Mathias Appelblad joins Deutsch LA from BBDO New York as digital supremo
It must drive the bean counters mad – not only do you need a star creative director these days but also a star digital creative director.
Volkswagen US agency Deutsch LA has landed one of the best ones in the business, Mathias Appelblad (left) from BBDO New York. Prior to joining BBDO in 2010 Appleblad worked at celebrated Swedish digital agency Forsman & Bodenfors where he produced, among others, IKEA’s ‘Dream Kitchen for Everyone (no noise).’
Appelblad says: “Deutsch LA has arguably created some of the most talked about SuperBowl ads in recent time. What (they) have done over the past years to set the agency up to do wonderful, useful and meaningful things in the digital space is inspiring.”
Deutsch LA CCO Mark Hunter says: ““Our goal at Deutsch LA is to be the best agency in the world, and to do that we also need to be the best digital agency in the world. A digital creative leader of Mathias’ quality and pedigree will take us one step closer to realizing that goal.”
Sweden is renowned for the quality of its digital creative work and, indeed, digital creatives. The latter haven’t always travelled well though, finding the modus operandi of US agencies in particular rather different to the more informal ways they’re used to. Which maybe accounts for Appelblad’s relatively short stay at the mighty BBDO New York.