Ogilvy has appointed Gerald Lewis to the role of Worldwide Executive Creative Director for Dove. He will join Ogilvy immediately and report to Ogilvy’s Worldwide ECD for Unilever, Andre Laurentino.
Lewis will be responsible for driving the creative vision and overall creative quality of Ogilvy’s work for the Dove brand. He will be based in London, which is the Global hub for Dove and replace Maureen Shirreff, who returns to Ogilvy Chicago where she joined two years ago.
Lewis began his career at Ogilvy in New York, where his work for IBM and The New York Times quickly landed him on the Art Directors Club’s ‘Young Guns’ List. Over an 18-year career he has worked at agencies including BBH, McCann Erickson and 72andSunny, on brands including Axe, Microsoft, Levi’s and Johnnie Walker.
In 2010, Lewis set up boutique creative studio Grand, launching new brands for the Whole Foods market and creating multi-channel communications for the city of San Francisco, Visa, Google and Microsoft. While at Grand, Lewis also worked on the launch of Unilever backed skincare brand Own, creating fully integrated communications, web and app design. In 2014, Grand merged with John McNeil Studio, where, until recently, Lewis held the position of Executive Creative Director.
Andre Laurentino said, “The Dove brand is defining for Ogilvy. Gerald is exactly the kind of person we need to help us continue to deliver world-class, highly integrated communications. His craft is impeccable and his wide range of skills makes him the perfect example of a new breed of creatives: a tech enthusiast who can shape and create a brand’s entire world. I’m so proud to have him in our team. ”
Lewis commented, “I can’t begin to explain how excited I am to be back at Ogilvy. It’s rare to have an opportunity to contribute to a brand as successful and iconic as Dove. Ogilvy is where I’ve done my best work, and I plan to continue where I left off.”
Lewis’s impressive awards haul includes multiple Cannes Lions and a gold Effie for Axe. He has picked up further awards across a range of brands from The One Show, The Clios, D&AD and Communication Arts. His work is included in the permanent collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum and his photography has been featured in the American Photography Photo Annual, as well as being published in The New York Times.