Back in July we reported that ECD Michael Canning had left Leo Burnett’s New York office, and today we know where he went: to the West Coast and a new group director role at 72andSunny.
Canning — another Australian — was hired by Burnett in 2011 along with his creative partner Kieran Antill in order to help the agency open its then-fledgling New York office along with current Saatchi CCO Jay Benjamin.
For context: Sydney native Canning wrote copy for Lowe Hunt and BMF before moving to Leo Burnett in his home country; he’s also won an award or two. His quote from the release:
“LA has emerged as the new epicenter of branded content, tech and entertainment, and 72andSunny is right in the middle of that.”
72’s most recent creative staffing announcement concerned the promotion of GCD Matt Murphy to partner; the agency also lost CD Jamie Reilly to indie agency Kastner & Partners earlier this summer in what looks like an unrelated move. The release offers no details on which accounts Canning will handle or to whom he will report.