Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners appointed Keith Cartwright as executive creative director as part of its acquisition of Cartwright’s creative boutique, Union Made Creative. In the position, Cartwright will partner with BSSP veteran Tom Coates, who is receiving a promotion to the same position from his role as creative director, to lead the creative department, taking over day-to-day oversight from John Butler, who will now serve as chief creative officer.
Cartwright joins the agency from Union Made Creative, the agency he founded in 2012 and served as chief creative officer. His clients at Union Made included such brands as GE, Nike and Lego. Before leaving to form his own agency, Cartwright spent a little over a year serving as group creative director with The Martin Agency. That followed two years with TBWA\Chiat\Day and nearly four years with W+K as a creative director. Before that he spent six years with Ogilvy & Mather as a senior art director.
“I was looking for someone with creative chops and digital skills who looked at brands the same way we do – from a story telling point of view that transcends media,” explained Butler. Keith is a phenomenal creative director who has successfully built his own company, so he understands this business from not only a creative point of view, but as a businessman. With Keith and Tom on board as executive creative directors, I will have an opportunity to continue to evolve our own brand, working closely within the industry and with clients on how we can continue to leverage creative storytelling as our industry evolves.”
“Keith is not just a proven creative leader and thinker, but also a proven entrepreneur who understands how to build business solutions for clients and the agency,” added BSSP CEO Greg Stern. “It’s that rare combination that makes him so well suited for an independent agency like ours. He raises our bar even higher.”
“By joining BSSP, I can continue to do what I’ve been doing on a larger scale and on a faster track,” Cartwright said of the appointment. “I can also play a role in helping BSSP continue to grow and evolve as our industry changes. There is an independent spirit and culture here that’s been built that has made this one of the most exciting agencies in the country. It was an opportunity too good to turn down.”