Thierry Albert Joins TBWA\NEBOKO as Executive Creative Director
Building on a number of recent senior hires, TBWA\NEBOKO is continuing to grow its strengths and double down on the power of creative disruption with the appointment of Thierry Albert as executive creative director.
Thierry has over twenty years of experience within the creative industry across Europe and Canada, which has seen him create multi-award winning campaigns for the likes of Heineken, Corona, Budweiser, Instagram, Uber, Coke and McLaren. Before moving to TBWA\NEBOKO, he was at Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam for eight years, during which, he was the Global Creative Director on the Heineken, Instagram and, more recently, the Evian accounts with Dua Lipa. He also directs music promos, documentaries and ads under the name ALBERT ALBERT.
Throughout his stellar career, Albert has won several Cannes Lions and received countless numbers of recognition by the D&AD, Eurobest and the Andy Awards. This is reflected in his past work such as, the early Marmite ‘Squeezy’ campaign, renowned Heineken ‘The Chase’ campaign starring Daniel Craig and the ‘Stories Are Everywhere’ campaign for Instagram entirely shot using the platform that landed him an invitation on stage at the D&AD Festival.
French-born Albert was hired by TBWA\NEBOKO with a mission to ‘kill boring’, in order to give brands a larger share of the future, advertising has to move people with storytelling so powerful it transcends traditional means of marketing.
“We’re super delighted to have Thierry join TBWA\NEBOKO,” Darre van Dijk, chief creative officer at TBWA\NEBOKO, commented. “After years of making amazing, awarded work for Wieden+Kennedy, his next chapter is now with us. He’s a great crafter and visual storyteller - one of the best in the business and a great joy to work with.”
Thierry added: “Kill boring has been my mantra from day one in this business. I’ve never missed a chance to do things differently, make great work and have fun. Always in this order, too. I’ve felt an instant playfulness and complicity with Darre, and I want to help him make TBWA\NEBOKO one of the most interesting and inclusive places to work at. A place where we welcome all talents, experiment with no fear and praise each other along the way.”
The addition of Thierry reinforces the creative team at TBWA\NEBOKO and is in line with the agency’s investment in growth, disruption and creativity for 2021 and beyond.
Darre van Dijk sat down with Thierry to talk about the move...
Darre > Firstly, I’m super delighted that you decided to join our agency. You made an incredible body of work in your twenty years within the creative industry of which the last eight years at Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam. Can you give us some of your highlights?
Thierry > I have three highlights. Being on stage at the D&AD festival to speak about the work we did to launch Instagram Stories globally and how it changed the way Wieden+Kennedy worked was definitely one. It taught me that we should be making a lot of the work ourselves. There’s nothing to be scared of. On the opposite. So, grab your smartphone, get out of the office and shoot. Working on Heineken with Daniel Craig and Barbara Broccoli whose family have been producing Bond films right from the 60s was a dream come true for the French kid in me. Finally, getting a handwritten letter and my very own painted pebble head sent through the post by a young creative to thank me for the W+K years we spent together was worth all the awards in the world. At the end of the day, it’s just about the people and how you helped them grow. I cried reading their words. So, I’m pretty stoked to be joining you and making new friends.
Darre > What is your initial feeling of TBWA\NEBOKO?
Thierry > I’ve felt an instant playfulness and complicity with you Darre and the team, and I want to help them making TBWA\NEBOKO one of the most interesting and inclusive places to work at. A place where we welcome all talents, experiment with no fear and support each other.
Darre > You are holding a super8 camera on the picture. What is the story around that?
Thierry > Well, I’m a strong believer of creatives (and whoever is working on a brief!) bringing in their passions when creating a piece of work. I love to make films, and I will take any chance I have to direct one. Shooting a PR picture on the rooftop of TBWA with flares sounded like the perfect opportunity to dig out my Canon 314X and shoot you surrounded by blue smoke.
Darre > We both believe in the concept of ‘kill boring’ in order to give brands a larger share of the future. Advertising has to move people with storytelling so powerful it transcends traditional means of marketing. How do you see that in the future?
Thierry > Storytelling is at the heart of what we’re doing. Find the product truth that triggers the story that moves people. It is the most powerful tool we have. In the never-ending barrage of images, videos and content, find that little gem that is going to make people stop for a second and listen to you. I did it on McLaren for example, when I ignored all the best practices in the book and made a very long film about a man slowly recalling his own death and how it inspired a whole company. We won the pitch and made Ron Dennis (McLaren’s ex owner) cry. It’s also my most successful #tbt post on my LinkedIn btw. The future is bright for smart storytellers.
Darre > What’s the story of the piano player behind the agency’s piano?
Thierry > Meet Jumpy, my childhood dog. He passed away when I was 10. My parents had the idea to bring him to a taxidermist in Paris and surprised me with it on my birthday. It was the best gift ever. Suddenly, Jumpy and I were reunited, I could speak to him and tell him my secrets. Like a weird version of Calvin and Hobbes… but with a stuffed dog. Anyway, we’ve been together ever since. Jumpy reminds me of pure parental love and how taxidermy is an underestimated art.
Darre > OK, last question, ketchup or mayonnaise with your fries?
Thierry > Tabasco.
