McCann has appointed Britt Nolan as chief creative officer of McCann Worldroup North America. He will report to Javier Campopiano, global chief creative officer of McCann Worldgroup and McCann.
Nolan joins from Leo Burnett Chicago where he was president and chief creative officer (3 years0. In a previous (10-year) stint at Leo Burnett, he rose to CCO & co-president. Between these were two roles at DDB and Tribal DDB. His work has won Grand Prix or Best in Show at every major international award show, including over 50 Cannes Lions, as well as recognition from the Effies, D&AD, ADC, The One Show, Clio Awards and London International Awards. In 2019, Nolan was inducted into the AAF’s Hall of Achievement. Key creative milestones include creating the Mayhem character for Allstate; launching Samsung’s Do What You Can’t platform with the help of a flying ostrich; creating Chill, for Coors Light; and helping Country Time Lemonade win hearts and change laws. He also created a life-size, and Airbnb-rentable, replica of Vincent Van Gogh’s The Bedroom for the Art Institute of Chicago, that resulted in the museum’s highest ticket sales in 15 years and led Leo Burnett in an extremely successful string of new business pitches.
Nolan will work directly with the network’s creative leadership in the US and Canada, guided by the creativity of the network’s founding philosophy of Truth Well Told and fostering collaboration across capabilities and agencies. As the creative anchor across key clients for the region, he will also partner with Stephanie Nerlich, president, McCann Worldgroup Americas and global president of McCann, to spearhead inspirational creative and culturally relevant campaigns.
“Britt is without a doubt a leader and a point of reference for excellence in our industry,” Campopiano stated. “He has led some of North America’s very best work in recent years with incredible range–creating eye-catching, smart, authentic, and funny ways of connecting brands with people. He has a rare track record of success across both creative and business, with a unique understanding of how they power each other. And most importantly, we share a common belief that brand-building is right now more important than it ever was, and the only way to do it is through radical creativity based on human truths. He embodies the very essence of our Truth Well Told philosophy.”
Nolan added, “McCann Worldgroup’s creative vision–focused on craft, predicated on truth, reaching beyond the bounds of traditional advertising to build brands–speaks to both my right and left brain. I’ve long admired this network for its ability to create campaigns and platforms that build enduring brands. I couldn’t be more excited to be a part of this storied legacy and play a part in shaping its future.”
Nerlich commented, “Britt will be a creative force for the region and a tremendous creative partner. He’s proven he can deliver transformative and strategically aligned creative solutions that drive client growth, leveraging his creative acumen to create culture-shifting work that exceeds client expectations and business goals.”
Nolan joins McCann Worldgroup following significant new business wins for the network, including global creative responsibilities for PwC; the Reckitt portfolio in the US; Kinder and Tic Tac in Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa by Ferrero Group, and global Agency of Record for Peroni Nastro Azzurro.
Nolan is the latest in a series of new creative hires and internal promotions including Campopiano, who joined McCann Worldgroup a year ago; Jordan Doucette, newly appointed chief creative officer of McCann Worldgroup Canada; Lynsey Atkin, chief creative officer of McCann London; and Shannon Washington, global chief creative officer of gotham. Adrian Botan has become global creative partner, creative excellence; Ioana Filip, global executive creative director for the Reckitt business; and Shayne Millington, chief creative officer, McCann NY.
