Independent agency network Special has found its creative to lead its New York office, plucking TBWA\Chiat\Day NY chief creative Amy Ferguson away from the Omnicom shop. Ferguson has been named U.S. partner and chief creative officer of its growing New York office. She will join Special in May.
Ferguson spent the last six years as both executive creative director, and more recently, chief creative officer at TBWA\Chiat\Day. In her new role, she will join the Special U.S. partners, CEO Kelsey Hodgkin, co-CCOs of the L.A. office, Matthew Woodhams-Roberts and Dave Horton, and chief production officer, Vic Palumbo.
“As I thought about how I wanted to spend the next part of my career, the idea of growing and helping to shape this fiercely independent and creatively driven agency was very appealing,” said Ferguson in a statement. “I’ve always admired the craft and bravery of the work that Special does and as I meet more and more people from the company, I feel an instant connection and kinship.”
While at TBWA\Chiat\Day NY, Ferguson had success with Adidas’ “Billie Jean King Your Shoes,” Columbia Journalism Review’s #AreYourPressWorthy, an impressive creative streak on Mountain Dew, and the viral 10 Minute TikTok, “The Ad You Stay In.”
Prior to TBWA\Chiat\Day, Ferguson spent several years at MullenLowe, helping to open its New York office and run the JetBlue account. Ferguson’s work has been recognized by Cannes Lions, The One Show, D&AD, the Effie’s, the Clios and more. She’s been named to ADWEEK’s Creative 100 and Business Insider’s Most Creative Women. This June, she will serve as president of the Cannes Lions Social and Influencer Jury.
“New York is an incredibly important market for our industry so we have spent a long time searching for exactly the right leader. In Amy we have found someone who we are beyond excited about. Her creative achievements speak for themselves, while her values are aligned to ours,” said Hodgkin in a statement.
Ferguson will work alongside Woodhams-Robers and Horton, the co-CCOs of Special LA who have been with Special US since its inception in 2020 and lead the Uber Eats and Fox Sports accounts, among others, Their work includes the recent viral Super Bowl campaign featuring Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer and the Beckhams.
“We’re so proud to have watched Amy grow and find her creative voice. From her start in the industry 20 years ago as part of our Young Bloods program, to her ascent over the last six years at TBWA\Chiat\Day New York to chief creative officer, we have seen firsthand her unwavering passion for her work, as well as our people and our culture. Amy will always be a Pirate to us, but her desire for a different pace has led her somewhere new, and we wish her only the very best on this next chapter,” TBWA\Chiat\Day\New York issued in a statement.
Special launched in New Zealand and has grown to a global network of seven offices, producing work for clients including Uber Eats, Pepsi, Virgin Australia and ANZ bank. WARC recently ranked Special the most effective independent network in the world.