Phil Watson

creative + strategy

20+ years of solving super gnarly problems for clients, brands and agencies.

Hello, I’m Phil. I’m your superhybrid creative leader.

With Three Gold Lions, a Gold Promax global TV industry award, a mini MBA in brand management and a nod of approval from Professor Byron Sharp, the world’s leading marketing authority, I'm an unusually strategically rigorous creative director, writer and art director.

I bring a background in the data driven world of digital and CX to the emotion of brand building and brand experiences.

As an ECD I can draw on many years of experience leading multidisciplinary teams and managing departments to collaborate, inspire and bring the best out of everyone.

As a creative consultant I can work as a superhybrid team of one to deliver highly cost effective strategic and creative direction through to execution with trusted media and production partners when required.

What I do.

  • Creative Consultancy

  • Creative Agency Leadership

  • Communication Strategy

  • Brand Architecture

  • Brand Positioning

  • Brand Naming

  • Brand Platforms

  • Brand Experiences

  • Integrated Campaigns

  • Digital Campaigns

  • Customer Experience

  • Shopper Marketing

  • Retail Activation

  • Content

  • Copywriting

  • Art Direction

Working with trusted partners I can also provide:

  • Media insights, planning and buying

  • Digital design and production

  • Video and TV production

  • Experiential production

  • Print production and delivery

 

What I’ve done.

I have held many leadership roles and have significant experience in all aspects  of agency management.

I’ve won many local and international awards including three Gold Lions at Cannes and a Gold Promax (global TV industry awards) for a heavy metal music show ident I wrote and directed.

I’ve tutored Award School, lectured students on brands at UOW and clients on creativity for ADMA, judged ADMA, IAB, Young Guns and AADC, contributed to industry publications and I’m proud to have be involved in The Trenches, mentoring the up and coming generation in the industry.

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What people say.

LAURENT DE MEYER / 

HEAD OF INNOVATION /

RB

It is always very reassuring to have Phil working on your brief. He has this ability to always perfectly understand your issue and articulate it back to you in a very insightful and inspiring way. He is great to discuss ideas with and he will always make them better. He is a great listener and his opinion is always interesting. His intelligence coupled with his relaxed style bring serenity to meetings.


SOPHIA STEPHENS / 

HEAD OF INSIGHTS /

CLICK RESEARCH

Phil is one of the most strategic and insights driven creatives I’ve ever worked with, highly recommend him.


Matt WHISKER / 

Senior Manager /

Global Experiential /

AMERICAN EXPRESS

It has been a pleasure working with Phil. I really admire his creativity which is delivered in such a relaxed style and seems unending. Whoever has Phil in their team will be inspired, too.


Matt Clarke / 

Managing Partner / 

303 MullenLowe

Phil delivers the unique combination of strategic and creative excellence across brand, digital and customer in any channel or media.  He’s a pragmatic problem solver, an articulate and brilliant presenter who creates effective and scalable ideas. Phil is a driven creative leader and very giving in nurturing those around him.  I highly recommend Phil and would love to work with him again.


Alistair Tod / 

Brand Manager / 

Jacobs Douwe Egberts

Phil's a legend to work with. He has the gift of balancing a raw creative idea with the business objective. We worked together on the Harris Coffee repositioning campaign and his creative talent was one of the big reasons why the campaign delivered results that were 1.5-2x above industry benchmarks.


PROF. BYRON SHARP /

AUTHOR + AUTHORITY / 

HOW BRANDS GROW

You are correct Phil... 

Mumbrella comments section here


See LinkedIn for more.

And finally…

If all this is making me sound super serious, I’m a pretty easygoing person to work with (or so I’m told). The ad business has enough stress, ego and insecurity so I try to stay focussed on the good stuff: passionate, interesting people trying to to solve problems with creativity. Above all I love working on things that make a positive contribution to the world.