LOUD has added associate creative director, Christian Kernot, and art director, Kiah Barker. Designworks has added creative director, Dan Mercer.

The relaunched LOUD is letting adland knows it means business. Two weeks ago, Paul Bennell joined as creative director. Now, Christian Kernot has joined the agency as associate creative director and Kiah Barker as art director.

Christian has left his position as senior copywriter at Y&R Group’s specialist agency, Blaze Advertising. Before that he managed the daunting task of working as a freelance copywriter – for agencies such as M&C Saatchi, Frost* Design, Momentum Worldwide, The Affinity Partnership, Dynamix, One Partners and The Star.

Kiah Barker is reaping the rewards of slogging it out as an intern. She is also an AWARD School and UTS Visual Communications graduate.

Designworks Wellington has lured Dan Mercer from Purpose in Sydney to be creative director. He will join managing director, Guy Vasey, and head of innovation, Chris McDermott, on January 5.

Mercer has been part of STW before. He was creative lead at STW’s Moon Group from 2012-3. Mercer was head of art at Naked Communications from 2009-11 and creative director for 10 years at Seven in Auckland.

Jef Wong, group creative director, commented, “We see Dan as the total designer, ideas driven, business savvy with a real unique ability to simply capture the essence of a brand with a beautiful aesthetic.