Special further strengthens creative department with new group creative director Matt Simpkins

After being crowded ‘New Zealand Agency of the Year’ at both the B&T Agency of the Year Awards and Campaign Asia Agency of the Year Awards, Special has further strengthened its stellar creative department, announcing Matt Simpkins as new group creative director.

Says Tony Bradbourne, CEO/CCO, Special Group: “Matt has been working with us since March and has had a blinder of a year. He has been pivotal on Optus and Tourism New Zealand, creating amazing work on both brands. He’s just finished the recent Silver Fern Farms campaign, a no-punches-pulled OOH project for LegaSea, and he’s been a mainstay on Tourism New Zealand throughout the year, producing a huge volume of work for the international tourism campaign. All whilst working through a couple of lockdowns.”

Says Simpkins: “When you work with a great team like Special, you bring your A game every day. I’m stoked to be officially onboard and to have been involved in so much great work this year.”

Says Michael Redwood, managing partner, Special Group: “Matt is so passionate about every part of brand creation. His enthusiasm and tireless curiosity are infectious.”

Special has had a standout 2020. Winning New Zealand Agency of the Year, Australian Agency of the Year, Culture of the Year, Brand, Client and Agency/Client Partnership of the Year at the prestigious Campaign Asia Agency of the Year Awards. This is in addition to winning New Zealand Agency of the Year, Australian Agency of the Year and Design and CX Agency of the Year at the B&T Agency of the Year Awards.

Special also sponsored the Semi Permanent conference in Auckland, launched a Startup programme to inspire more New Zealand entrepreneurs, and became the first New Zealand agency to pay back the Government Covid-19 wage subsidy.