Agency plays down loss of top creative

Toby Talbot will work in London as executive creative director at RKCR/Y&R. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Advertising agency DDB is playing down the impact of losing its star executive - creative director Toby Talbot - and is keeping his job open.

Talbot, who leaves at the end of this month, was to go on a 12-month sabbatical working on DDB's global campaigns in Europe, while keeping an eye on New Zealand clients and heading a DDB creative committee for the Asia Pacific region.

But last week Talbot announced he would be leaving DDB altogether, to be executive creative director at London agency RKCR/Y&R.

There is no contractual guarantee about when he will return.

The vacuum comes while DDB is poised to take on Colenso BBDO as the top agency.

Talbot said he expected to return to New Zealand but did not know when.

He acknowledged that his new employers would expect him to stay longer than a year and seek a fixed-term contract.

The timing of any return would be clearer in six months.

The immediate impact is that Talbot will no longer be able to troubleshoot on key DDB accounts such as McDonald's, Sky TV and Lotto.

No single person epitomises the creative output of an advertising agency and DDB has hired high-profile creative Andy Fackrell from ad agency 180 in Amsterdam to fill in.

DDB New Zealand managing director Sandy Moore said that Fackrell had been secured for the 12-month period.

Moore was confident Talbot would be back.

Talbot has overseen campaigns including the Steinlager white can ad during the Rugby World Cup, the Lotto "Lost Dog" and "Believe It Or Not" ads, and campaigns for Sky TV and Pink Batts.

Originally from Britain, Talbot came to New Zealand 15 years ago.

He rose to be joint executive creative director at Colenso BBDO.

This story has been changed from an earlier version which incorrectly referred to DDB New Zealand managing director as Sandy Short.