I love this job. Every part of it.

Because being a Creative Director is about more than directing creatives.

It’s working with agency teams, partner agencies, stakeholders, and sometimes, many levels of clients. And about considering business problems, strategy, media and more.

While remembering that none of this means anything unless the work is great. Ensuring everyone agrees on what ‘great’ is from the start, and achieving it, is the job.

I’ve spent most of my career at DDB, Leo Burnett and AMV, where I was Deputy ECD.

I’ve been sole ECD of Ford of Europe, and CD of Heinz, Guinness, Visa, Sainsburys, Metropolitan Police, UK Counter Terrorism Police, DFT, Meta and TENA.

My awards as a creative include Grand Prix at Cannes, Creative Circle, the Andys, Kinsale and Epica. And multiple Golds at Cannes, British Arrows, Campaign Big, and Creative Circle, plus a D&AD Yellow Pencil. 

For work across Film, Social, Interactive, Content, Print and Audio.

Such as ‘Choose a Different Ending’ for Met Police, ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ for VW, and more recently, 2021’s ‘Hard Calls’ campaign, which won Silver at British Arrows & Clios.

My awards as a CD include 3 Gold Clios, Cannes Silver, 3 D&AD Graphite Pencils, 3 LIA Golds, and Golds at Campaign Big, Creative Circle and Eurobest.

I’ve led and won pitches such as Ford of Europe, Heinz Global, Visa, DFT, Metropolitan Police, and Hellmanns. And won awards for every one of them.

Being a Creative Director is a big job. I love it.

Alternative ‘About’:

While shooting a Visa campaign in Russia, I was arrested by the KGB.

Spike Milligan offered to appear in one of my campaigns for nothing. (Still have the letter somewhere.)

The House of Commons has had two motions demanding one of my ads be put on air.

Ryan Reynolds told me my shirt was nice.

George Sampson won Britain’s Got Talent by re-enacting one of my ads.

I once got lost in the Atacama Desert, the driest place on earth.

I had to write to Gene Kelly’s widow for permission to use him in a VW ad.

Before his wedding to Posh in ‘Beckham’, David sings the song from my Allied Dunbar campaign, ‘There May Be Trouble Ahead’.

Zlatan Ibrahimovitch told me I knew him better than he knew himself.

DFT data proved one of my road safety campaigns saved seven people’s lives.

I went to a lake to shoot a Ford campaign to find that the lake had gone.

(More details on all of this can be found throughout the site.)

ALEX GRIEVE, BBH CCO

There’s an easy way to describe how good Martin is and it goes like this. He truly knows what a big idea is. And then he knows how to make that idea simple, famous and effective. And he knows how to sell it. And how to push the idea. Right until the point it’s about to burst through the envelope. But no further. And he knows how to cajole. How to cuddle (appropriately). How to charm. He knows how to win an award. Lots of awards. He knows how to do it all. But here’s the true compliment and test. Whenever Martin was on a project, a brand, a pitch I relaxed. I stopped worrying. I didn’t hope it would turn out well, I knew.

NADJA LOSSGOTT, AMV CCO

Martin is an exceptional writer, Creative Director and Deputy ECD. He has a rare talent - he is highly awarded and has experience in running huge global accounts as well as national ones. He takes both creativity and the business of it seriously. Martin consistently manages to create highly effective work that makes brands famous and always believes in making the very best for his clients, by truly listening to them and steering them in the direction that pays off. Not only is he brilliant at what he does, he is also kind and caring in how he does it.

PETER ZILLIG, DIRECTOR OF MARKETING, FORD OF EUROPE

Martin delivered some brilliant campaigns and ideas for Ford Motor Company at a time of huge transformation for the company. I was always impressed by his ability to spot a big idea, bring it to life in a simple and powerful way and then execute across multiple channels. He combined this with excellent leadership of teams, positive collaboration with other agency partners, and for always being himself - a good, down to earth and trustworthy man!

LYN WEST, MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER, FORD OF EUROPE

Martin is a star among creative leaders. He has the ability to think strategically and to pull multiple stakeholders together to deliver outstanding work. Most importantly he listens and is wonderful to work with.

JUSTIN ACUFF, SENIOR DIRECTOR, VISA GLOBAL BRAND MARKETING

Martin was part of the creative leadership on the global Visa account. He created arguably the most successful and culturally significant FIFA World Cup campaign for Visa in the history of our sponsorship. His fearless creativity tapped into a cultural connection matched with a clear role for the brand that not only drove results but put Visa at the center of the conversation during the worlds biggest event. I will never forget when football icon Zlatan, who was central to our campaign said, and I quote, “you know Zlatan better than Zlatan.” I regret not being able to partner with Martin for more ground breaking creative work

DOUGLAS HARAKAL, DIRECTOR, VISA GLOBAL

Martin created some of the best work of my career at Visa and arguably one of the most impactful campaigns ever for Visa. He possesses that rare combination of brilliant creative mind and adept strategist to get the work sold in and produced. He intimately understood our business and friction points to truly operate as an extension of our team, seamlessly moving between AMV and Visa to find solutions and evangelize the entire marketing team. And he did it all with an infectious enthusiasm. Thank you Martin.