaign for the FirstRand Banking Group.
Cape Town, South Africa
Jan 1997 - Dec 2002
Copywriter
Lowe Bull
Brands: Microsoft, Diageo including Smirnoff, Squadron, Gilbey’s and Oude Molen, The Cape Times, SAB Miller, Coke, Sparletta, IMAX, NEC, Braun, African Harvest and, Coronation Fund Management, HSBC, Rand Merchant Bank, Origin, Design Indaba, Levis Dockers, Markham, RJL, Chevrolet, iAfrica.com, Cellexpo, Dulux, Rand Merchant Bank, Wesbank, Johnson & Johnson, Unilever including Axe, Shield, Sunlight, Sunlight, Skip, OMO, Handy Andy and Domestos, Reach For A Dream Foundation, Animal Anti-Cruelty League.

Created the pitch-winning campaigns for Microsoft, Rand Merchant Bank, as well as the pitch-winning idea for the global HSBC account for Lowe London.
Education
Cape Town
Jan 1995 - Nov 1996
Copywriting
The Red & Yellow School
Graduated top of my year.
Awards
Gongs, Doorstops and Paperweights
2 Gold Clios
1 Silver
2 Bronze
6 Finalists

2 Silver Canes Lions
2 Bronze
8 Finalists

3 D&AD Annual Entries

2 One Show Annual Entries

2 NY Festival Gold
1 Bronze

1 Grand Effie (Aus)
1 Gold
3 Bronze

4 MADC Silver
3 Bronze

5 Gold Loeries
12 Silver
18 Bronze
2 Student
31 Finalists

4 Gold Eagles
4 Silver
2 Bronze

26 AAA Ad of the Month (1st, 2nd or 3rd)
1 Ad of the Year
Built on Krop