Strategic creative shop Swift in Portland, Ore., has brought on creative director Paul Bjork, who most recently served as group creative director at Digitas.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Bjork left Digitas, where he worked out of its San Francisco office, sometime last year. While he was there, Bjork worked on some of the agency’s more clever work for client Taco Bell, including “Blackout,” a 2014 stunt in which the fast-food chain wiped out all social media accounts to promote its app, which was new at the time.
“Paul has incredible chops and a proven ability to lead creative teams to success, there is no question about that,” joint CCO Rick Albano said in a statement. “But we were also drawn to his humility and ease in building rapport with colleagues and clients. We believe his contributions will bring a new, exciting edge to Swift’s creative overall.”
Swift said Bjork helped transform Taco Bell into a “culturally relevant social media powerhouse,” and looks forward to him bringing that “expertise” to the shop’s roster of clients in the technology, consumer goods and financial services spaces.
“To get a fan to speak for a brand unsolicited, when someone feels more than just the desire to buy—a sense of being a part of something bigger than just the ad—that’s always the goal for me,” Bjork said in a statement on the topic of engaging with consumers.
Bjork noted his inspiration comes from his two sons, with whom he’s also formed a punk band and whose “fearlessness is amazing.”
He added “camaraderie” and “collaboration” are crucial components to any team, adding that he wants his creative team “to feel loose and have fun; that’s when ideas flow best.”
“It’s about trust,” Bjork said. “When you don’t feel that connection, the work isn’t as good.”
He also noted the importance of collaborating with data scientists, strategic planners and media partners. Bjork added, “I want to know how we can get in the path of a consumer in a way that’s unexpected and not annoying.”
Prior to Digitas, Bjork held stints at Pollinate, TBWA\Chiat\Day and 72andSunny.