Tony Davidson spent 20 years as executive creative director at Wieden + Kennedy London, powering what is still the agency’s strongest work. Campaigns like Nike’s “Nothing beats a Londoner” and Honda’s “Power of dreams” demonstrate the kind of creativity that earned him a place on W+K’s global board, but by 2021 the agency was in a period of upheaval and it was time for Davidson to leave and “flex my creative muscles in different ways.”
Five years later, he’s investing in independent creative technology company Light & Fast, and joins the one-year-old agency – whose clients include Trainline, cyber security company Akamai and AI marketing platform Pencil – as a partner. Working alongside founder Toby Baker, who spent seven years at Dept and was previously marketing director at Columbia Records, Davidson will advise on creative direction, agency strategy, and client growth, while working to drive high creative standards for Light & Fast’s tech-driven output.
Davidson said: “I’ve always believed that great creativity needs to adapt to how the world actually works. What Toby and the team are doing isn’t just saving time or money, they’re building intelligent systems that free up creative teams to focus on what really matters, the craft of branding, purpose and storytelling. I’m excited to invest in and help shape an agency that is genuinely redefining how modern campaigns are delivered.”
Baker said: “With endless innovation in AI, marketing teams are trying to balance the value of human creativity with the speed necessary to stay ahead. Tony joining as a partner is a huge validation of what we’re building. He understands that automation isn’t about replacing human artistry, it’s about empowering it. Together, we’re bridging the gap between big creative ideas and the technology needed to execute them effortlessly and at scale.”
As well as Wieden + Kennedy, Davidson’s career also includes a stint at BBH where he worked on plenty of other memorable campaigns including “Flat Eric” for Levi’s and “Good food deserves Lurpak.” He’s the kind of advertising heavyweight who won’t let tech run away with itself. which means we should be hearing more from Light & Fast.
